Between Jobs

Avrumi is leaving kollel and needs to find employment. He’s heard that people do well with Amazon sales — would it be a good fit? Sari just came back from seminary and all her friends are going into PT; should she consider it as well? Pursuing a new career always requires serious thought and planning, but the worldwide pandemic still has the economy quavering, and there are new dynamics at play that every newbie to the workforce needs to consider. And although COVID has been a shock to the global labor market, it has actually brought new jobs and novel opportunities in its destructive wake.

Whether you’re an employer with hiring needs, an employee who recently lost your job, or a newcomer to the job market, this unparalleled public health disaster has created a broad range of new roles and fresh possibilities. The economy is uncertain, but there’s one thing that is universally agreed upon — it’s time to think differently.

In the summer, the Education and Parnassah Institute (EPI) was approached by a host of new and fearless start-ups, which was a nice surprise for this non-profit organization that assists community members in navigating the workforce through career and business guidance, skills development, and interest-free loans. In the early days of the pandemic, EPI created a multimillion-dollar loan fund specifically for established companies, but the response wasn’t as strong as expected. Businesses, concerned about their overall viability, were scared to take on more debt.

But just a few months later, would-be entrepreneurs decided to take advantage of the shifts in consumer behavior and the new needs spawned by the virus. Established businesses had learned that they could be just as productive with a leaner workforce, and the resulting layoffs have spurred many into taking their skills and starting out on their own. Which way is the right way to go if you have the entrepreneurial urge?