Article by Hammad Nadim  from Entrepreneurship Wing, GAEE JMI

The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc across industries. As a result, many of us have been forced to pursue alternative career paths that are both workable and feasible. With inevitable lockdowns and social distancing, we’ve seen job markets grind to a halt as people struggle to stay inside.

As society grapples with the magnitude of the Covid-19 impact, technology emerges as the savior. Although the list is endless, among other things, technology allows people to work from home, purchase goods comfortably while at home, and so on.

This pandemic has shown us the benefits of technology in a variety of ways, including exposing cyber security risks and assisting businesses in developing new ways to effectively use knowledge.

The current situation requires professionals to step up their game in order to anticipate more massive job opportunities or alternative career options in the post-pandemic world; certain domains are going to witness a massive growth in the coming years. These domains include the following: 

How does it beat traditional selling?

1. Collaborative selling environment: While traditional selling models are typically one-way (marketing to sales), digital selling leverages the interaction of marketing and sales teams to create a more collaborative selling environment.
2. Cost-effectiveness: If someone were to start a business on the internet, his initial investment would be limited to the creation of the website. In today’s world, no small player builds an E-commerce website from the ground up. There are readily available templates that anyone can use, or they can use websites such as Wix to create something for themselves.
3. Updates any time: Digital selling is the new frontier for businesses that want to keep their brands and campaigns fresh. According to recent surveys, more than 72% of salespeople who use social selling as part of their sales process outperform their counterparts and achieve a quota that is 23% higher. Consumers can easily research any aspect of any item they want on the internet, and they receive frequent updates on new product features or launches, as well as new industry trends

Here’s what Hammad think’s:

With so many people utilizing e-information, digital selling has become a lifeline for organizations as they seek to reduce selling spending, generate greater ROI from it, and follow their customers online. This is your chance to reinvent yourself in preparation for the new update.

Online Teaching 

What is online teaching?

Faculty-delivered instruction via the Internet is referred to as online teaching and learning. Online learning can take place in real-time (synchronous) or at any time and from any location (asynchronous).

How is it better than traditional teaching?

1. Flexibility: Online education allows students to attend classes whenever and wherever they want. The schedule is adaptable, allowing students to design a personalized study plan that meets their specific needs. 
2. Cost-effective: Online education allows students to save money because they don’t need transportation or gas to travel. This means that students who work full-time, care for children, or have other responsibilities can still study without requiring any additional resources such as time away from work or family commitments. In addition, online-based courses and programs tend to offer cheaper options to learning than traditional education options. 
3. Accessible: Online education allows you to study or teach from any location on the planet. This eliminates the need to commute from one location to another or adhere to a strict schedule. Furthermore, you not only save time but also money, which can be spent on other priorities. The virtual classroom is also accessible from any location with an internet connection. For example, if you’re studying abroad and want to work, online education is an excellent option. There’s no reason to stop working or studying while traveling to new and exotic locations.

Here’s what Hammad think’s: 

Among other jobs, online teaching appears to have thrived during the Covid-19 pandemic. With every educational institution closing, students would prefer lecturers to help them with their studies and a teacher to help them cope with this new change. There is a great need for online lecturers. As a result, if you want to teach, online classes are the best option.

Cyber Security Professionals 

Who are Cyber Security Professionals?

Cyber security professionals, also known as information security analysts, have a wide range of responsibilities, but the most important aspect of their job is to keep online data secure.

What do the statistics say?

1. According to a report by multinational professional services company Accenture, a cyber-attack in the form of malware can cost an organization $2.6 million. 
2. According to IBM’s “2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report,” data breach incidents cost the United States the highest globally at $8.64 million, followed by the Middle East at $6.52 million.
3. According to the Cisco Cybersecurity Reports, 50% of large organizations with more than 10,000 employees spend at least $1 million on security each year. The report also claims that 43 percent spend between $250,000 and $999,999, and 7 percent spend less than $250,000.

Here’s what Hammad think’s:

Even as most industries struggle to stay afloat, the cyber security industry appears to be thriving, with over fivefold employment growth in the last few months, providing a favorable rate in these difficult times.

