Pandemics, recessions, depressions, offshored jobs, dying industries, and many other scary threats make it seem like the end is here.  But whenever a threat arises, so too, do opportunities.

An article posted on Society for Human Resource Management’s website (Roy Maurer, June 2020) identifies some of the new and necessary roles in the age of Coronavirus: contact tracers, workplace re-designers, and decontamination technicians.  Wherever people need to work and gather, these jobs will be required: at schools and universities, hospitals, restaurants, office buildings, and grocery stores.  Jobs in IT and software development will also be in higher demand as more and more people work at home and online, and that trend is predicted to remain even after the virus is a memory.  It stands to reason that increased cases of Covid-19 will force more stay-at-home orders, so trucking and delivery jobs will remain in demand.  And of course—as we see on every news outlet—as the outbreak grows, so does the need for healthcare professionals and medical researchers. 

The industries that have taken the biggest hit are retail, restaurant, travel, and hospitality.  If you work in these industries, you know firsthand how bleak it’s gotten.  It may seem like your skill set could not possibly transfer to any other industry, and when you focus on your job title, it will be hard to see beyond that.  You read articles, like the one mentioned above, that describe the fastest-growing industries, and you have no idea if you could do anything like that, or how to make that happen. 

Opportunities: 

1. There are people who can help you figure this out!  Career counselors can assist you in identifying the skills you have and help you transfer those to industries that are in dire need of just what you know how to do!  And mapping out your skills, interests, personal style and values can not only help you plan your next move, but can create a path to your dream job in the process.
2. You have a new direction in mind, now is a good time to re-tool and refresh your skills.  Completing or advancing your degree or adding certifications that can take you to the next level is a good way to spend this “down” time—if you have the funds, of course.

And here’s a tip for the future: always be thinking about what you would do next if you could no longer do your current job.  In other words, always be aware of your career path and what is happening within your industry so you can be prepared to make a smart move if you have to.

You can do it!  There have been hundreds of challenges to employment throughout modern history.  Ingenuity and perseverance always win.  As the founder of the Ford Motor Company and chief developer of the assembly line, Henry Ford, liked to say,

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right!”