There has been a lot of uncertainty since COVID-19 coverage ramped up in the United States and across the rest of the world. In particular, financial uncertainty seems to fluctuate with each coronavirus-related update, and rampant layoffs and fluctuations in the market are providing a whole new set of challenges. In the short amount of time that we’ve been seeing cases accrue, a record-high number of Americans have been forced to file for unemployment. 
But there is good news: not every company is laying off its employees due to the virus. Some companies and businesses are ramping up their job openings to keep up with increased demand for deliveries, health needs, and other necessities. If you are one of the 3.3 million adults in America seeking unemployment benefits to cover your expenses, your luck may be changing.

Market research has shown that the job most in-demand in the United States right now is that of sales associate. With grocery stores and other essential businesses remaining open, there is a greater need for sales associates to combat longer lines and cover the shifts of workers who can’t continue in their positions. The barrier to entry is low and the need is very high. Other positions on the list range from mental and physical health-related positions to managerial work.

Check out this list of in-demand jobs for the unemployed 

Here are the most in-demand jobs for the unemployed to take advantage of right now:

• Sales or store associates
• System operators
• Certified public accountants (tax deadlines have been extended, but they’ll still come due in July)
• Construction workers
• Warehouse managers
• Psychologists
• Mechanics
• Academic advisers
• Delivery drivers

These positions are vastly different from the data we’ve been provided over the last several years that showed artificial intelligence (AI), engineering, and data-related positions were dominating the list. COVID-19 has drastically altered the way the world works, but it’s important to remember that we can get through this together. If you are currently unemployed, you have more options than you might think.

The following companies, among others, are hiring now:

• 7-Eleven (adding 20,000 jobs)
• The National Guard (mobilizing in all 50 states)
• Amazon (hiring 100,000 new employees)
• Lowe’s (hiring for 30,000 temporary and permanent positions)
• Walmart (adding 150,000 new workers)
• National grocery store chains like Albertsons, Kroger, and Trader Joe’s are open and combating long lines and increased demand
• CVS Health (adding 50,000 temporary, part-time, and full-time positions)
• Many pizza chains like Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, and Hungry Howie’s are adding new positions to keep up with the increased pickup and delivery demands

The list above includes many large companies and national grocery stores that are hiring large numbers of employees right now, but they’re not the only ones. If you are looking for a list of local options, you can search within your town or the towns surrounding you. With most major news services and media outlets focusing primarily on COVID-19 coverage for the foreseeable future, information (positive and negative) has become increasingly easy to find.  

Work from home jobs during the coronavirus pandemic

If you are at higher risk for acquiring coronavirus, or prefer not to get out into the general public right now, there may be jobs that you can do from home. If you have a talent such as typing, blogging, information technology (IT) and computer programming, graphic design, bookkeeping, accounting, etc., then you are well-positioned to look for freelance work that can help bring in additional income. 

Be sure to check online for companies that are hiring for these remote positions. And in the meantime, make sure that your LinkedIn profile is up to date and your resume is current.

We’re all in this pandemic together 

This coronavirus outbreak is something that we couldn’t all prepare for. It will likely have long-term effects on the labor market, changing the structure of the jobs we see available for a long time and maybe forever. The increase in automation that we’ve all been anticipating may be pushed forward now. Technology may need to be ramped up to fill in the gaps and increase productivity where we simply can’t meet the demands due to conditions completely out of our control.

Positivity and perseverance are important in these uncertain times, but it’s important to also be realistic. If the state of our economy remains where it is now, we may emerge from social distancing and stay-at-home orders to find that highly-skilled job positions and jobs that can’t be performed by machines are what is left for us.

As we move forward and seek clarity, we should focus on the things that we are capable of rather than the things that we are not. With the additional time we have, we can come up with ways to cut expenses, get financially fit at home, and investigate our available job options. We weren’t ready when COVID-19 began, but we can all take this time to get ready now.