With rates of unemployment currently projected to be higher than the peak of the Great Depression, many Americans are concerned about their abilities to obtain and retain employment. Many were laid off with little to no notice. State unemployment programs have been overloaded with former workers requesting compensation. Despite federal efforts to ease this pain, this unprecedented crisis is causing many systems to malfunction.

Of course, this means that previous employees need to wait far longer than originally anticipated to receive their first unemployment payments. Even though many states removed some restrictions on their unemployment programs, it's no secret that it's quite a pain to prove that you qualify and continue to qualify. Even though some view it as "free money", most Americans would prefer to be back at work.

Fortunately, some industries are prospering at the moment due to all of these sudden COVID-19 changes. Depending on your skill-set and experience, some of these industries may be just right for your next job. Even if it's just temporary, these could provide a source of income for you until things go back to normal.

Online Tutoring and Teaching

With schools closing, parents are beginning to see the amount of effort it takes to teach their children. However, many parents are too overwhelmed with their own duties to full-time home school their children. Therefore, a good bit of the burden of education has shifted to online tutors. Some school systems are using a virtual instruction system, but most simply closed for the year and left education up to families.

Online tutoring didn't used to pay well, but wages have gone up in recent weeks. Note that you'll likely need either a degree or certification to tutor. There are several major services from which you can choose. Most services have expedited their hiring processes to both help those who just lost their previous jobs and meet the increased demand they're seeing.

The Grocery Business

Universally classified as "essential" workers, grocery workers provide staples that Americans need to survive. Wages have gone up across the board as stores get desperate to retain more employees. What were considered minimum wage jobs a month ago are now being praised by many.

The only jobs open aren't just cashier jobs. Most grocery stores are in desperate need of shelf stockers. This job usually doesn't require much human interaction. The employee simply carts around items and places them in the right spots of the store. Not much, if any, experience is needed for most grocery positions. Many employers are waiving previous resume requirements because they will go under without getting a good amount of new employees very soon.

Trucking

If you use social media, you've likely seen messages about thanking our nation's truckers for helping stock our grocery store shelves. Now, more than ever, the nation needs truckers. It used to be the standard that truckers would pay for their own Commercial Driver's License (CDL), then apply to work at a company. However, many companies are offering free, expedited CDL training programs to anyone who is qualified and interested.

Other than a reasonable driving record and lack of regular illicit drug use, there aren't many requirements for this well-paying job. Trucking jobs require a certain personality, and extroverted people would likely not do well in them. Regardless, truckers are performing an essential duty by bringing every product you see at your local grocery store to it to be sold.

Notes of Caution

Before jumping into a new role, ask yourself if you or anyone in your household could be vulnerable to succumbing to COVID-19. Vulnerable people would be those who are older than 60 or have some type of pre-existing respiratory issue. Any in-person job, especially one with regular public contact, almost guarantees that you will at least unknowingly spread COVID-19.

If this is the case, you should probably stick with searching for online jobs. Many companies have transitioned in-person jobs to online jobs and are desperately hiring. You can simply search for "remote" jobs on common job search sites if none of these industries sound appealing to you.

Wrapping Up

Emotions are running high as Americans go day to day unsure of whether their main sources of income will still be there the next day. With so much volatility, looking into "independent contractor" jobs could provide more independence and peace of mind.