The coronavirus crisis has sparked an unemployment crisis, but here's a way to combat both: Apply to be a contact tracer.
"Tens of thousands of people across the United States have applied for the job of cold-calling strangers who may have been exposed to COVID-19," The New York Times reports--although the U.S. may soon need as many as 300,000 contact tracers in the coming weeks.
The Times also notes, "The work is mostly phone-based and can be done from home. The jobs can be full- or part-time, often with an hourly wage of $17 to $25; some include benefits."
As for what qualities make for the best contact tracers, foreign-language fluency helps, while an exec at the firm Partners in Health says, “If their computer skills are lacking a little bit, we can help boost that. But what’s really important in the middle of an epidemic is empathy.”
In Illinois, those interested in becoming a contact tracer can fill out an interest form with IDPH, which will deliver names and resumes to local health departments.
In Wisconsin, jobs are posted on their state job's website.
Minnesota, jobs listings are here.