Do you have a recession-proof job right now? Do you want to open a recession-proof business?
Many people think about quitting their jobs because they aren’t getting enough out of their current career.
Job stability is one of the most important pieces of picking a career, and the last thing you want during a recession or bad times is to find yourself without a job.
We took a look around and found some industries that appear to have recession-proof jobs, many of which are still growing in demand even in good economic times.
What does Recession-Proof Mean?
A recession is a period of financial decline, which is temporary thankfully, but usually results in people spending less across the board.
When an economic downturn hits, companies will look at what they can do to protect themselves and their profit, which usually means that they will cut their spending.
Less company spending means cutting jobs and other expenses.
The last thing that you want to happen is for your workplace to turn around and get rid of your job.
If you lose your job in a recession, it can be much harder to get another one since so many other companies will be cutting jobs and not hiring.
But don’t worry – it’s not all doom and gloom, as there are some jobs that you can get that are recession-resistant.
But what does that mean?
Characteristics of Recession-Proof Jobs
When it comes to recession-proof jobs, you will need to think about the types of industries that do well in a recession, and which won’t do so well.
Think about the kinds of things that are needed to keep the world turning, regardless of any spending that people are (or aren’t) doing.
It may not just be the obvious things that you think of such as grocery store workers or police officers, but also professions like medicine, gas, toilet roll, and so on.
What Skills are Needed?
Some of these jobs require Bachelor’s degrees, higher education, and more- but some of them don’t require much but previous work experience in a similar field.
There are plenty of unskilled jobs which are recession-proof, as well as highly skilled jobs.
15 Jobs for Uncertain Times – Recession-Proof Jobs for You
1. Medical Professionals
People will always get sick and need proper health care to get back on their feet.
Don’t forget about pharmacists either, who are there to provide medications and prescriptions, which is obviously hugely important!
There are other essential medical professionals which will fare well in a recession- you could become a nurse, physician assistant, physical therapist, or even just a healthcare receptionist or janitor.
Some medical professions won’t fall into this bracket, such as plastic surgery professionals, as people won’t be using this form of health care.
2. Public Safety or Law Enforcement
You’ll find that the need for law enforcement is higher because, unfortunately, a recession can lead to a lot of people getting desperate and crimes may increase, like stealing food or money.
People tend to think of police officers and other law enforcement officers such as parole officers, corrections officers, and more- but don’t forget that many other workers handle public safety.
Firefighters are also incredibly important at all times because there will always be fires and situations in which they are needed.
3. Grocery Store Workers
Even during a recession, people always need food!
In a bad economic climate, there is usually a cut back on eating out at restaurants, but buying food to cook is a necessity.
All kinds of grocery stores will be open and busy, even in a recession, though some people may skip the higher-end stores to save money.
There may be a decrease in services such as Instacart (the food delivery service).
4. Educators
Education doesn’t just stop because a recession hits, and your kids will need amazing school teachers to keep things going.
Not only school teachers either, but professors, teachers aides, and anyone else who works in education.
Universities and schools create many recession-proof jobs, like janitors, food service workers, or even secretaries and office employees.
5. Delivery and Transportation Services
There’s never been a time with more delivery jobs available than now! Transportation services have boomed in our recent pandemic, and it’s not a bad idea even as a side hustle to earn more income.
The reason for that is because you can have pretty much anything delivered, and we are living really busy lives.
6. Funeral Home Directors
This one is a bit morbid, but there is sadly always a need for funeral home directors. Just because there is a recession, doesn’t mean that the need for funeral directors will stop.
Funeral directors are the people who help to run everything for a funeral, including arranging the burials.
Even during a recession, loved ones of the deceased will still want to (and have to) pay the money for a funeral and the costs associated with that.
7. Accountants/Financial Services
Whether it’s for a big business or an individual, accountants are there to help run the financial side of things.
This is a top recession-proof job since there are many opportunities for work and
People use accountants to file their taxes (extremely important to get right), to produce their financial reports, and create budgets for the business.
8. Psychologists and Counselors
Psychologists and counselors are the go-to mental health professionals we need. Mental health workers help treat depression, anxiety, and more.
During economic struggles, there’s even more of a demand for these professionals, as the whole country will be reeling.
The last year has shown us how important mental health is and how it is an essential part of health care for some people.
9. IT Support
IT Support is a great recession-proof job because we rely on IT for so many things, even in our personal lives, that the demand for their service will never go away.
Most (if not all) businesses need some sort of IT system in place to run the business, which means that they will continue to need your services even in a recession.
