If you're unemployed, now might be the best time to find a job. Career advisers say a lot of businesses are looking for workers, and there's not as many applicants as there were before the pandemic.
"There's just a lot of people who are not ready to go back to work," said Myriam Castaneda, a career advisor at a Goodwill employment center. "We have a lot of employers that need people. They're hurting for people."
The employment center that Castaneda works at helps people find jobs, write resumes and learn interview skills. She said there are a lot of openings now but that could change soon once the extended unemployment benefits dry up.
"It's an opportunity for you to get what you want because everybody is hiring," Castaneda said. "Later on, you won't have the chance to get what you're looking for."
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Castaneda said people who lost their jobs during the pandemic won't be able to count on unemployment benefits forever.
"As those benefits start to wind down, we are anticipating more people coming into the career centers to look for work," said Maxine Suka, director of workforce operations at San Diego Career Centers.
Suka said most of the job openings are in the hospitality, retail and tourism industries
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"A lot of them are providing incentives for individuals and job seekers to apply and move forward with hiring," Suka said. "Job seekers have the upper hand in terms of choosing exactly what position best suits them and their needs at this particular time."
That's why, if you plan to join the workforce soon, both career advisers agree, you should start sooner rather than later.
Castaneda said it's also a good time to try a new career or a job in an industry you don't have as much experience.
"Right now, employers are not being as picky as they are usually," Castaneda said. "They're not requiring as much as they usually do because they need people. They're willing to train you."
