How to make money during the pandemic

The year 2020 was without a doubt one of the most difficult periods for the worldwide economy. Due to the pandemic, many industries have plummeted. According to Market Watch, about 22 million US workers lost their jobs in a few months.

Just like a seesaw, while some sectors are holding their breath and waiting out the pandemic, some others are booming and that is where you should look if you want to make money during the pandemic. These 20 sectors listed here are suitable for people across different skill levels so that no one is left out.

20 booming industries during the pandemic

If you are part of the bulk majority who are unable to work from home or among those who have experienced some form of pay-cut, then you can get more distraught with the ongoing pandemic. While health experts work hard to find solutions, we need to bother about ourself and find a way to make a living while staying at home or helping people to do so.

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1. Delivery services that hire during the pandemic

As expected, now that people are staying at home, there is higher traffic for delivery services companies. It is possible to make money in delivery services while helping people stay safely at home. Currently, companies that deliver essential items are in higher demand, so you should focus on providing meal and grocery delivery services. Companies like Doordash, Ubereats, Grubhub, Shipt shopper, etc. are on the look-out for new hires, you can also look at bigger e-commerce platforms like eBay, Amazon, Walmart, and so on.

Delivering for each of these companies, you make approximately the same base pay of $12 to $18 per hour (tips may add up eventually). Food and grocery companies like Dominos, Pizza hut, and many more are in need of delivery drivers and you can start working within hours of applying for these jobs. In this list, you can see companies that need delivery services.

2. Open an online store

Just because people are not leaving their homes to troop into stores does not mean they stopped needing products, and services. Businesses that were heavily dependent on face-to-face interactions have taken a huge punch with the pandemic, which makes it a great time to go online. You can reach new customers when you move online, and you can help your old customers find you with ease.

You have options when it comes to opening an online store or list your product:

• Create an online store with WordPress and WooCommerce
• Create an online store with Shopify
• Create an online store with Wix
• Create Facebook page shop
• List your products on Amazon, Etsy, eBay, etc.

Where you list your products depends on what you intend to sell. For example, on Etsy, you can sell “handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies”.

3. Online tutoring – Online education jobs

Although more people take online courses to learn new skills and get career advancements, an opportunity that is often overlooked is – creating an online course. If you are an expert in any field, you should give this a serious thought. All you need is to have useful knowledge to share, and you too can create your own online education program. It takes meticulous planning to create the course because you need to put together the correct information and create a curriculum.

Here are below five sectors that will need online educators in 2020 and beyond:

• Online tutoring [English tutoring jobs, Math & Science tutoring jobs]
• Digital marketing online courses
• Web developer & App developer online courses
• E-commerce training and courses
• Teach how to create handmade products online
• Teach how to use social media to grow a business

Online teaching is a great remote job that can make you a full-time income.

4. Apply for community response jobs

While some industries are drying up, there is an increasing demand for community response staff. If you are trained in health-related fields, in particular, you can help communities during this pandemic, and you might be what employers are looking for. Not only are more hands needed in hospitals, but there is also a need for professionals that can work outside the hospitals with smaller communities as well.

For example, a quick search on Community Health Network or Indeed will show you different postings for community response jobs, just check if your community or anyone close to you is listed. You might be required for contact tracing and primary health services and other temporary services as well. The great thing is that you do not need a high skill level to apply for these jobs since most of them require a high school diploma or entry-level qualifications.

5. Online training jobs from home (in particular in sport, wellness …)

Similar to putting together an online course, you can set up online training. Look out for areas where people might be interested in this pandemic. Topics like health and safety, sports, wellness, and so on., are hot right now.

Gyms are closed, most training centers are shut down but people still need to stay healthy and fit, athletes need to maintain a high level of fitness. If you have knowledge in one of these fields, then you are useful to a large population. They need you, and you need to make money. You can put out multimedia training materials and sell them online.

Another strategy is to share them for free on social media like YouTube and join the YouTube partner program to make money through ads. Useful videos that people need will generate a lot of traffic if you learn how to use the platform. You have options like fitness challenges, yoga, something on parenting, lifestyle tips, or be productive from home.

