Top 9 Recession-Proof Industries
June 15, 2008 by Kristen King
Filed under Business
Girls Just Wanna Have Funds reports 8 industries that are a pretty safe bet even during a recession, and Yahoo’s HotJobs echoes the sentiment and adds in a few more. What do these industries all have in common? Unlike real estate, which is heavily driven by individuals’ liquidity, these are all areas that are NOT optional when it comes to having employees and spending money. I’ve mixed and matched and added my own comments.
- Computers / IT / Web Development – If you have the skills to help companies increase efficiency and reduce costs using technology solutions, you’re a hot commodity.
- Criminal Justice / Police / Security – Crime rates certainly aren’t going to go down as the economy comes to a screeching halt. I’d guess that this field is in even MORE demand when jobs are scarce and tensions are running high.
- Education – There is ALWAYS a need for teachers. Always. Even in great economic times, there are never enough teachers.
- Energy – Despite high travel costs, we still need oil and gas — not just to get to work, but also to run our homes. Electricity, alternative energy, etc., and especially areas of lower-cost energy, will never go away.
- Environment – Green building, green manufacturing, green everything is HUGE as we start to realize the impact of our actions on the world around us.
- Health Care & Medicine – "Luxuries" like cosmetic surgery may not be real growth areas right now, but especially with the physical effects of economic stress, the medical field is in no danger of slowing down. And it’s not only physicians who have job security, but also nurses, assistants, and technicians.
- International Business – Things may be tough in the US, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad everywhere.
- Psychology / Counseling / Substance Abuse Treatment – As with medicine, psychological and mental health fields are going to remain in high demand, especially as people deal with the stressors of the economy.
- State and Federal Government – Even with a recession, the government has to keep operating.
I would also add freelancing writing and graphic design to this list. Outsourcing specialized tasks, either in the US or overseas, saves companies TONS of money by helping them keep their payroll lean and mean with a small staff headcount. I’ve never been busier as a freelance writer, and my colleagues pretty much all saying the same thing. Companies always need written materials, and the smart ones won’t stop marketing just because the economy is slow because they know that pretty much guarantees their failure.
Do you have or know of another recession-proof job? Do tell! Leave a comment.
Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King
Tags: women and business, women in busines, women, woman, womens business blog, recession-proof jobs, good jobs during a recession, recession-proof industries, job security, biz chicks rule, kristen king
Great list! Lots of talk of recession, gas prices, unemployment. I see thousands of high paying jobs posted by reputable employers. I beleive people can find a job if they truly look.
http://www.realmatch.com
http://www.monster.com
http://www.simplyhired.com
If you want one, you’ll get one…be positive!
I would also add a food industry to the list.. Regardless of recession people need to eat.. Companies such as Danon, Kraft etc. keep their profits pretty stable even at the hardest time.
Wal-Mart…
They will thrive in this type of economic slowdown.
Yes i want to add up agriculture industry and industry related to basic neccessity of life. i.e. food and cloth. Whatever changes come to the environment basic neccessity will remains.
This article is overly optimistic. No industry is recession proof. It doesn’t matter how much workers may be needed if there is no money to pay for them. And three of the “recession proof” jobs listed above are being affected by the recession in a big way. International business is suffering, not just in the US; Microsoft is even laying off workers. Many educational institutions, local and state governments have hiring freezes in place and have cut funding to many services, including some on your list. Items 4 and 5 are two of the few industries where there is job growth going on.
Im sorry, but this list is very misleading. First, please dont preach the the “government needs to keep on going.” Clearly the state of CA is in a deep fiscal crisis which of course will trickle down to schools, hospitals and smaller government agencies. Since school districts depend on the state for nearly 90% of thier funding, your comment about teaching being a safe occupation is just plain wrong. If there is no money to pay teachers, teachers will get laid off. Plain and simple. The districts will be forced to increase class size, implement hiring freezes and lay off teachers-regardless of how well they perform. So optimism is nice-but not practical nor helpful in times like this. Its time to get real.
ney not at all
shut up already with your optimism