With corporations shifting to remote operations, it has become critical to protect networks, confidential information, and worker operations from a variety of security threats. 

Moreover, sectors such as e-commerce, education, retail, financial institutions, and even government organizations rely on cyber security consultants to protect their vast knowledge and online payments. As a result, there is undoubtedly an increase in job opportunities for Cyber Security professionals.

Beauty Influencers 

Who are Beauty Influencers? 

A beauty influencer is knowledgeable about makeup, haircare, or skincare. The number of people who follow beauty influencers for any beauty-related advice on social media distinguishes them from other social media users.

What do the statistics say? 

1. Beauty influencers on TikTok have the highest number of followers on average, followed by Instagram, then YouTube. (Source: Industry Report – Beauty Brands)
2.  57% of Fashion and Beauty Companies Engage in Influencer Marketing. (Source: 20 Surprising Influencer Marketing Statistics)
3.  67% of beauty enthusiasts turn to influencers before making a purchase. (Source: How Influencers Are Making Over Beauty Marketing)

Here’s what Hammad think’s:

The pandemic has been difficult and testing. On the other hand, influencers, play an important role in the growth of the fashion industry. Thanks to the pandemic, many of us have avoided salons, giving rise to the careers of beauty influencers and bloggers. Industry-wide, marketers are spending $8.5 billion on influencer marketing, but beauty influencer marketing dollars are especially surging to new heights as they continue to nurture these relationships.

Your beauty tips and tricks can be beneficial to many people, and they may also come in handy as brands collaborate with influencers who have a large following in order to tap into this network. This is an excellent chance to earn some money.

Freelancing

What is freelancing?

Freelancing is a contract-based profession in which a person uses his skills and experience to provide services to a number of clients rather than being hired by an organization.

In other words, freelancing is when you use your skills, education, and experience to work with multiple clients and take on different assignments without committing to a single employer. The number of assignments or tasks you can accept is limited only by your ability to complete them as requested.

What do the statistics say?

1. 28% of freelancers call themselves ‘self-employed consultants’. 14% refer to themselves as ‘side hustlers’, 12% as ‘founders with no employees’, 6% as ‘founders with employees’, and the last 4% as ‘something else.’ (Source: Freelance Statistics 2022)
2. Freelancers represent about 36% of the global workforce in 2020. (Source: New Upwork Study Finds 36% of the U.S. Workforce Freelance Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic)
3. 86% of freelancers work from the comfort of their homes. (Source: These 10 Countries are the Clear-Cut Capitals of Freelancing)

Here’s what Hammad think’s: 

Freelancing paves the way for a variety of opportunities such as content writing, fashion planning, graphic design, photography, packaging, coding/programming, translating, and selling. 

When the longer-term appears uncertain, it is better to pursue a diverse portfolio of options rather than sticking solely to one. Even in good times, changing careers is not an easy process. It is a chaotic journey of self-discovery, and in order to get it right, you must experiment with, test, and learn about a wide range of attainable opportunities.

The Bottom Line 

Companies now prefer candidates who are digitally literate, have soft skills and can adapt to a changing work environment. Therefore, if you want to thrive and survive the current crisis, it is time to improve your skills. 

The previously mentioned sectors will thrive in the current environment and will most likely generate more jobs in the future. So buckle up and prepare to be industry-ready with in-demand skills.

Article Summary: This article focuses on how to use one’s skills and cope with unemployment during this post-COVID era when the world is shut down, as well as convenient work-from-home career options for qualified candidates. Furthermore, the article emphasizes job opportunities for the youth, such as digital selling, online teaching, cyber security jobs, freelancing, and make-up influencing. These industries may prosper during the current pandemic and will undoubtedly create more jobs in the near future.

(Hammad Nadim is a B.Com.(Hons.) student at Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi, GAEE JMI, an autonomous branch of Global Association of Economics Education (GAEE) in India. The views expressed are personal and they do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of GAEE or its members.)

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