You can also target specific demographics like parents and pet owners. The great thing about this is that you can always upgrade it to an online course, and you will continue earning even after the pandemic.

6 remote online jobs for 2020 and beyond

6. Create a blog (long term project: around 2 years) to get consistent income

Even though you are bothered about making money now, blogging is something that can run long-term. If you are one of those that have considered starting a blog but never did for any reason, you should do it now. Creating a blog is the easy part; with Bluehost and WordPress, you can have it running in less than an hour.

Here are a few blogging key factors:

Know that you might not start to earn immediately, so think of this as a long-term investment you can start doing on the side. Blogging is a passive income stream, meaning: you put a lot of time and effort at the beginning then one day you will start making money while you sleep or while you are on vacation.

7. Cleaning industry

The cleaning industry has never been more important than it is right now, in the face of the pandemic. Sanitizing surfaces is a priority, so the cleaning industry has witnessed a boost in demands. It’s not just the regular cleaning services anymore, everyone needs to be more careful, and meticulous, particularly with public spaces. That means that there is a great opening for employment in the cleaning industry.

Although you will be on the frontline of the fight against the virus, the cleaning industry has about a 75% demand increase for cleaning services. Companies are looking towards drawing contracts with cleaning agencies rather than with individuals because of the need for professional quality. Therefore, you are more likely to be hired by a cleaning agency than as an individual.

8. Social media influencers (Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, etc.)

Since people tend to stay at home, you will notice that their social media accounts are more active. It is a great time to be a social media influencer. You do not need fancy equipment to start, plenty of people started with just a cell phone.

At the beginning you should focus on the basics:

• Create helpful content
• Engage with your audience
• Be consistent and post regularly

When you start the goal is not to have thousand of followers but to have followers that believe in your message. If you can create an impact and get people to act a certain way then you are an influencer. If people are waiting impatiently for your new post and are willing to click on a link just because you ask them, you are an influencer.

But why this is so important?

• Brands are not interested in followers but in potential buyers [good number of followers + engagement]
• People will not click on your links if they are not getting any value from your content
• People need to feel confident and believe in your message

Try to tailor your social media posts to appeal to a particular group of people. A follower is someone who believes that: “your existing content is what they are looking for” and “you will produce more content that will be valuable for them”.

From Sidewalker Daily – How To Become An Influencer 2020 | 7 STEPS to FOLLOW!

9. Helping people to work remotely

There are more people working at home and this is all new to many of them. They have questions on how to improve their productivity, and they do not know anything about the tools they need to start working from home. This includes a higher number of people flooding to use applications like Zoom, Slack, Skype, and so on.

You can target this these people by offering advice, a tutorial, a cheat sheet or training.

Plus, software designers and engineers are especially in demand in order to develop new tools for a better online collaborative workspace. Or you can apply for the large job vacancies with Zoom and Slack that have opened up due to the pandemic.

Soft tools are not the only things needed, hardware devices like laptops and phones are also needed. You don’t have to sell these products; you can provide useful reviews and guides on the best ones to purchase. Build templates to boost productivity like a template to be used with excel can go a long way. Don’t forget the furniture and accessories.

At the end of the day, if you cannot provide any of these mentioned above, you can provide affiliate marketing services for those in the market already. The potential to monetize this need is wide, you might as well capitalize on it.

10. Affiliate marketing

The internet is one of the most important tools to make money right now, and many industries have moved their activities online so that they can reach customers. Some of them rely on affiliate marketers to send people to their websites and get sales. If you don’t have your own products to sell, you can start affiliate marketing to make some money online.

Here are a quick and simplify overview of affiliate marketing:

• Choose a niche (or one product to refer to)
• Create a website (most sellers require their affiliates to have a website to get approved)
• Decide on your traffic source (paid traffic, free traffic)
• Create content referring to the product (ads for paid traffic, blog post, post for social media, etc.)
• Send people to your affiliate link

If you want to start your affiliate marketing career during this pandemic, you should refer to products that are already trending or selling online. Competition is good because it indicates that a product is valuable but too much competition is not that good for beginners.

