With unemployment approaching 15% in April, Americans might be making some life changes in the near future. Around 73.5 million people surveyed by WalletHub said they will look for a job that is “more pandemic-proof.” But what is a pandemic-proof job?
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Some industries were undeniably hit harder than others during the pandemic and efforts to quell its spread, but some have been more resilient. However, would-be job changers face a lot of challenges.
“While I am sure people would like to find work that will continue to pay them during a pandemic, either because the job is deemed essential by bureaucrats or because you are paid a salary and can continue your work remotely, I am not so sure that everyone can hold out for those types of jobs,” James DeNicco, lecturer and director of The Principles of Economics Program at Rice University, told WalletHub.
In addition to job-changers possibly lacking skills for new industries—not to mention increased competition from 73.5 million people all gunning for a job they can do remotely—the jobs that have been most “pandemic-proof” so far might not be in the future. For example, government jobs were among the least affected, but many areas are facing budget shortfalls that could make government jobs scarce going forward, DeNicco said.
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Hernan J. Moscoso Boedo, assistant professor in the Department of Economics at University of Cincinnati, pointed out that lingering uncertainty around the virus could affect the overall resiliency of an industry.
“What if there is a second wave? What if they find a treatment? The pandemic-proof sectors would be different,” he said.
Moving, whether it’s for a job or just to get out of a house they’ve been holed up in for two months, is also on the table. WalletHub found 35 million Americans plan to move as a result of the virus.
DeNicco believes states like Florida and Texas could see an influx of people moving from states like California, Illinois and New York.
“As people suffer economically, they are going to be looking for opportunities in these low tax and low regulation states,” he said. Some employers’ realization that letting their employees work remotely is less expensive then having them in an office may also fuel worker migration.
Christine Sauer, professor emeritus of economics at the University of New Mexico, pointed out that 35 million Americans accounts for about 10.6% of the population.
“This is only slightly higher than the 9.8% of the population that actually moved in 2019,” she said. Moving is clearly on people’s minds, but we might not see a mass exodus of city folk running for the hills.