If you’ve lost your job or had your hours reduced during the coronavirus crisis, you may be looking for some ways to make ends meet until you’re able to return to full-time employment. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to put your career skills to use in the meantime — and many of these jobs can be completed at home and on your own schedule. To explore three different ways you could use your skills and passions to make ends meet during the coronavirus crisis, read on!
1. Look for Remote Work Opportunities
Since the coronavirus outbreak has forced many nonessential businesses into allowing their employees to work remotely for the first time, a growing number of companies are changing how they operate — and the stigma surrounding working from home has started to lift. In fact, major tech companies like Square, Facebook, and Twitter have recently announced that they’ll allow their employees to work from home forever.
If you have the career skills and job experiences that companies are looking for, finding remote work opportunities could be easier than ever in the age of COVID-19. Remote opportunities in teaching, writing, and personal training can all be performed without a brick-and-mortar location — as long as you have the skills and experiences needed to get the job done. Plus, you can look for jobs with flexible work environments by visiting us.
2. Become a Pet Sitter
If you enjoy being around dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and pocket pets — and have experience caring for them — pet sitting could be a great way to make ends meet when you’re between jobs during COVID-19. You can set your own rates and availability, but you’ll want to check the local competition to see what other pet sitters are charging in your area.
Here are some tips for getting started as a pet sitter:
- Make your home a safer place for animals. You’ll need to remove hazardous house plants and choking hazards, secure the lids on garbage cans, and lock up any cabinets or cupboards that could be accessible to the animals in your care.
- Put yourself ahead of the competition by obtaining a certification. Different types of certifications are available through Pet Sitters International (PSI) and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS).
- Purchase pet-friendly gear for your home. To make your home a safer and more comfortable place for your furry and feathered clients, be sure to purchase a first-aid kit, washable toys, adjustable collars and leashes, and other pet essentials.
If you’re a senior and trying to avoid public locations as best as possible during the pandemic, pet sitting could be an especially great option for you — as you’ll be able to care for companion animals from the safety of your home. When walking dogs or visiting public areas, however, you’ll want to take extra precautions to protect yourself from infection.
3. Try Freelancing
If you’re skilled in writing, customer service, architecture, web development, data analytics, or sales and marketing, freelancing could be an excellent option for making ends meet when you’re between jobs. As you look for full-time work or wait to return to your former job, you can use websites to find freelance opportunities in a wide array of industries. Plus, searching for work from home jobs is as easy as creating a freelancer profile that includes a high-quality photo, overview of your skills and background, and examples of some of your best work.
The Bottom Line
From becoming a pet sitter to finding remote work opportunities in writing, teaching, customer service, or another type of industry, there are plenty of ways to use your professional skills and experiences to make ends meet during the pandemic. You never know, you might just fall into a new career that helps you to earn a living from home for many years to come!
For direct access to job roles displayed on the careers websites of more than 250,000 UK employers, visit companyjobsdirect.co.uk.
by Craig Brown – Your Career Boost
Craig loves working in HR. His big career dream is to start his own recruiting agency. He started Your Career Boost to share the most useful career-related resources on the web.”