You have higher chances of success if you:

• are a social media influencer with a good marketing strategy
• know how to do paid advertising
• have a blog with consistent traffic

If you need to know more, check out Spark and ClickBank education.

11. Governmental entities and non-profit organization

Government and non-governmental agencies related to health services have been putting up employment opportunities since this pandemic. There is a shortage of professionals for different services, and you can apply for them. Asides state relief funds made available to help you with the Corona Virus outbreak; you can apply for job opportunities that are peculiar to health research. A great place to target is the Army National Guard.

Thousands of people are deployed to communities regularly to assist with the fight against the coronavirus. This number also means that the demand is more than usual, and more hands are needed.

Asides from the Army National Guard, you can look up community response systems and disaster rescue around you to know which of them you can participate in. you may be required to offer health-related services, or administrative services depending on what is needed.

12. Health care industry

With the number of cases on the rise, there is increasing pressure on health care workers, and many hospitals and pharmacists are calling for more hands. If you have prior training in health care, you can actively participate in the fight against the virus, and you get to earn money while doing so. However, you will be at the forefront of the fight. You don’t have to be a doctor or a nurse to be able to participate, other care workers are also needed in the health industry.

Although the talks about cuts in some hospital staff have been in the news, sectors like home health care services are in high demand. Look up those demanded around your community. Also, look through available telecommuting jobs at United Health Group, CVS, Gates foundation, and Netsmart. You can decide to work with a company or work as a private practitioner. Also, publishing research material related to present health concerns will definitely attract a lot of visitors because everyone is trying to learn as much as they can concerning the Coronavirus.

13. Biotech and pharmaceutical

As you know, biotech companies and pharmaceutics have been busy during the pandemic. A lot of time and resources are put into research and preferred solutions to the current problem while also trying to carry on their usual operations. This is why people in this field are agile about looking for jobs.

You might discover that now is the best time for you to get a job and make money in these fields as essential workers and professionals. Try to find companies that are involved with related research, they are bound to be recruiting new hands for the task.

While you search your favorite companies, check out these biotech and pharmaceutical companies that are hiring; Regeneron pharmaceutics, CSL Behring, Emergent Biosolutions, AveXis Inc, and others listed here.

Making money in this field requires some skill and knowledge, therefore this is an opportunity restricted to individuals who possess relevant knowledge. You can also find out what these companies are doing to tackle Coronavirus before you decide on what role to apply for in biotech and pharmaceuticals.

14. Business service firm

Since businesses are currently undergoing a hard time, it makes sense that there will be a spike in consulting services. This is because everyone is trying their best to keep their businesses running. Therefore, there are job openings in companies that offer business services.

Services like marketing, advertisement, management, accounting, law, and logistics are especially needed as companies struggle to survive. You can offer these services from home so you don’t have to physically meet with clients. Some companies that require business services include Wix, Shopify, Costco, Hellofresh.

15. Crisis management

Bloomberg Business Week published an article that talked about how crisis management has become a hot topic since the Coronavirus outbreak. People knowledgeable in this field have become more valuable since they are helping companies survive the crisis.

Therefore, if you don’t already have a job placement, you should consider reviewing your resume. Make sure that your crisis management skills are highlighted and get ready to make money.

Many companies had merely one or two risk managers but discussions are calling for more heads to brainstorm and strategize, making this the right time to job-hunt. Target medium-sized companies and essential service businesses, also feel free to submit your applications to companies that might have not advertised because even if they have not realized an alarming need for crisis management, they would very soon, and you want to have 1 foot in the door. Lastly, consider establishing yourself as a freelancer by using websites like Fiver, Upwork, online advertising, etc. to advertise your skill.

16. Supermarket jobs

Supermarkets selling essentials are packed with the crowd. Supplies are going out fast and shelf staffers and pickers are needed to meet the growing demand. If you need money, and you have experience working in a department store or a supermarket, it is time to consider it again.

You need to follow the crowd and target the kind of stores that are getting higher customers now. That means stores that deal with household equipment, groceries, self-care, and any essential products.

