Job trends for the year 2021

In a way, 2020 has been a roller coaster year. However, it is inspiring how mobile data-usage uptrend in years leading to 2020 cushioned the impact on businesses by Covid-induced lockdown. While job seekers anticipated a friendly year early on, COVID-19 incrementally deflated all hopes of normalcy across industries. Some most sought after businesses turned turtle overnight. Nevertheless, sectors like Ecommerce, Pharmaceuticals, Information Technology etc. gained traction while tourism, hospitality, aviation etc. took a severe beating. It seems the situation will normalize only post June 2021 provided inoculations start by early January. As businesses are gathering steam, let us discuss some of the sought after job opportunities in coming months. 

• Generalist or Hybrid profiles: As organizations look to regain business control and fire-up growth, they have every reason to be wary of the pandemic. In fact, this is an ironic commentary in itself. An onset of a recession pushes companies closer to their ‘specialist’ employees while letting go the rest, but during a ‘retreating recession’ phase the same companies regain their soft spot for a generalist profile before returning into a full-fledged hiring mode. Thus, in current times it will definitely help professionals to build a ‘minor’ profile that offsets their core field of expertise. One can look at relative fields to pursue certifications. The key to survival in the coming decade will be the ability to transform one’s profile and stay relevant. 
• All things Digital: With most of their ‘customers’ grounded and by that virtue, available ‘online’; companies have spruced up hiring for roles that ensure business continuity through the virtual world. While offline marketing roles experience a short-term stagnancy, demand for Digital Marketers like SEO & SEM experts, Google Adwords specialist, CRM etc. will only increase in 2021. Developing customer intelligence through market research shall remain a key distinguisher for successful professionals within this field.
• All things Data: As applications generate more data, it is important to clean, analyze, streamline and visualize it. No matter the industry, one cannot create business strategies without understanding the data ecosystem at hand. Past few years have helped branch out Analytics into Business Intelligence & Data Science fields. As we move to unwind further data complexities, interest in technologies like Big Data, Blockchain, Internet of Things have led to the expansion of hiring roles within these fields. Machine Learning, Python, R language and related technologies that help customer personalization have become prerequisites for any data analyst roles. In fact, even Investment Bankers have started taking up certifications within these fields. It is highly advisable to gain expertise in the technical languages before aiming for such roles. 
• All things ‘Smart’: It has been over a decade since the launch of the first smartphone and the world is beginning to transition towards smart homes, smart cars and smart cities. Artificial Intelligence combined with deep learning will have a greater say in making these technological marvels truly successful. This has created a huge requirement for data security specialists. On the other hand, businesses are working to bring in every comfort at the tip of our fingers while keeping an eye on the ‘green’ nature of these offerings. Furthermore, the knowledge of AI & ML through robotics will find applications in government, healthcare, public safety as well as banking. 
• Sustainable Finance: Off late, we have witnessed top companies going ‘green’ and rejecting plastic. As we become more aware of the global impact of climate change, businesses are moving quickly to reduce their carbon footprints. The financial industry has taken decisive steps to lower the carbon footprint of their investment portfolios. With the world of finance going through an expected trough, sustainable finance could be the next big thing within this domain. As dealing with Sustainable Finance requires an interdisciplinary perspective, we could witness an increasing number of engineers with an understanding of the finance field take it up. 

Industries and job profiles are becoming increasingly adaptive. A rigid profile will just not do.