Recession-Proof Jobs

Difficult economic times often prompt people to ask two questions:

1. What jobs are recession-proof?

2. Is my job one of them?

As the economy sheds jobs and the nation's unemployment rate continues to rise, many people may be asking themselves these questions, provided they haven't already gotten an answer in the form of a layoff.

Of course, no job is 100% secure, but some occupations tend to be more resistant than others to hard economic times. Health care is a consistently growing industry, and jobs in this field tend to be among the most secure. Reasons for this include the fact that insurance provides most health coverage. In addition, in many health care professions the supply of qualified people is less than the demand. This is especially true of nursing.

Although the economic crunch is impacting government revenues at federal, state, and local levels, government jobs are generally considered more secure. The most secure public sector jobs are those in the law enforcement and education fields. People send their kids to school and want police protection, regardless of how good or bad the economy is. Jobs in higher education are generally secure, as well.

According to Forbes magazine, some of the most recession-resistant jobs include the following:

1. Sales Representatives - In tough times, sales representatives are needed to attract new customers and expand business opportunities.

2. Nursing - For years now, the demand for nurses has been greater than the number actually entering the profession. This has boosted pay for nurses and made this field one of the safest in hard economic times. Other health care professions are among the most secure in hard economic times.

3. Accounting - Accounting services are needed in any economic conditions. In difficult times, companies may need accountants and auditors to help them streamline their operations to function efficiently in lean times. Financial professionals who are knowledgeable of the federal Sarbanes-Oxley law may find themselves especially valuable.

4. Education - As stated previously, people always send their kids to school. This field includes not only elementary and secondary educators, but also teacher's aides and child care workers. The latter two, however, tend to be much lower paying than jobs for professional educators.

5. Network and systems administrators - These people design and maintain corporate communications systems. The value of information technology and the specialized skills of these people help make their jobs safer than many others today.