Revolution GrayThe COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way the entire world works. Millions of Americans have been laid off or furloughed. The rise of remote work will not help those whose jobs are in jeopardy. COVID-19 was a trial by fire, and many traditional jobs failed to adapt.
As these traditional jobs get shoved out, jobs that require tech-based skills are on the rise. You may have lost your job due to the pandemic, but the three steps below may prove helpful to give you the skills needed to rebound.
Enroll in a Bootcamp
After losing your job, you are bound to have a large amount of time on your hands. Using this free time for something useful is the best way to make the most out of these troubling times. As mentioned earlier, the skills needed for the future of work are tech-based, and the biggest of all those skills is coding or programming.
A report from FastCompany that came out in 2015 found that there were seven million job openings that involved coding skills. That was five years ago, and those openings are only going to increase exponentially over the next decade. Hopping on the coding train is the best bet for trying to secure a new job when the pandemic dies down.
Alternatively, if coding does not appeal to you, field-specific bootcamps have arisen in recent years as well. An example of a career path that does not require tech-based skills is data science. All one needs are analytical abilities and a very basic knowledge of machine learning. Some of the top data science bootcamps offer short but intensive courses in data science that prepare students for a career. Enrolling yourself in such a camp may give you the skills you need to thrive as you reenter the workforce.
Diversify Your Skillset
Another excellent strategy to follow if you lost your job due to the pandemic is to diversify your skillset. Truthfully, many people were laid off because their skills have become outdated when compared to new employees. As you probably guessed, those new skills are tech-based.
As alluded to earlier, in-depth knowledge of coding or programming won’t be required to land a tech job in the future of work. If you have a creative side and are a fan of aesthetics and design, then consider becoming a web designer. Whenever you land on a website, a web designer was most likely responsible for the look and general feel of that site. People in this profession use psychology and design to draw a viewer’s eyes to certain areas of the website that can positively impact business analytics.
You don’t need to go deep into tech-based skills to become relevant once again in the future workforce. Diversifying your already existing skills into new areas is enough when combined with your previous work history. Just as the workforce grows and changes, you too need to grow and change your skills.
Pursue a Different Career Path
You have lost your job and now have no idea what to do with your life. Think of this as a blank slate. If this had happened 50 years ago, then you would have been out of luck but, fortunately, resources exist today that can help your transition to a new career.
Trade schools are a fantastic option to consider when deciding what new career you would like to pursue. These are specialized schools where you can earn a degree in a variety of courses in under a year for some cases. Flatiron is a top-rated trade school that offers online options and deferred tuition which means you can get back on your feet before worrying about bills.
The transition to a new career is always a difficult and arduous task, but utilizing the resources at your disposal can open doors previously locked.
Very few people have been left unscathed by the pandemic. As the number of new jobs available continues to increase, it will become exponentially more important that your skills are up to date.
The most important thing to remember is that you are not in this alone. Keep growing until you become an invaluable resource that future employers will be begging to hire.