The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc in a way that most of us could not have imagined. Though necessary, social distancing measures and business closures to slow the spread of the virus are currently causing spikes in layoffs. President Trump declared a national emergency on March 13, and since then more than 22.1 million Americans have filed for unemployment insurance. As of April 15, the unemployment rate is hovering over 15%. To get an idea of what this implies, the Great Recession had an unemployment rate peak of 10.2% by October 2009.
However, not all hope is lost in these difficult times and many companies are still hiring. If your job was affected by the coronavirus crisis, file for unemployment insurance immediately to receive benefits and then check out these 11 companies seeking to urgently fill open positions. And don’t worry, these are far from all of them.
Amazon
Amazon is hiring an additional 75,000 employees to meet its massive surge in online demand for essential products. Since March, the e-commerce giant has already employed 100,000 full and part-time workers for delivery and warehouse positions. Workers hired for distribution centers do not need experience, and they are provided with personal protective equipment. The company also has more than 1,000 virtual jobs available, ranging from solutions architects to cloud application developers.
Additionally, to assist its workforce amid the coronavirus pandemic, Amazon has doubled overtime pay and expects to spend over $ 500 million in pay increases for employees in the United States, Canada and Europe.
Americold Realty Trust
Americold Realty Trust, the world’s largest cold storage operator, is keeping its network of more than 180 integrated facilities open for business as it helps grocery stores and food retailers remain stocked during the coronavirus crisis. The Atlanta-based company employs 13,000 associates globally, and it is currently hiring workers for its warehouses across the U.S. Applicants need a minimum of a high school diploma or at least a year’s worth of related work experience to qualify for the position, which requires performing duties ranging from operating a forklift to loading freight trucks.
Ascension
Health care organization Ascension is hiring for more than 5,000 open positions nationwide, ranging from nurses to medical lab technicians. The organization is encouraging professionals, students who are seeking opportunities and retired health care workers looking to temporarily rejoin the industry to apply. Applicants need required certifications for whichever role they apply for, and Ascension is interviewing all candidates virtually.
CVS Health
CVS Health is hiring for 50,000 full and part-time positions, as well as temporary roles, which includes store associates, customer service professionals, delivery drivers and warehouse employees. More than 90 of these positions are remote and range from district leaders to field service technicians. While the latter positions require prior retail experience and a bachelor’s degree, store associates need a high school diploma or equivalent. Customer service professionals and warehouse workers also require prior experience. Additionally, the company is providing bonuses to employees who are working on-site amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Freight Handlers, Inc.
Freight Handlers, Inc., a product handling and logistics company, is hiring for more than 50 positions across the U.S. Some of the open roles include warehouse freight handlers, who are responsible for unloading trailers, and order selectors who can travel and build customer orders quickly and accurately. Warehouse freight handlers need to be able to lift up to 95 pounds, while order selectors will be required to work overtime and on holidays. Employees will receive health benefits and paid time off, and can also participate in FHI’s 401(k) plan.
GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare boosted its manufacturing capacity to build medical equipment, including scanners, x-ray systems and ventilators amid the coronavirus pandemic. To fulfill the production, the company is hiring more employees, adding more shifts and increasing manufacturing lines. It has 475 open positions, with the most being in manufacturing and logistics. The new jobs range from production associates, which requires at least a high school diploma or GED, to manufacturing managers, which requires a bachelor’s degree with at least three years of production experience.
The Kroger Co.
To meet the demand for groceries and household essentials amid the coronavirus outbreak, Kroger is looking to fill 20,000 positions across its stores, plants and warehouses. The supermarket chain has already hired more than 2,000 people in the beginning of March. Retail associates don’t need experience or certifications, but warehouse employees are required to have a high school diploma.
Outschool
School closures have prompted many parents to enroll their children in online classes. To meet this demand, Outschool, a virtual educational marketplace for students between 3 – 18 years old, is hiring 5,000 teachers. The company said its “11X rise in enrollments” during the coronavirus crisis has almost overwhelmed its community of more than 1,000 remote teachers. Outschool does not require formal teaching credentials, but applicants must pass a background check after applying online and submitting an introduction video. Teachers on the platform can earn up to $ 40 per hour.
PepsiCo, Inc.
PepsiCo, Inc. is hiring an additional 6,000 full-time employees with full benefits to support its food and beverage businesses in the U.S. While the company has several open positions in various categories, its manufacturing and utilities department is hiring the most, with 488 open roles. The new jobs are primarily merchandisers, delivery drivers and loaders in the warehouse. Merchandisers and loaders need to be at least 18 years old and they are paid between $ 15.90 – $ 16.74. Delivery drivers are paid $ 23.21 per hour and need to be 21 or older with a valid CDL license.
Slack
The shift to remote work amid the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in rapid growth for Slack. On March 10th, 10 million users were concurrently on the messaging platform. Due to the surge in users, Slack has more than 200 open positions. Most of the roles include engineers, account executives and customer success managers. All positions require previous experience and a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
3M Company
3M Company, which produces and distributes N95 respirator masks, has upped the product output to almost 100 million per month. To meet the demand, 3M has partnered with Ford to increase the production of “air-purifying respirators,” and is also hiring workers, adding more shifts and increasing manufacturing lines. 3M has 190 available positions in the U.S., ranging from manufacturing engineers to supply chain managers. Candidates for these positions will need a bachelor’s degree and at least a year of prior experience.
The bottom line
The best way to apply for these jobs is directly on each company’s website. LinkedIn, Indeed and Glassdoor also show you recent job postings that match your skill sets. During these uncertain times, some employers may put a hold on hiring. If you don’t get a response from companies immediately, don’t be discouraged – remember there are a multitude of industries to look into.
