Where to get hired post Covid-19

The pandemic has changed the way businesses around the world operate and run – so where should you be looking to get hired once things return to normal?

I’ve been thinking about this in terms of relevance and resilience. I’m not 100% sure which sectors or organisations go in which boxes; you can take your own view on that.

But big tech, home delivery services, healthcare, town planning and operations are all sectors and functions I’d put in the top right. Your job here will be helping the business grow fast and gobble up market share.

Start-ups in health-tech, med-tech, ed-tech and remote working, could all go in the top left. You’ll be in survival mode, trying to either reach profitability or secure funding, until you can start to scale-up (at which point the business would shift into the top right box).

Maybe there are also new opportunities in Covid-proofing buildings, training online facilitation skills or consulting on more resilient supply chains that could go here? What ideas do you have?

Businesses in the hardest hit sectors that have managed to stay afloat would go in the bottom right: bricks and mortar retailers, hotel operators, airlines, live entertainment and hospitality all fit here.

These sectors won’t disappear completely, but they will have to do things differently, and they’ll welcome bright, adaptable people with innovative ideas. Being involved in turning a business around like this would teach you a lot.

Unfortunately, it’s the small businesses in the hardest hit sectors that sit in the bottom left. Without cash reserves, or backers with deep pockets, they’re in trouble. This will include some big brand names that over-leveraged themselves – these are pitfalls to be avoided.

Which boxes do you think specific sectors, functions and organisations belong in?

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