MADISON, WI – While news of record high unemployment rates still fuel headlines in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, certain industries are actively courting new employees.
According to Forbes, the four industries that are adding the most employees to their workforces are:
1. Pharmacies like Walgreen’s and CVS.
2. Teleworking software developers to make it easier for people to work and learn from home.
3. Grocery stores, because people aren’t eating out as often. This also includes companies like Instacart hiring thousands of shoppers and delivery persons.
4. Tech support to offer solutions to people who are working remotely without an internal IT department.
Locally, Lis De Souza, owner of both Serenity Pet Salon & Spas in Madison, says that her business is on solid ground and she is currently trying to fill positions for qualified dog groomers.
“We have ‘spa’ right in our name, so our clients expect their dogs will have a pampered experience,” says De Souza. “All of our groomers are under the guidance of award-winning, master certified groomers and travel to competitions and seminars to hone their skills.”
De Souza likens Serenity Pet Salon & Spa to reputable spas and salons that cater to humans.
“It’s like when you find a great hairstylist; you stick with him or her, or at least keep revisiting the salon because you know they hire quality people,” she says. “It’s all about standards. Groomers and other stylists may have decades of experience, but they still might not quite mesh with the standards set by the business in question.”
When states around the country first started opening back up after Safer-at-Home restrictions were lifted, barber shops and hair salons were flooded with customers looking to spruce up their lockdown locks. But after about a month of booming business, most have slowed down. Some, like stylists in California who can only operate outside, are even worse off now than before the pandemic hit.
This is not the case with the pet grooming industry, says De Souza.
“It seems like a lot of people used their downtime in March and April to adopt a pet,” she says. “So luckily for us, business is good. We just need to add a few more experienced groomers to keep up with demand.”
