What Are the Best Jobs in a Recession: Most Stable Careers

Career Planning & Development, business
What Are the Best Jobs in a Recession: Most Stable Careers
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One Day You’re In, and the Next Day….

We’ve all heard the lines made famous for Project Runway hopefuls: Heidi Klum says, “One day you’re in, and the next day you’re out” (speaking in regards to fashion). But today that can apply to employment as well. Some businesses must layoff workers in order to stay alive. Other large corporations may experience a hiring freeze or look for ways to trim the budget and that usually means decrease the payroll.

Some Surprises

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this most recent recession has affected construction and manufacturing more heavily than other industries. Your knowledge of recession-proof jobs may be your family’s link to safety.

Defining “Recession”

When a country’s gross domestic product (GDP)—the total market value of goods and services generally over a year’s period of time—moves to a negative for two or more successive quarters in one year, that heralds a “recession.” In other words, this indicator typically shows how well a country is doing. When you see low unemployment, and wage increases in business, that means the demand for labor to meet the growing economy is healthy, the ideal.

A recession is bad news because it creates more than normal job elimination, which leads to financial tension. The impact of this filters down to families who have a harder time covering their basic needs.

Looking for Job Safety

While no business or industry is immune to lay-offs, firing, or lower performance levels resulting in “pink slips,” some professions weather the crisis better. To figure it out: It’s logical to think about the things you cannot live without: good health, utilities, food, transportation, etc. So where are the best jobs in a recession?

Best Recession Proof Jobs

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Healthcare and hospitals are one area that does well. Especially jobs in the professional nursing sector.

Physical or occupational therapy needs remain as the demography of the population ages. Specialists in rehab areas as well as biosciences are needed.

Mining and jobs in natural resources has kept a steady line of growth.

Federal jobs are sometimes an option and where money is put into the “Recovery & Reinvestment Act,” for example, there may be new jobs working on city infrastructure such as bridges, highways, etc. According to author and retired federal employee Dennis V. Damp, “Uncle Sam hires approximately 2 percent of America’s total workforce and the pay and benefits are outstanding.”

Government contracts are still awarded and government operations eat up a lot of services and materials. Air traffic controllers and government security service at courthouses, airports and other entities under the government umbrella should be open.

“Clean Tech” jobs such as those in solar, wind, green energy, environmental studies, renewable energy and green building are gaining strength. These will typically be engineering, scientific jobs, or the sales and finance within these industries. Follow government job sites too, as some cities are working towards increasing these types of jobs.

Information technology and the gathering of data, and or maintaining computer programs is one sector that remains fairly constant.

Kevin Donlin, author and creator of The Simple Job Search system says that sales and marketing positions and others supporting them are fairly sturdy, because, “Anyone who makes or saves money for a company will be relatively safe,” he says.

Fairly Safe Careers

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Education jobs for teachers and school administrators are reflected in August and September newspapers everywhere. (Then, too, adults who are out-of-work may be looking to increase or augment their skills and look for additional schooling or education creating a pick-up in enrollments).

Utilities jobs mirror the energy sector. Services homeowners will always need are: utilities to light their homes, water to cook foods and otherwise maintain households is intact in the job market. Look for maintenance and other energy-related jobs here as well.

Police and Public Safety: Public safety jobs may actually increase during this time as people become more desperate.

What’s that saying about “..death and taxes”? It’s a sure thing we will all face death and embalmers, morticians and funeral directors will always have business and customers.

Following the previous train of thought, accounting firms keep private business viable by providing accounting solutions and in a recession, companies may take a second look at their books to assess finances for more deductions or reductions. For this reason, accounting may be one of the best jobs in a recession.

Other Options for Jobs During a Recession

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Sales and sales in international business. A good salesperson and anyone who can bring in and make money for a firm should be a keeper. As far as the international species, other countries may have a more stable or better economy, so the need is there.

Pharmaceuticals: As people will get sick they need medicine; many too, need their prescriptions to maintain their health. A pharmacist, pharmacy aid or helper, or pharmaceutical lab worker is pretty safe for work.

Plumbers, electricians, and auto mechanics are tradesmen with specialized knowledge and that particular type of someone is more likely to keep working because of it—we all need water, toilets, light, and our cars.

Truck drivers, food services, alcohol and drink creation and distribution are safe.

Soldiers and the Military: The recruitment goes on always and more so during a war period but, even so, the military branches continue.

More Possibilities

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Debt Collection, Debt Management and Bankruptcy Attorneys: Lots of debt collection ads spring up ever higher during a recession; and, with the other satellite businesses, customers are looking to manage or escape their debt.

Consulting jobs may be on the increase because companies often look outside their organization for temporary workers or may want to bring in efficiency experts in order to pare down or squeeze more from their dollars.

Bartenders, beauticians, and erotic services plus gambling jobs will go on as outlets for people needing a break or a new look. These types of maintenance jobs are typical of some of the best jobs in a recession. Even done as a side-line, it may be all you need to keep on going profitably.

Tips & Resources

Because of fluctuating markets, unstable commerce, and banking, mortgage, and other industry changes, it is a good idea to try to make yourself indispensable. Not only do you need to espouse a good work ethic, but learning a trade, freelancing, or taking on a self-generated part-time business makes good sense. At least the potential for some type of money earned until the economy changes will be your backstop.

References