Here Are the Industries That Need the Highest Amount Of Workers Right Now
By now, you probably know that the U.S economy is bouncing back. The unemployment levels are getting back to normal, and industries are looking to hire. In fact, some industries are experiencing significant shortages. Learn more about the hiring trends and find out which industries you should consider working in.
Which Industries are Hot?
Because the pandemic led to a surge in e-commerce, warehousing, and delivery, there was expansion in those industries. Even as the pandemic subsides, there's still a demand for workers in certain sectors.
Take warehouse jobs as an example. In early April, there were 58% more warehouse jobs listed on Indeed than there were pre-Covid. People are still buying products online, and this means there's an increased need for warehouse workers. It's likely that this e-commerce will persist, and warehouse jobs will need to be filled.
The pandemic also caused a surge in delivery jobs. As people avoided grocery stores and restaurants, they relied on grocery and restaurant delivery services for their food. Despite being able to get the vaccine, people got used to depending on delivery services. They still want their groceries and food to come right to their door. As a result, delivery jobs are still very much available.
Logistics is another hot industry. In logistics alone, there could be more than 4.5 million jobs over the next five years. From truck drivers to data analysts, careers in logistics could be quite lucrative. Maintaining supply chains requires more workers, and there are plenty of incentives for people who want to enter the industry.
Factory Jobs
Unless you lived under a rock for all of 2020, you remember the great toilet paper shortage. When the pandemic hit, toilet paper and other necessities became hard to come by. Various shortages led people to realize the importance of the U.S manufacturing industry. Even though other industries shut down operations, many factories remained open.
The ones that did shut down are now in need of new workers. Meanwhile, the factories that stayed open have an increased demand. Across the board, the manufacturing industry is thriving. According to one survey, factory activity is faster than it has been in over three decades. Although various positions are available, the greatest demand is for qualified machine and fabrication talent. If you have the right qualifications, you could be in line for a big bonus or a wage increase.
Healthcare
In addition to making it easier for people to return to their old jobs, vaccines made some new openings in the healthcare industry. Pharmacies and healthcare organizations are hiring in large numbers, accounting for about one in five of all job openings.
As of spring 2021, Walgreens had almost 10,000 job vacancies to fill. CVS had about 50,000 jobs to add to the mix. And you don't need a medical degree to work in the healthcare industry. Patient care and customer service roles are available in most cities and towns. Some cities, like New York City, have vaccine corps encouraging residents to get vaccinated.
Not All Industries are Thriving
Sadly, not all industries are back to thriving. The hospitality industry hasn't yet been restored to its former glory. To date, there are still millions of unemployed individuals in those sectors. While many restaurants have opened and hotels are booking, the industry isn't what it once was. Travel agencies, cruise lines, and airlines don't need as much staff as they once did.
Even if your industry is doing well, it might be difficult to get back to work. If you have kids, you could be stuck at home helping them with remote learning. Many families can't afford a sitter to stay home with the kids while they go back to work. If your children are in daycare, there's no guarantee the daycare will remain open. All it takes is one case of Covid for a daycare to be closed for weeks.
Furthermore, the pandemic is still around and causes people to take excessive sick time. Every time you have a cough, you could be forced to use a sick day. A fear of the virus also keeps some people from getting back into the workforce.
Will the economy bounce back? Unless you can see the future, you can't be sure what the future holds. However, it's safe to say that things are looking up.
Making the Most of the Economy
Finding work means knowing where to look. Even though the hospitality industry is still hurting, there are new jobs available every day. Likewise, other industries are slowly opening their doors. Whether you work in a sector that's bouncing back or one that's still hurting, you can find work.
When it comes to finding jobs, there Are two hurdles people need to overcome. First, there's the issue of confidence. If you looked for a job at the start of the pandemic, you probably were met with rejection. It wasn't you - few people were hiring, and the competition was intense. But no matter the circumstances, you may have felt unqualified. The rejection was a blast to your confidence and might have caused you to give up your search.
After such rejection, many job applicants gave up. They just aren't ready to get back into the job hunt. However, there's no time like the present. Since there are so many jobs available now, you're likely to receive at least one job offer.
The other hindrance to job searchers is not knowing where to look. Although you may not realize it, the internet has a wealth of resources available to job seekers. You can read industry news to learn who's hiring and receive job alerts about new listings. If you take advantage of all the resources, it will only be a matter of time before you get a job offer. Take advantage of the current market, and you might be surprised about the offers you receive.