Written By Samantha Alarilla
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so many aspects of our lives that the way we live now is so completely different from how we used to just a few months ago. From big things such as work and school down to the small everyday things like picking up the groceries or getting in your cardio for the day, most of these things have to be done online – however strange that may seem. Some jobs and services have seamlessly made the shift to the virtual world, so much so that we might’ve not even known the difference. And yet there are some jobs and services that have gone to great lengths to persevere even amidst a global pandemic – and have left us very impressed and inspired by their creativity!
Out of all the new online jobs and services that sprang up and rose to the occasion, here are the top six that none of us were expecting:
- Online sports and dance instructors. Because it’s still not safe for us to go to gyms, dance studios, and fitness centers, many sports and dance instructors have decided to bring these places to us. Nowadays you can find a myriad of online classes for dance such as Zumba, hip hop, ballet, sports such as basketball, volleyball, and even arnis and taekwando, and fitness such as pilates, yoga, and Crossfit. To do this, trainers and instructors make use of Zoom or Skype to conduct their classes – either one on one or as a group – and coach you through the moves. This is what it truly means to not let anything get in the way of exercise and health!
- Virtual Zoom assistants. Due to the fact that Zoom is a relatively new teleconferencing app that, admittedly, needs a little more time and effort to understand in order to use it efficiently, there has been a huge demand for “Zoom support specialists.” These tech-savvy individuals are paid to help employees, teachers, students, and doctors alike – everyone who uses the app, really – navigate Zoom and its features. They’re also extremely helpful for figuring out what Zoom plan is best for you, your family, your school, or your company.
- E-interior designer. Being stuck at home means intimately knowing every corner, every nook and cranny of your house – which is probably why a lot of us have decided to change up the way our living rooms or bedrooms look! But because we aren’t all fortunate enough to have interior design backgrounds – or excellent DIY skills for that matter – e-interior designers have been coming to the rescue. Nowadays, interior designers video call their clients as they give tours of their homes and discuss their design pegs or ideas of how they want their space to look like. The interior designer then puts together a look that includes a detailed list of what materials to buy, what furniture to get, and which colors or textures to match. This has been extremely popular with those who aren’t afraid to experiment with DIY or made-to-assemble furniture pieces!
- Online crafts and cooking teachers. Crafting and cooking have been great coping mechanisms and hobbies for a good number of us, and luckily, a lot of crafts and cooking instructors have recognized this. These dedicated instructors have decided to bring these classes to us through workshops via video call and have tried to recreate the experience of learning how to paint, crochet, bake, and cook together online. Clients who avail of the classes either buy the needed materials or ingredients or make do with whatever’s already at home. There are even instructors who provide the material or ingredient kits themselves – that is, to be paid for and delivered ahead of time. Thanks to these teachers, people of all ages can still express themselves creatively and cultivate budding hobbies even amidst a global pandemic.
- Online artists and musicians. Before 2020 happened, did any of us ever imagine having to attend our favorite artists’ concerts and movie premieres…online? As unfathomable as that sounds, a lot of artists have now turned to the live features of our favorite apps like Instagram and Facebook to produce their content. Local short films such as John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo’s, directed by Antoinette Jadaone, have debuted on IG Story, and international concerts and fancons such as KCON:TACT, Kpop’s biggest musical festival, streamed live on YouTube. Some of our favorite singers have also taken to IG Live to do short jamming sessions and interact with their fans through IG Live’s chat feature.
- Virtual babysitters. Of course, we just had to save the most surprising job for last! Virtual babysitting services have been popularized in Canada even before the pandemic started and has now gained even more traction because most parents are working from home and cannot watch over their kids 24/7. These virtual babysitters watch and interact with the kids via video call, and even offer to arrange online playdates with other kids their age. The parents, in turn, place their kids in a relatively small and safe room in which all four corners can be visible to the babysitter. Still skeptical about the whole affair? Not to worry. These babysitters undergo thorough police background checks, and the parents are never too far away; they’re usually only in the next room, and within earshot of the children. According to the parents who subscribe to this service, it keeps the kids happy and occupied as well as the house peaceful and quiet enough for them to work productively. It surely sounds like every working-from-home-parent’s dream!