5 years since COVID started, what's changed in our careers?

Firstly, can you believe it's been 5 years since we first heard the word Covid? I'm starting to worry that my excuse for carrying an extra 5kgs due to Covid over eating and drinking is starting to pass it's expiry date.

So what is different in 2025 to the pre Covid days?

Start Ups lost their sexyness

While we can't blame Covid for this, the cause and effect on the market definitely points to our evil Rona friend. At the start of the pandemic we had companies struggling to survive and then this boom of investment and hiring and spending.

Start ups were already a sector that people often looked to as exciting and somewhere to make good money - often because Start ups are bundled in with Scaled up companies with lots of money and perks and free food and unlimited kombucha.

But then the layoffs happened and to some lucky people, they happened 2 and 3 times over the next few years.

So the once cool cousin of the corporate world became more like the drunk uncle, risky and unreliable.

Now I work in Start ups so I don't say this like I don't recommend them but they aren't for everyone and the reality of growing a company on low budgets and resources at break neck speed may have come to light for the majority.

The fun and potential for many times multiplied equity isn't appealing to everyone over stability and the fabled work-life balance.

Big companies aren't safe anymore

It was really common for me to speak to people looking for jobs who would choose a big, global and established company over something smaller or newer. The big names were safe with career progression plans and structured performance reviews.

And then they started laying off people too.

Imagine you started your career around 2018 or later, the majority of what you've seen is layoffs coming from all sectors at anytime, with emails locking you out of your work logins at 2am.

It would be fair to be sceptical about the whole commit your career and life to a company for 5-10 years when you're one Zoom meeting with HR away from being unemployed.

Remote working came and went, sort of

Prior to Covid, remote working really wasn't common at all and then all of a sudden, everyone was remote for a few months.

Then came the articles. Company culture can't exist over Zoom. Remote works are lazy. The CBD cafes can't survive remote working.

So over time, remote working was wound back. The escape goat (yes I know it's scape goat, it's a reference - Google "David Warners brother escape goat") of one of the worst economies the world has seen was remote working.

Blamed for poor company results and share prices, the boffins looked at the numbers and paid Big 4 consultancies to find out why they weren't making the same profits as 2019. So they made spread sheet after spread sheet and what did they find? Well remote working came in so that must be the cause.

Of course it was. It won't be anything to do with the $40 million yearly rent you committed to for that Harbour front office, that now can't fit everyone you employed but you're forcing into the office to sit on floors and work in kitches.

The rise of Fractional

For those that haven't heard or understand the term, Fractional is a Senior person in any profession who instead of working for one company, works 1-2 days a week or on regular engagements with a hand full of clients.

It's Consulting 2.0 or Part time with a perm.

I think we've seen this rise in popularity due to a few reasons, some of them above.

With an increased amount of instability as "permanent" employees (we might need to review the definition of permanent), the decrease of remote friendly employment options and a generation of people that are looking at the previous generations approach to working for one company for 10-20 years and retiring with a cheap gold pen and saying, "nah I'm good".

For those doing Fractional well, it allows them to earn the same or more money as before, with a variety of clients who get their expertise without needing a full-time salary budget or head count.

Direct to boot pick ups

Possibly the greatest thing to come from Covid was the option to order ahead and have it brought to your car. I'm not sure anyone did this pre covid and you can bet your sweet butt that if it's a little rainy outside that I'm making some teenager bring my Big W order out to my car for me.

It's the one time I get to feel rich and powerful.

So yes, there has been a rise in scepticism and I guess a sort of rebellion to "working for the man" that I've noticed over the past few years. Having been around for 20 years I know there are cycles to markets, things come and go.

But I do feel for those who started their careers around the Covid era, they haven't really seen a lot of positivity so their scepticism - and the frustration and anger, is often valid.

Hopefully by the time the next pandemic roles around, I will have lost this extra 5kg.

Did I miss anything? What have you seen change in your industry since we first met 'Rona?