
Get hired this year: 2021's fastest-growing jobs, and the skills you need to get them Published on Jan 12, 2021
Share
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
The COVID-19 pandemic has permanently changed the jobs landscape so understanding what comes next is top of mind for employers and job seekers alike as the global labor market begins to recover. Today, following our joint commitment with Microsoft to help get 25 million people back to work, LinkedIn announced new insights that shed light on what's next as we enter the new year.
To help support the millions of people trying to get back into the workforce, we looked at the fastest-growing jobs of the past year and at courses and other tools that can help job seekers take the next step.
There is demand for workers from every background As we do at the start of each year, we're taking a look at the most in-demand jobs in the U.S. But this year, we're also looking at how things have changed over the past year.
Here are the top five fastest-growing job trends based on LinkedIn data over the past year, each reflecting a collection of closely-related roles where demand is expanding quickly. Read more about these and 10 additional trends from LinkedIn editor, Andrew Seaman.
This is based on an analysis of jobs data by YoY growth and quantity from April-October 2020.
These are the top 5 Jobs on the Rise right now 1. Professionals on the frontlines of e-commerce
As many sheltered in place this year, retailers and logistics companies onboarded thousands of e-commerce workers to help get products from the store into the hands of customers. Hiring for these roles grew 73% year-over-year - and that demand continues with over 400,000 open jobs right now.
Top Job Titles: Driver, Supply Chain Associate, Package Handler, Personal Shopper | Skills: Time Management, Customer Service, Leadership | Top Locations Hiring: Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C. | Education: 70% of hires have an Associates Degree or higher | Salary Range: $42,000 - $56,000 | Remote job availability: Low
2. Loan and mortgage experts
The combination of historically low interest rates and the rollout of the Paycheck Protection Program loans has kept loan experts busy this year - and sent many companies on the hunt for even more. Hiring for these jobs in 2020 increased nearly 59% from 2019. For people looking to work from home, roughly a quarter of loan officer job postings mention remote work options.
Top job titles: Underwriter, Mortgage Loan Officer, Escrow Officer, Loan Closer | Skills: Risk Management, Customer Service, Credit Analysis | Top Locations Hiring: New York City, Dallas, Chicago | Education: 67% of hires have an Associates Degree or higher | Median Salary: $43,700 - $60,000 | Remote job availability: High
3. Health care supporting staff
The coronavirus pandemic caused a sudden and sustained need for doctors and nurses, but it also created the same demand for the people who support health care professionals. These people help usher patients through the health care system, keep records in order for doctors and much more. Since 2019, hiring for these positions has increased more than 34%. (25 titles)
Top job titles: Health Care Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Dental Assistant, Home Health Aide | Skills: Patient Education, Data Entry, Physician Relations | Top Locations Hiring: New York City, Boston, Chicago | Education: 82% of hires have an Associates Degree or higher | Median Salary: $65,300 - $106,000 | Remote job availability: Low
4. Business development and sales professionals
Businesses were tasked with quickly adapting to an uncertain world and economy. While some jobs were lost, others that could help bottom lines and help businesses navigate through the pandemic were added. Hiring for these roles grew more than 45% between 2020 and 2019.
Top job titles: Sales Consultant, Sales Operations Assistant, Inbound Sales Specialist, Strategic Advisor | Skills: Customer Retention, Sales Process, Team Building | Top Locations Hiring: New York City, Denver, Atlanta | Education: 79% of hires have an Associates Degree or higher | Median Salary: $43,300 - $105,000 | Remote job availability: Low
5. Experts in workplace diversity
Protests sparked by the police-involved shootings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor caused organizations around the world to reckon with systemic racism and a lack of diversity in positions of power. Companies - large and small - turned to diversity experts who could help them bring new voices into their organizations. Hiring for these roles increased more than 90% since 2019.
Top job titles: Diversity Manager, Diversity Officer, Head of Diversity, Diversity Coordinator | Skills: Community Outreach, Teaching, Organizational Development | Top Locations Hiring: New York City, San Francisco, Chicago | Education: 91% of hires have an Associates Degree or higher | Median Salary: $72,900 - $97,000 | Remote job availability: Low
The courses helping professionals get hired now Skills can be the boost you need to get your next job. Of the millions of professionals who got hired last year, these are the top five hard and soft skill courses they watched before landing that new role. Many corresponded to in demand and fastest-growing jobs, and the courses to learn them are available for free right now. Listing these skills will also make you more discoverable to hiring managers.
Top five hard skills (and free courses to learn them)
Software development
Python for Data Science Essential Training
Programming Foundations: Object-Oriented Design
Programming Foundations: Algorithms
Project management
Cert Prep: Scrum Master
Cert Prep: PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
Data analysis
SQL Essential Training (2019)
Data Science & Analytics Career Paths & Certifications: First Steps
Six Sigma: Green Be
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
15/10/2026
E! and USA Sports will air Live from the Orange Carpet: WNBA Finals, a one-hour live special hosted by Lilly Singh, on Monday, October 19 at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. ...
15/10/2026
Eutelsat has renewed its partnership with Antik Sat, the direct-to-home (DTH) television platform operated by Antik Telecom, and A1, a communications provider i...
