The global pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis has meant that 2020’s crop of fresh graduates was immediately faced a set of unusual circumstances. The uncertainty brought by these events is something few Filipinos living today have any point of reference for, and negativity about prospects in the local job market was rife. However, life still goes on. When disaster strikes, opportunities will also arise. The Philippines’ jobs market is no different.
On popular job listing sites, compensation for entry-level jobs in most of the industries below hover between P20,000 and P30,000. Of course, there will always be openings that pay lower or higher. “Provincial rates” for jobs outside of Metro Manila are another consideration. Nevertheless, the industries below are either currently ramping up their hiring or are starting to.
Check out the industries below to start your career in the new normal:
1.) Customer service
The fact that BPOs were still allowed to operate in much the same way as they always did during the pandemic is a testament to their importance to the economy. If there’s one thing that’s constant for virtually all industries, it’s the need for decent customer service. Despite talk about automation eventually replacing human customer service agents in the Philippines, it still hasn’t happened yet and it’s unlikely to happen for all the types of customer service jobs out there.
2.) Legal services
The pandemic and the resulting economic crash has done little, if anything, to dampen the demand for legal services in the Philippines. Much of the work can also be done from home, which is a huge factor in the resilience of the legal services sector. Fresh Law graduates as well as those from related fields are not likely to feel undue difficulties finding jobs in these fields.
3.) Content creation
If the pandemic has proven anything, it’s that the world has a voracious appetite for the content of all kinds. Whether you’re a writer, animator, graphic designer, or video creator, you’ll find a demand for your services not just in the Philippines, but all over the world as well. Whether you work in-house, as part of an agency, or as a freelancer, your options as a content creator are near limitless.
4.) Marketing and advertising
Even with the slump in the economy due to the pandemic, marketing and advertising agencies have managed to readapt. As most businesses try to cope with the downturn by realigning their marketing and advertising, new opportunities are opening up in both agencies and businesses large enough to have their own marketing departments. Fresh grads from Business Administration, Advertising, Psychology, and Mass Communication courses are likely to find plenty of opportunities in marketing and advertising, many of which will allow work from home arrangements.
5.) Information technology
Neither the pandemic nor the accompanying economic downturn has done much to reduce the demand for information technology services. If anything, these may trigger an increase in demand, as more organizations try to move away from traditional business models towards one that is more heavily centered around online commerce. The increased demand for online learning services, e-commerce, and logistics is causing a surge in the demand for qualified IT professionals. If anything, these industries are likely to continue growing after the end of the economic downturn, potentially making the dawn of 2020s the perfect time to start an IT career.
6.) Business development
Millions of businesses around the world have been forced to rethink, reimagine, or even outright abandon their old models. With so many organizations transitioning to new ways of doing business, business development opportunities are starting to appear. Fresh grads who can handle aspects of finance, customer service, logistics, information technology, sales, marketing, and other aspects that an organization may want to improve in the new normal are going to find the time is right to join the workforce.
7.) Logistics
Perhaps the biggest “winner” in the economic downturn is the logistics industry. While many other sectors have experienced devastating losses, the logistics sector is one of those that have been posting record growth numbers. The modern practice of logistics is extremely complex and involves much more than just the people who deliver parcels.
Mathematicians, accountants, warehouse personnel, programmers, QA specialists, stock managers, IT teams, customer service personnel, resource analysts, mechanics, pilots, drivers, clerks, and many other types of professionals are needed to fill the ever-expanding demands of the logistics industry. Fresh graduates of any course should at least look at the logistics industry, given the growth prospects and long-term growth opportunities.
While the world is far different from the one we had last year, it is still that’s rich with opportunities. The key is to rethink your approach to finding them. Whether you’re a fresh grad or just looking to change your career in these uncertain times, it may be worth looking at job openings in the industries above.
What do you think will happen to the Philippine job market over the next decade? We’d love to read your comments!