One of the most noticeable changes brought about by the pandemic was the shift from in-person office work to remote work from home. While people initially struggled with the logistics of hosting and joining Zoom meetings, most people today have gotten used to the conveniences and perks that come with working remotely — two years after the pandemic first hit. Insights on flexible work from McKinsey found that 35% of workers say they can work from home full time, while employers regardless of industry are continually making changes to offer and accommodate flexible work.
Fueling the shift towards remote work is a career change phenomenon as workers realize the potential of flexible work gives them more control. Take Dr. Sara Laskey, MD, for example, a C-suite executive from Greater Cleveland, whose extraordinary career change journey we covered in a previous post. From a career in performing, to medicine, to getting involved in business leadership, Sara overcame barriers in the pursuit of her accomplishments and prides herself in doing a job she loves and can bring value to.
Today, we'll talk about some of the industries with burgeoning remote work opportunities, and why you should consider them even if they may not be within your field:
Technology
The tech sector is one of many that has benefitted from the shift to remote work. During the pandemic, people were given time to explore new interests, and some have taken up learning new skills such as coding and programming — bringing fresh talent into the industry's pool. CompTIA's analysis of monthly jobs report notes tech job postings that specify remote work have been up 56% over last year, and 281% from 2019 — the last pre-pandemic year. Some of the biggest tech employers have even removed college degree requirements from their job postings to attract a wider pool of applicants.
Tech skills ranging from software development to IT support are in demand, gaining popularity as full-time remote positions so that organizations can work with employees from everywhere. This has created opportunities for those with tech know-how while keeping the doors open for workers who may want to leave their current fields in pursuit of higher-paying salaries.
Healthcare
The shift of healthcare services from in-person to remote was an urgent necessity during the pandemic. Now referred to as telehealth or telemedicine, healthcare professionals were trained to accommodate patients' needs and concerns remotely during lockdowns, and the practice has stuck. Many healthcare workers have found this arrangement to be convenient and effective for patients still, especially as they provide the same quality of care. For instance, Remote nurse practitioners in Georgia and other parts of the US undergo additional training to maintain the same standard as in-person care, although there is no state-mandated training specific to virtual health services. Some of the additional training includes education on how to use relevant technology and platforms, while others focus on best practices for bedside manner.
While remote nurse practitioners must be qualified and have certification, the remote nature of the work gives them ample time to pursue other opportunities for side income as their work schedule becomes more flexible. In fact, the same can be true for most remote jobs. Even if you're not in pursuit of a drastic career change, working remotely can provide additional opportunities for eager learners and earners.
Art & Entertainment
As we return to work in the new normal, there is a growing need for new content — which has led to the opening of more opportunities within creative departments. For the arts & entertainment industry, the field has seen a rise in individualized content creation fueled by the Internet and social media, shifting away from big media corporations. Insights from Entrepreneur emphasizes that this is due in part to the global recession post-pandemic.
While people turned to hobbies and entertainment consumption during lockdowns, others saw it as an opportunity to create content and earn additional income. This is evident in the popularity of the short-form video platform TikTok, where the democratization of content rules is continuing an era of home-based content creation and influencer-driven advertising.