The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people around the world to reassess how they think about employment. Roughly four million Americans quit their job each month in 2021, and 33% of the 50% employed Americans are planning to make changes to their career by changing industries. Women, in particular, found themselves facing a disproportionate amount of housework and child care compared to men. In their professional lives, they also had to take on more responsibilities toward employee well-being, as well as advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
In some ways, the ongoing pandemic is also pushing career women to explore new opportunities. In addition to exposing systemic ills, the crisis has also revealed to many workers how necessary it is to pursue a truly fulfilling job. Here are three rewarding careers to consider:
Healthcare professional
As we’ve seen in the past few months, healthcare providers are among the most essential workers — with or without the pandemic. Aside from those on the frontline like doctors and nurses, professionals like dentists, psychologists, and pharmacists are also in demand. In October 2021, 16% of American hospitals faced critical staff shortages for providers, nurses, and call center agents, ushering in the healthcare automation trend. Hospitals and health systems are now adopting technologies to eliminate manual administrative and clinical work involved in patient care; digital assistants, apps, and virtual visits have increasingly been in use since 2020.
Despite these measures, there are still many unfilled roles. If you’re interested in a career in health, but may not be open to extensive studies, you may want to work as a healthcare executive or administrator. For people who are deeply interested in serving the community, emergency call handler is another satisfying job to have.
Social worker
Social workers are professionals who help people solve and cope with life’s problems. The job outlook for this industry is positive, with employment projected to grow 12% from 2020 to 2030. Social workers are necessary in different settings, such as schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, and community development efforts. To be qualified for social work you would need training in areas such as self-care, emotional literacy, advocacy, social justice, and financial literacy. Professionals should also be competent in social work theory, ethics, research methods, statistics, human behavior, and other related topics.
Social work is not for the faint of heart. While it is incredibly rewarding to aid people in substantive ways, social workers often have to help them overcome major difficulties like poverty, disability, addiction, and child abuse. Social workers also serve as a voice for marginalized people, and play a role in changing the system by making recommendations.
Journalist or reporter
A journalist or reporter is someone who researches, writes, edits, and proofreads news stories, features, and articles for online and offline channels. They often keep themselves informed of what’s going on locally and around the world, then break down complex topics so ordinary people can understand them. Most of the time, these topics are very important — elected officials, new laws, global politics, health, and more.
As seen during the GNL Let’s Chat with freelance journalist and TV host Emily Foley, there is some flexibility in how journalists work. You’ll get assignments if you can pitch interesting topics with confidence. However there’s no telling when assignments will come in and when you’ll get paid. Another potential downside is becoming a public figure; many journalists and reporters have to endure harassment, intimidation, or violence as they do their job. But if you want to influence and inform people about daily events, then this is the calling for you.
Specially written for GNL
By: Raelin Janyne
