Job Opportunities during Covid-19
Job Opportunities during Covid-19 were just one just aspect of our lives put on pause when the pandemic crash landed in 2020.
Economies, business, international travel … everything was upended and thrown into doubt as the world fought to lockdown and protect lives from the virus.
As a graduate looking to enter the labour market during the last 18 months, there have obviously been plenty of challenges as we adjust to the ‘new normal’.
Certain sectors such as travel and live entertainment have been devastated after having been forced to shut for months. Other areas, such as the gig economy or ecommerce, have seen significant opportunities created for graduates with more of us living online than ever before.
Here, we’ll explore job opportunities during Covid-19, the new types of jobs emerging from Covid-19 and some essential advice on how graduates can make the most of working from home, now it’s the norm for so many of us…
What were the sectors most hit by Covid-19?
While job opportunities after Covid-19 are still becoming clear as the economy recovers, some sectors were badly damaged by the pandemic.
With social distancing restrictions in place and limits on the number of people allowed to be in one place at the same time, it was those jobs involving the highest amount of proximity to others that were most disrupted. Those sectors hit hard included:
- Leisure and entertainment
- Travel, particularly aviation
- On-site customer service
Roles within the leisure and entertainment sector were understandably halted while the travel sector was shut down as airlines only operated on a limited basis.
Future outlook for job opportunities after Covid-19
At this point, it’s still difficult to predict which companies will be damaged in the long-term as some industries have seen plenty of activity as restrictions have eased. Some new permanent changes could be a reduction in the amount of business travel as well as increased automation in certain roles
New Types of Jobs Emerge From Covid-19
The pandemic accelerated existing trends in remote work, ecommerce, and automation. According to McKinsey, up to 25 percent more workers than previously estimated potentially needed to switch occupations due to Covid-19, underlining the extent of the disruption to the working world.
Ecommerce
Many of us turned to online channels to keep us busy during lockdown and ecommerce was one of the areas to boom. Although digital transformation was already taking place, the impact of Covid-19 sped this up.
Recent stats show how approximately ¾ of those who used digital platforms for the first time due to the pandemic will continue following this behaviour in the future.
ESSENTIAL TIP
If you were a graduate looking for opportunities during this time, then the online world definitely had them, whether you wanted to work for an established business or set up your own venture. This continues as restrictions have eased.
Data analysis
With technology and innovation changing the job industry, a key role predicted to emerge in the future is that of the data analyst.
Whether it be mapping retail behaviours or analysing marketing trends on social media, there are opportunities in the world of data, machine learning and other technologies.
ESSENTIAL TIP
According to the World Economic Forum, it’s common for individuals moving into data and AI to lack key data science skills, but it is possible to master those skills, such as statistical programming, within a recommended time frame.
Healthcare
The pandemic has underlined the importance of talent working in healthcare and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths) occupations. Without the scientists at the big pharma companies, a vaccine for Covid-19 would not have been found.
ESSENTIAL TIP
This prioritising of healthcare is set to continue as technological innovations occur and populations age, meaning the health sector needs greater investment. The knock-on effect is ongoing opportunities within the graduate jobs market.
Covid-19 jobs from Home
As you might expect, more of us are working remotely than ever before in the wake of Covid-19.
A recent Gartner poll showed that 48% of employees will likely work remotely at least part of the time after COVID-19 versus 30% before the pandemic
What are the benefits of remote working for graduates
This new culture of remote working means you will likely have a wider range of opportunities and jobs to apply to.
Many job seekers view location and the work environment as important factors when looking for a job, meaning increasingly companies are having to offer remote posts to attract top talent.
As a graduate looking for work, this is great news. It means you will have even more options open to you in your job search, as you don’t have to limit yourself to employment within a certain area.
Top tips on working from home effectively
For graduates, working remotely from home can offer some unique challenges, particularly when starting a new role and attempting to find your feet in a new organisation. Some tips include:
Get used to video conferencing
Regular team meetings are essential particularly with a remote workforce. So it’s sensible to familiarise yourself with the latest video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Slack and workflow systems including Trello, Asana and Monday. These tools can build confidence and enhance communication between teams.
Prioritise work organisation
Try and keep your life organised. It can be essential to ensure the personal and professional are separate to ensure you can prioritise tasks and hit any targets. If you can, ensure your workstation is somewhere quiet in a location where you’re unlikely to be disturbed. Then get that to-do list on point.
Manage your time effectively
Work hard to prioritise your days and ensure you take regular breaks while sticking to traditional office hours. There’s no need to work 12 hour days just because you’re not commuting to an office. Instead, focus on completing specific tasks and projects and have a system in place to answer emails at the right time. This will be invaluable in the long-term.
Conclusion | Why Graduate Recruitment Services are Important
The job market has changed more than ever in recent years due to the impact of Covid-19 which is where graduate recruitment services can come in. If you’re struggling to take advantage of current Job Opportunities or struggling to cut through the digital noise, then a graduate recruiter can be a great support function. Our dedicated team of experts are on hand to help make your entry into the world of work as smooth as possible.
