COVID-19 Has Put Thousands of Floridians Out of Work But These Places are Hiring

If you were in the middle of job hunting when Covid-19 ripped through the U.S., it’s unlikely that you’ve made a whole lot of progress on that front.

With hundreds and hundreds of Florida businesses having had to close their doors, hiring options are slim, to say the least.

Yet, bills don’t go away, even during unprecedented circumstances such as the times we’re currently living in.

If you’ve recently filed for unemployment, there’s a good chance you’re among the 93% of Florida unemployment claimants who have yet to be paid.

If you’re in desperate need of work, not all hope is lost. There are a handful of places that are still hiring, even in the middle of a pandemic.

Trucking Companies

Generally speaking, the need for truck drivers hasn’t been impacted by Covid-19. In fact, if anything, truck drivers are getting plenty of work, as many people are opting to order groceries, home essentials, and personal items online.

As a result, you might consider applying for trucking jobs in Florida. Whether it’s driving 18-wheelers across state lines or whether it’s making small deliveries to local communities, opportunities abound.

Pharmacies and Convenience Stores

Both CVS and Walgreens have made big hiring surges recently, and both companies are likely to make more hiring decisions in the coming days and weeks.

For many people, pharmacies and convenience stores have become one-stop spots for necessary purchases. Generally speaking, they see less traffic than the average supermarket or grocery, yet they boast the kind of selection that allows people to get a wide range of essentials in a single trip.

So, while the public is being encouraged to stay indoors, pharmacies and convenience stores need workers to accommodate a relatively steady flow of customers!

Gig Economy and Freelance Jobs

As if the world hadn’t already witnessed an explosion of freelance and gig work in recent years, it’s seeing yet another spike as a result of this coronavirus outbreak.

There are plenty of freelance jobs and gigs that not only have a low barrier to entry but can also be filled fairly quickly. If you’re new to this type of work or don’t know where to start, there are a handful of options to consider.

To start, delivery drivers are in high demand. This means that platforms such as Postmates, DoorDash, Grubhub, and Seamless have positions that need to be filled. Similarly grocery delivery services like Instacart and Shipt need people to shop and deliver online orders.

There are also the one-time gigs in areas such as babysitting, pet sitting, house cleaning, and landscaping, to name only a few.

Then, of course, there’s the entire freelance industry, which provides job opportunities to writers, editors, web designers, programmers, and many more.

Publix

Publix, a chain of supermarkets that has been one of FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for 22 years running, is still actively hiring workers.

Of course, it’s not only cashier and bagger positions that the company needs filled, either. There are openings in departments ranging from distribution to pharmacy to information technology to manufacturing.

So, although you may have specific expertise and experience, there’s likely a position you are qualified to apply for and fill at Publix!

Whole Foods

Another super market that is doing plenty of hiring during these turbulent times is Whole Foods. Like its parent company, Amazon, the organic grocery chain is seeking to fill positions in response to Covid-19 — 5,000 full-time and seasonal positions, more specifically.

Base pay is $15 an hour, and Whole Foods is also offering enhanced pay opportunities through May 3, 2020, which will allow certain team members to earn up to double their hourly rates.

Walmart

Walmart recently announced that they would be hiring 150,000 new associates through the month of May — all over the U.S. There are open positions at stores, distribution centers, and clubs, and across most departments.

What’s more is that the company is shortening its typical two-week application cycle to just 24 hours. So, if you’re in need of work as quickly as possible, consider applying for a position with the retail giant!

Amazon

Just recently, Amazon hired 7,000 Floridians and the company plans to fill an additional 75,000 positions all over the country. As demand for online orders has seen a generous uptick due to coronavirus, it’s not likely that many Amazon employees are going to be laid off any time soon.

Particularly if Amazon is a company that has already been on your radar for a little while, now is as good a time as ever to apply for a position!

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