There are so many different aspects that companies could need help with, such as email, specific systems, payment processing, and more.
10. Mechanics
Unfortunately, cars will always break down! And not just cars either, but motorbikes, ambulances, buses, coaches, and all other methods of transportation that people will need to get around.
As well as breaking down, vehicles will also need annual checks which have to be done, whether there’s a recession or not.
11. Legal Teams
It’s worth noting that not all legal jobs are recession-proof jobs, as there have been previous recessions where legal jobs haven’t been safe, but some are still in demand.
That being said, not all legal jobs are safe during a recession, and people who are newer to the profession may find it hard to find a job.
12. Insurance Providers
No matter what the spending situation is in the country, there is always going to be a need for the insurance industry.
Your assets- your house, car, and medical care- need to be protected and you don’t want to risk not having insurance!
13. Utility Workers
This is definitely something that is still needed in a recession, as we need utility workers to keep things rolling along!
Public utility services are necessities for all of us, regardless of the economic climate.
These recession-proof jobs are in sectors such as telephones and internet services, gas and electric companies, waste management, and so on.
14. Real Estate
Even during a recession, people will still be buying or selling houses and property.
They may not be buying as often, but there will still be people who need to sell their houses and relocate for things such as work.
15. Librarians
Libraries are still open during most economic downturns- people always need entertainment, school kids will still need books, and many people will use other services like classes or family events.
This is a perfect job for you if you like books, a peaceful environment and helping people.
Libraries can actually be a source of comfort for a lot of people during a recession, as most don’t just offer free book rentals, but DVDs, free computer use, and activities for kids.
How to Make Your Career Recession-Proof
When you are thinking about getting a new career or job, it’s always worth thinking about is the job recession-proof?
We know that there will be recessions in the future, and the last thing you want is to lose your job and have no money. So what are some things that you can do to help yourself out in preparing for a recession?
1. Document Your Skills
You need to make sure that you are showing off any skills that you have. As much as it’s nice to be humble, you need to make a good first impression.
Any type of business will likely have lots of resumes to look through, which means that you need to keep it short and snappy.
2. Keep Your Resume in Tip Top Shape
We all know that a resume is one of the most important things when it comes to you getting a job, but even when knowing that, do we give it the attention it deserves?
Make sure that you update it with your current employer and make any changes necessary, including any new skills that you are working on.
3. Update Your Skill Set
If there are particular skills that you bring to your job role, be sure to keep these updated.
For example, if there are new things that come out or new systems that you need to learn or refresh your memory.
4. Bulk Up on New Skills
There are always new things that you can learn and add to your repertoire. This doesn’t mean for new jobs either, but you can learn some new skills for your current role.
You could speak to your employer and see if there are any skills that they are interested in you improving or gaining.
If you already have some skills, think about updating them – you could take a small refresher course to bring yourself up to speed.
We recommend checking out Skill Share to see what you can learn from some of the best.
There are also some courses that we recommend checking out:
- Freelance Write From Home – for freelance writing
- Bookkeeper Launch – for becoming a bookkeeper
- Flea Market Flipping – for learning how to flip items for sale
- Proofread Anywhere – for online proofreading
- Facebook Side Hustle – for earning money with Facebook ads
5. Get Involved Online
Nowadays when you are applying for jobs, you will want to make sure that your online presence is good. Make sure you Google yourself and see what pops up.
You’ll probably want to make sure that your social media profiles are set to private, and any pictures that are on show look acceptable.
6. Network within Your Industry
Have you heard the phrase, “it’s not what you know, but who you know”? A lot of jobs are found through referrals or word of mouth, rather than on a job board.
Let people know that you are interested in hearing about any potential job opportunities, and make sure to make contacts in your industry.
7. Expect the Unexpected
Just like driving on a snowy road, we don’t always know what’s ahead of us or how safe we really are.
As much as we’ve talked about falling on bad times, we are positive creatures and believe that they don’t happen very often- or that they won’t happen to us.
In reality, a recession happens quite often when you look at the statistics, so it’s important to make sure that you are fully prepared, as best you can be.
8. Research Your Career – Think About Your Next Steps
The last thing that you want to do is be caught off guard by a recession, especially when we know that they are pretty much guaranteed to happen.
So think about your career, what are your next steps? Can you move into something that’s more recession-proof, or if you move up on the career ladder will you still have job security?
Takeaways on Job Security and Careers
Certain job positions will be in demand with an economic downturn, and it’s worth thinking about this when you want a new career.
You don’t need to be highly skilled or obtain a degree to swap careers to some high-demand jobs.