15/10/2026
FOR-A America continues to expand its product portfolio in new directions, moves which are also giving the company more stickiness when it comes to a North Amer...
15/10/2026
Cerberus Tech has introduced Livelink Studio, an integrated cloud production and master control environment that provides redundant live production engines on d...
15/10/2026
USSI Global has promoted Amanda Flynn to Chief Operating Officer (COO). Flynn, who has served as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) since March 2024, will focus on exp...
15/10/2026
DAZN and Titan World Series have extended their partnership for the coming seasons, with the aim of bringing Titan events free-to-view to audiences worldwide. T...
15/10/2026
Sony Electronics has introduced the ECM-W5 wireless microphone system for video creators, which pairs two transmitters with one receiver. It transmits over a li...
15/10/2026
Perfect Game has extended its partnership with Turtlebox as the Official Bluetoo...
15/10/2026
Eden Project, the UK-based visitor attraction, social enterprise, and educational charity, is using the LiveU EcoSystem to produce and deliver its new Eden Proj...
15/10/2026
HuskerVision, the video production and multimedia operation for University of Nebraska Athletics, has deployed Grass Valley K-Frame production switchers and LDX...
15/10/2026
ESPN has launched ESPN JV (Junior Varsity), a YouTube channel aimed at introducing young audiences to sports through family-friendly content. The channel featur...
15/10/2026
SMAC Entertainment, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and EverWonder Studio have la...
15/10/2026
The Farmers Insurance Skins Game will return to Prime Video globally on Black Fr...
15/10/2026
Netflix will exclusively broadcast every match of the FIFA World Cup 2030 in Spain and Andorra. The tournament marks the 100th anniversary of the World Cup and ...
15/10/2026
Production elements for the ALCS include Nucleus cameras, Proton cameras, UmpCam...
15/10/2026
MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems has introduced complete fiber camera kits built around its SilverBack Series for integrating digital cinema cameras into l...
15/10/2026
DIRECTV has launched Build Your Own Multiview, a feature that lets fans select up to four eligible channels to watch together on one screen. Beginning Oct. 13, ...
15/10/2026
ICAT Logistics has named Jonathan Stein Global Vice President of Sports and Live...
15/10/2026
The LA Clippers have announced their local television plan for the 2026-27 season. ClipperVision, which takes over from FanDuel Sports Network SoCal, will broad...
15/10/2026
Latest AUv3 plug-in announced
Fred Anton Corvest's latest AUv3 plug-in has arrived, kitting iPad, iPhone, macOS and Apple Vision Pro users out with a po...
15/10/2026
A new take on tape-stop effects
The latest plug-in from Cableguys offers an interesting new take on the classic tape-stop effect, and also promises to make ...
15/10/2026
Combines four independent processing blocks
RYK Modular have just introduced a new Eurorack module which houses a set of four effects blocks that can be com...
15/10/2026
2.6 Seconds: Death in the Outback
15 October, 2026
Media releases
You remember the headlines. Now see the story behind them.
The must-watch four-part do...
15/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/10/2026
Macroblocking, frozen frames, a missing ad marker that costs a sponsor its spot. A caption that lands two seconds after the line is spoken. These are the moment...
15/10/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that DATALAND, the world's first Museum of AI Arts, has deployed a Riedel Bolero Standalone wireless intercom system t...
15/10/2026
Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitably connect the right content to the right audience, unveiled its vision for AI Context-Aware S...
15/10/2026
Desktop and Rackmount Thunderbolt 5 Expansion Systems Support are All Avid Qualified and Support Three Full-Size PCIe
What's New:
Sonnet Technologies tod...
15/10/2026
Sony Electronics Introduces the ECM-W5 Wireless Microphone with High-Resolution ...
15/10/2026
Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects and visualization, today ann...
15/10/2026
Evergent, a leader in monetization and subscriber lifecycle management for communication service providers, today announced it has achieved Gold status in TM Fo...
15/10/2026
Berklee Asia Rising Brings Asian and Asian American Music to Signature Series The November 3 concert spotlights student creators and a growing program connect...
15/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/10/2026
Pliant Technologies is highlighting its new CrewCom Flex at NAB New York 2026 (Booth 645). CrewCom Flex is the world's first frameless matrix intercom syste...
15/10/2026
Applications open for Screen Australia and ACTF's Kids IP Incubator 15 October 2026
Screen Australia and the Australian Children's Television Foundatio...
15/10/2026
My trip to IBC2026 came together at the last minute. After joining virtually last year, it was great to be back in Amsterdam to meet with customers and colleagu...
15/10/2026
FOX AdStudio Advances to Next Phase as Leading Agency Partners Put Agentic Adver...
15/10/2026
Arqiva accelerates Middle East growth with landmark Gulfsat Satellite Services a...
15/10/2026
Beginning Friday, October 16, at 1 p.m. BST, customers can pre-order iPhone Duo ...
15/10/2026
NVIDIA today released Nemotron 3.5 Super VL, an open 120-billion-parameter model...
15/10/2026
The Galway Bay Murders starring Kate Mulgrew, Colm Meaney, John Connors, India Mullen, Jack Rowan and Clinton Liberty will air on Sunday 8 November 2026 on RT...
15/10/2026
Much of today's scientific progress begins with computation.
But turning a...