How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the job market this year?
While the COVID-19 pandemic erased many roles from the workforce, it also led to the creation of new ones. Healthcare-related jobs are understandably hot right now, but we looked through popular job listing boards such as Indeed, CareerBuilder, and Glasdoor to find out what other old and new careers are in-demand in 2021.
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1. Healthcare workers
Unsurprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a surge in demand for healthcare workers as hospitals require more manpower to accommodate the growing number of patients.
Indeed currently has over a million available positions for healthcare workers – and most opening are for nurses and nursing assistants, followed by physicians and their assistants.
Additionally, the demand for healthcare workers has extended to clinics, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities. Aside from physicians and nurse practitioners, other sought-after jobs include medical and health services managers, dentists, veterinarians, and anesthesiologists.
Average salary expectation: Around $152,000 a year (for physicians and registered nurses)
Highest salary expectation: At least $284,000 a year (for forensic pathologists)
States with most demand: Texas, California, New York
Job security rank: High – work-related stress is a problem, but shortages ensure job stability
Common perks: Job stability, great pay, and plenty of opportunities for career growth
Downsides: Stress from long hours and potential exposure to diseases from patients
Top companies hiring: NurseFly, Aya Healthcare, Ascension, Walgreens
2. Delivery service workers
Delivery services and courier services for online stores and restaurants have become essential as people stay home because of remote working, quarantines, and lockdowns. Many of these positions offer flexible schedules that might entice someone looking for a part-time job.
Indeed has over 170,000 delivery service positions available, with companies such as Amazon, UPS, and Ryder actively hiring.
Average salary expectation: Around $39,000 a year
Highest salary expectation: At least $72,000 a year
States with most demand: Texas, Florida, Tennessee
Job security rank: Medium – demand is high, but so is turnover
Common perks: Flexible work schedule, employee discounts, and mileage reimbursements
Downsides: Unpredictable tips, driver-related crimes, and graveyard delivery hours
Top companies hiring: US Foods, PepsiCo, Doordash, UPS
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3. Construction workers
As housing markets across the country continue to heat up, construction companies have been building new properties to meet the surging demand.
Consequently, Indeed has over 200,000 available positions for carpenters, laborers, plumbers, and crane operators. Some companies, like a roofing company in Minneapolis, even offer pay for the training of construction assistants.
Average salary expectation: Around $49,000 a year
Highest salary expectation: At least $87,000 a year (for construction managers)
States with most demand: California, Texas, Georgia
Job security rank: High – housing market is hot ensuring stable demand
Common perks: Low entry barrier, potential to learn new skills
Downsides: Construction jobs can be physically demanding and hazardous
Top companies hiring: Jacobs, Guilbane Building Company, AECOM, Kiewit, DPR Construction
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4. Video game and tech developers
IT-related jobs have always been in-demand, but the migration to remote work has made tech workers even more sought-after this year.
Zoom, perhaps the most popular video conferencing app today, has over 160 jobs posted on Indeed. Meanwhile, Microsoft, Google, and Apple have many positions open as well.
Demand for game developers has also been on the rise. Indeed has 4,293 while Glassdoor has over 14,000 available positions.
Average salary expectation: Around $126,000 a year
Highest salary expectation: At least $232,000 a year (for senior content developers)
States with most demand: California, Washington, remote
Job security rank: Medium – demand is high but burnout is common
Common perks: Remote work, great pay, lots of career opportunities
Downsides: Work can be exhausting and stressful
Top companies hiring: Microsoft, Google, Blizzard Entertainment
5. Essential goods providers
The demand for food, medicine and hygiene products increased at the start of the pandemic – and while the panic-buying scenes we witnessed last year may have eased, the demand for these essential goods has remained high.
Positions in this field include personal shoppers, pharmacy assistants, and cashiers.
Average salary expectation: Around $20,000 a year
Highest salary expectation: At least $24,000 a year (for cashiers)
States with most demand: California, Texas, Ohio
Job security rank: Medium – demand to increase as businesses reopen but turnover rate is high
Common perks: Low entry barrier, flexible schedules allow for part-timers, employee discounts
Downsides: Low pay, work on weekends and holidays
Top companies hiring: Walgreens, Shell Oil, Chevron, MVP Hospitality Group
6. COVID-19 testers and sanitizers
COVID-19 testers and sanitizers are among the pandemic-related new careers created in 2021. What’s more, testers and sanitizers will be in demand for quite some time as more companies and businesses reopen.
