Out of Work? These 20 Companies Are Hiring Right Now

By Shannon Serpette, Contributor

April 27, 2020

Been fired or furloughed because of the coronavirus? You’re not alone. In the past four weeks, 22 million Americans have applied for unemployment. And it doesn’t look the foreseeable future will be much better. Suddenly, your once-solid career plan might be looking sketchier than those five-day-old tacos in your fridge. 

If you’re worried you’ll have trouble finding work as layoffs deepen throughout the country, it might be smart to get your foot in the door with a new company now. While many companies are laying people off, some are hiring, despite the pandemic. There can be opportunities in the darkest of times if you’re determined to find them. Whether you’re looking for a forever work home or a temp job to feed your family, here are some options.

1. Amazon

Whether you love big business or hate it, Amazon has emerged as one of the big winners during the pandemic. And to fuel the demand for Amazon deliveries, the company is hiring 75,000 additional positions right now. Some of the positions require living in a particular state, while others are work from home jobs. The pay isn’t outstanding, but it’s above minimum wage, at $15 per hour or more. 

You might want to read some headlines about Amazon’s current workforce feeling unsafe thanks to coronavirus before applying, though. 

If you decide to go for it anyway, you can score a job even if you don’t have previous work experience or a resume ready. 

What’s available?

• Warehouse: This one is self-explanatory. We all know how warehouse jobs work.
• A shopper: You’ll be paid to shop and package up things in the Whole Foods department. 
• Delivery driver: You’ll take deliveries to houses, and you don’t need a special license to do so.
• Customer service and support work: You’ll do these tasks from the comfort of your own home. Unfortunately, these are mostly for people living outside the U.S. 

To stay on top of any upcoming jobs, text AMAZON to 77088. You’ll get alerts for new jobs you might be interested in. 

Do you put Dear Abby to shame with your on-point advice? Are you an expert at something and constantly have people turning to you? Consider getting paid for it by sharing your expertise on JustAnswer. (Fill disclosure, JA is our parent site, but I would have put them here anyway…)

Filling out the JustAnswer Apply to Become an Expert form only takes a few minutes. You can do it during the commercial breaks of your favorite show. That way you won’t be stuck drooling over all the fast-food commercials when you’re too scared to leave your house to grab some fries anyway. 

After you apply, a team of experts checks out your credentials, runs a background check, and makes sure you have the expertise and top-level skills you say you do (so no fudging on your qualifications…). If they greenlight you, you’ll be able to start work within a few days. Not sure you’ll qualify? What JustAnswer is looking for is recognized credentials for their experts, like a degree or years of work experience.

You’ll be able to earn some extra scratch by offering advice that’s actually wanted (it’s much better than sounding like a know-it-all by telling your best friend the ways they could be getting their life in order). Instead of getting a hostile stare from your bestie, you’ll be improving the life of a total stranger. Hello, good karma!

It’s free to sign-up. You’ll only need an internet connection and a device like a computer or smart phone to get started. You’ll have the freedom to work at any time of the day or night and select which questions you’re interested in answering.

3. Kroger

Grocery stores are a happening place to be right now. It takes a lot of manpower to stock those shelves so hoarders can store up their lifetime supply of toilet paper.

For that reason, many grocery stores, like Kroger, are hiring. This might not be your ultimate career plan if you’re laid off. But if you’re eager to score a job quickly where you can help people weather their way through this pandemic, it can be a noble choice.

Plus, there are positions other than just check-out clerks available. You might score a warehouse position, pharmacy technician, or even store management or corporate position. And if you’re looking for future advancement, you can work hard and start impressing the right people. 

To see what jobs are available in your area, type in your zip code on their site. 

4. Domino’s

Even coronavirus can’t cripple our love of pizza. We’ve got to have it. And for people working long shifts, getting a contactless delivery of a hot, delish pizza is a wonderful thing. 

Domino’s needs employees right now to keep up with the demand. Just make sure to increase your workouts if you start taking too many pizzas home with you after your shift. Our round-the-clock pajama-wearing and quarantine snacking is going to catch up with us the first time we have to put jeans back on. 

5. Dollar General

Dollar General is doing well during the coronavirus pandemic if the number of cars filing in and out all day at my local DG is any indication. By the end of April, this chain said it intends to add as many as 50,000 more employees.

Working at DG doesn’t only mean you can be a clerk — there are positions open in distribution, retail, transportation, and even corporate. 

Need More Prospects?

Looking for more companies on a hiring spree right now? Check out these opportunities:

Want to Work from Home?

In addition to JustAnswer, you may have more options than you think. Here are companies that have some work from home jobs open. 

Weigh Your Pros and Cons

Before jumping into the first place that will hire you, think about it for a few minutes. Does it make sense for you and your circumstances?

Ask yourself these questions:

• If you’re a parent who will need daycare for your kiddos while you’re at work, will the new job cover that? Or will it be a break-even scenario? There’s no sense in taking a short-term job if you’ll be forking over every dollar you make for daycare.
• Is it going to put your family’s health at risk? Do you have someone in the at-risk category living with you? That could be an elderly parent, a spouse with diabetes or a heart condition, or a child an underlying condition. You don’t want to leap into a job that may cause a personal tragedy for you.
• Is it going to hurt anything if I take a day or two to breathe? After losing your job, you might need a little time to process what has happened. If you’re financially able, you may want to take a few days to regroup and come up with a career plan that meets your objectives.