2020 was a rollercoaster to say the least. No one could have forecasted the business and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic or predicted the different world we’d be living in at the start of 2021.

Many industries – banking, education, eCommerce – were able to swiftly transition to contactless and remote methods and could continue trading almost without a hitch. Some industries, however, like tourism, hospitality, and aviation weren’t as fortunate.

With the loss of many careers, the job market had to get smarter – and because of this a number of new roles were available.

But what career trends are we likely to see in the job market in 2021? Let’s take a look.

• Smart & green businesses
  • Over the past few years, there has been a rise in the number of MBA students and grads making more ethical, sustainable choices in their studies and their subsequent careers.
  • The ‘green’ conscious generation wants a better world for all and technological advances through the likes of artificial intelligence and robotics are enabling a range of sectors to innovate sustainably.
  • As these industries continue to change and adapt, there are a number of new roles being created. For instance, the transportation sector accounts for 30 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the world, and sustainable transport has emerged as an alternative solution, using renewable energy to power up vehicles.
  • Smart technology roles we may see in 2021 include:
    • Green Data Analyst
    • Green Information Technology: This is all about the use and disposal of information technology in a way that minimizes damage to the environment
    • Energy auditing
    • Regulatory affairs
• Tech jobs on the rise:
  • Since work from home orders and travel restrictions are still ongoing, the value of big tech firms like Facebook, Amazon and Google have soared.
  • The success enjoyed by tech-focused companies enables the firms to invest in new talent and innovation – ensuring numerous opportunities for MBA grads.
  • Latest Corporate Recruiters Survey suggests; 73 percent of technology companies believe business grads need to be prepared to be successful within ITES organizations today.
  • Opportunities will continue to emerge in the technology sector, including in financial services, e-commerce roles and digital consulting.
• Digital Business:
  • Digital marketing and its subdivisions like Google Analytics, SEO, Adwords etc. were one of the biggest ‘winners’ of the pandemic - which means we could see a permanent pivot towards digital marketing.
  • Most communication – especially consumer communication – is done virtually today, and so businesses need to get creative. Organizations are utilizing applications like augmented reality to enhance digital engagement with customers. Because of this, we are likely to see an increase in recruitment within these fields.
• Hybrid Profiles:
  • Organizations will be on the lookout for professionals with cross-functional experience or hybrid profiles from now on.
  • Businesses want to ensure they are providing something better than the competition – and that’s where new talent comes in. An MBA grad who understands new technologies to ease a business into contactless business practices will be well sought after across sectors.
• People Analytics & Digital HR Specialist:
  • In 2020, workforce management shifted to a more employee-cantered environment. As per LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report, 73 per cent of HR leaders believe that incorporating people analytics will be a major priority for their company in the next five years. Thus, companies are actively looking for data-smart HR professionals with People Analytics and Digital HR skills to join their teams.

• Business Intelligence Analyst:
  • 2020 saw an influx of newer technologies and business trends – meaning an abundance of new data. The data is analyzed and processed so organizations can make smarter and data-driven business decisions, and since the pandemic, businesses need to devise and adapt to new business strategies to survive.