Glassdoor has over 400 available positions in this field, while Careerbuilder has over 200.
Average salary expectation: Around $52,000 a year
Highest salary expectation: At least $82,000 a year (for COVID tester team lead)
States with most demand: New York, California, Texas
Job security rank: Low – COVID testers are in-demand now, but will decrease as vaccines roll out
Common perks: Relatively good pay, flexible hours
Downsides: Exposure to COVID-19
Top companies hiring: Inspire Diagnostics, PIE Management, Avita Health System
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7. Contact tracers
Contact tracers call people who may have been in contact with a person who tested positive with COVID-19. They also provide advice on how to get medical assistance and help arrange for testing. Towns and cities usually have their own tracers – New York City mayor Bill de Blasio calls them the city’s “disease detectives.”
Indeed has over 200 jobs open for this type of job, while Glassdoor has over 150.
Average salary expectation: Around $41,000 a year
Highest salary expectation: At least $63,000 a year (for bilingual contact tracers)
States with most demand: Maryland, California, Virginia
Job security rank: Low – demand will decrease as pandemic winds down
Common perks: Flexible hours, remote work
Downsides: Low job, little to no room for career growth
Top companies hiring: California Public Health Institute, Baltimore Corps
8. Temperature screeners
Buildings that see frequent foot traffic regularly hire workers to check the temperatures of people entering the premises. A few examples include airports, clinics, schools, shopping malls, restaurants, and sports stadiums. However, businesses often recruit internally for this position or delegate the task to employees who are already near entry and exit points, such as security personnel and receptionists.
Indeed has over 1,600 available jobs while Glassdoor has over 1,000.
Average salary expectation: Around $25,000 a year
Highest salary expectation: At least $38,000 a year
States with most demand: New York, Texas, Indianapolis
Job security rank: Low – most temperature screener positions are temporary
Common perks: Flexible hours, especially for part-timers
Downsides: Low pay
Top companies hiring: NYU Langone Health, Sodexo, Ascension
9. Face mask makers
Even though vaccines against COVID-19 are rolling out, face masks may still be relevant for quite some time – with epidemiologist David Dowdy saying that it might be “many months before we see people not wearing masks in indoor congregate settings.”
Many mask makers work from home, especially if they have the necessary equipment such as sewing machines. Workers are often be paid by the hour or by the number of finished masks, making it one of the more profitable jobs for stay-at-home moms in 2021.
Average salary expectation: around $8 per sold piece
Highest salary expectation: Around $30 per sold piece for common day-wear masks
States with most demand: Remote
Job security rank: Low – stiff competition and a looming future without masks
Common perks: Can be done during your free time, and work is relatively stress-free
Downsides: Pay isn’t regular and will depend on the number of pieces sold
Top companies hiring: Self-employed job
10. Zoom support specialists
Many in-person interactions, such as lectures and medical examinations, have gone virtual, leading to an upsurge in demand for platform specialists for video calls, particularly Zoom. The firm hired several new technical support engineers last year and still has over 120 listings on Glassdoor.
Average salary expectation: Around $54,000 a year
Highest salary expectation: at least $83,000 a year (for technical specialist)
States with most demand: Texas, New York, and California
Job security rank: High – demand to increase as technological innovations continue to come out
Common perks: Job stability, high salary, remote work
Downsides: Stress from always being on-call
Top companies hiring: Zoom, Thermo Fisher Scientific, UnitedHealth Group, CHA Consulting
11. Social distancing monitors
Towns or cities employ special monitors to ensure that people and public establishments comply with the social distancing protocols. These monitors also handle complaints regarding violators and other COVID-19-related policies that officials might want to enforce.
Average salary expectation: Around $25,000 a year
Highest salary expectation: At least $34,000 a year
States with most demand: Pennsylvania, Oregon
Job security rank: Low – demand to decrease as pandemic eases
Common perks: Low entry barrier, flexible work hours
Downsides: Low job security and room for career growth
Top companies hiring: Adecco, Harry & David