Some supermarkets that announced that they were hiring supermarket staff as both temp and permanent staff are; Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose, Woolworths, Amazon, Asda, Ocado, Morrisons, and others. These openings came up as a result of surging demands due to the populations’ response to the ongoing pandemic.

17. Survival jobs

Thinking of a survival job is common, artists have had to do it and now with a pandemic, more people are going for survival jobs. What are survival jobs looking like now?

For many, it involves applying for temporary positions in sectors with surging economies or like the traditional waitress job. For example, working in warehouses, pickup, shelving, and community created jobs. A good survival job should be flexible enough to give you time to look for a more stable job or to pursue your higher education.

From Antwone Barnes Youtube channel – Top 10 Survival Jobs

For some, surviving means turning their hobbies into entertainment to be displayed on social media. This way they can earn from affiliate marketing and ads. You can also take jobs with essential companies like Amazon, HyVees, 7eleven, Instacart. Other options are health services like Gates Foundation, community government services like NWLDC hire security personnel, and/or temporary military jobs.

18. Security and public safety

Security and public safety are considered essential services and have been a growing sector since the pandemic. While private and public security is in-demand, employers try to find safe ways to carry out the recruitment process to avoid excessive exposure. If you have any related training in the past, you should consider getting a job in any security agency that is hiring during the pandemic.

As a front-line worker, you should take every safety precaution possible when you start working. Allied Universal is hiring both full-time and part-time staff over the next month and interviews are carried out online for health and safety. Securitas is hiring personnel to help safeguard properties and businesses that are currently locked down.

Property isn’t the only thing that requires more security this period, cybersecurity breach has been reported recently. Companies are looking to strengthen their IT team, and this goes for remote working applications like Zoom. Since different companies are contributing to ensure public safety during this pandemic, it is common to find openings for temporary staff in communities.

19. Truck drivers command delivery driver jobs

As the demand for home deliveries keeps increasing, truck drivers are expected to have things moving and take packages to locations where they are needed. They still drive long hours on the road, and although truck driver jobs are not as popular as intrastate delivery, they are highly demanded during this pandemic.

Walmart, for instance, announced that they were looking to hire hundreds of more truck drivers and increase their wages. This is more amazing considering that Walmart is not the only place to look out for vacancies since Jobs-Ups has great opportunities available in different locations.

From CNBC Television – Trucking industry struggles to fill driver jobs

With increasing Coronavirus cases, drivers are required to convey packages and medical supplies to different points. Different vacancies are available on Indeed, and on Jobsite. Just like Walmart, other supermarkets, and grocery suppliers put up vacancies for truck drivers from time to time.

You can also consider taking a job with the US Army. Most applications are online at the moment, so are interviews, which means you should consider checking online job sites rather than going to apply in person.

Before you apply for any job, you should be aware of the risks involved with being a front-line worker during a pandemic. Truck drivers often have to cater to their own safety by abiding by social distancing rules, washing their hands, and wearing masks and gloves.

20. Service and elderly care

The care-giving sector is a great place to consider if you want to make money during this pandemic. While people have to stay at home, they have elderly ones that need help with things from their grocery shopping to their home health checks. Consider being a personal shopper for the elderly to help them get their basic needs since most of them will gladly pay to be relieved of that responsibility.

Elderly people living with some health conditions often need a caregiver who can provide necessary health care procedures to them at home. Therefore, care services for the elderly are in high demand because statistics show that they have been the most likely group to get

infected and die from the virus. As a result, job vacancies for caregivers for the elderly have opened over the last few weeks.

In the UK, thousands of vacancies have been posted by companies like CaraCare who is poised to recruit 10000 workers, Optimo care is set to recruit 1300 people, Caremark to recruit 2000, and many more that can be found on this website.

In total, over 10,000 new jobs have been created in this category alone. However, do not forget the elderly who are not living in homes, as they might require caregivers too.

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In conclusion, there are several ways to make money during this pandemic despite the plunging economy. If you look at the right sector and search in the right places, you will be able to worry less about your bills piling up.

Most of the jobs presented here allow you to stay safe at home. If you can transfer your business online rather than shut it down, you should do that. Besides online jobs, working in health care, and essential service industries are great ways to get money in 2020.

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