Who’s Hiring During the Pandemic

This is a uniquely challenging time to search for a job. Concerns over COVID-19 have shuttered many businesses, and large numbers of people have been temporarily or permanently laid off. Given this uncertainty, most companies are slowing down hiring – but not all. Certain fields are growing quickly in response to consumer demand during the outbreak, including:

  • Hospitals and Medical Centers: Locally, this includes Our Lady of the Lake, Baton Rouge General, and Ochsner, all of whom are hiring both medical and non-medical staff.
  • Janitorial Companies: Janicare, Janiking, and Aramark are among those hiring locally.
  • Grocery Stores: This will include national chains like Walmart, Target, Costco, Sam’s Club, and Albertson’s, plus local chains such as Rouse’s and Associated Grocers.
  • Pharmacies: Walgreens and CVS, as well as smaller local pharmacies, will need more employees.
  • Home Repair Stores: Both Lowe’s and Home Depot have been categorized as essential stores that will remain open throughout the crisis, and both are hiring.
  • Delivery Services: Amazon is having explosive growth due to online ordering. Food delivery services such as Waitr, UberEats, and GrubHub also need staff to keep up with demand. And grocery delivery services such as Shipt and Postmates are rapidly growing.
  • Transportation Services: For non-CDL drivers, check FedEx, UPS, and the Post Office. For CDL drivers, there are a variety of companies to choose from, so your best bet may be an aggregate job search website such as Indeed.

Additionally, you could use this time as an opportunity for some entrepreneurship. Think creatively about what services you could sell. Could you offer to provide lawn care, handyman services, housecleaning, cooking, or grocery pickup for your community? Could you babysit neighbors’ children while the parents are at work? Sign up as an online tutor? Craft items to sell on Etsy? Your skills and hobbies could help you fill in the cracks financially.

We wish you luck with your job search through this challenging time. As always, feel free to call the Career Center at 225-231-3733 for answers to your job search questions.

Written by Cynthia Payton and Lynnette Lee