Yahoo HotJobs has a story out today titled Recession-Proof Jobs in 2008. First, I love this old media trick:
Economists at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley say the U.S. is heading for its first-blown recession in 16 years, and a recent CNN poll found that 57 percent of the public believe the U.S. is in a recession already, with the economy topping the list of voter’s worries.
16 years? How about 8 years ago with the tech bubble? Are we in a recession if CNN does a poll and people say we are? Please, I would prefer to read what measurements show that we are in a recession today.
Enough of that. Clearly the economy is slowing down from it’s torrid pace just as it always has and always will. It is cyclical. I am intrigued by the title of the article and when you get past the opening propaganda, you come to some interesting positions (my editing):
However, many employment sectors are expected to remain strong despite a possible recession, and job-seekers may have more success if they focus on recession-proof professions.
* Education. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has historically shown teaching to be relatively recession-proof. But demographics are important: High-growth areas like the Sun Belt offer much better prospects than the Rust Belt.
* Energy. “This is a major issue for the global economy, and jobs related to oil and gas, alternative energy and even nuclear are likely to see strong growth,” Challenger said.
* Health care. Almost half the 30 fastest growing occupations are concentrated in health services — including medical assistants, physical therapists, physician assistants, home health aides, and medical records and health information technicians — according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
* International business. “If you have a strong knowledge of other cultures, and an ability to work in another country, you’ll find plenty of opportunities,” according to John Challenger. “If you’re first generation Chinese, with business skills and Chinese language skills, you’re in good shape.
* Environmental sector. There is a huge and growing industry geared to combat global warming. “Not only will professionals with skills in sustainability issues be in demand through the end of the decade, we are likely to shortages of professionals with ‘green’ skills,” said Rona Fried, president of sustainable business.com, a networking service for sustainable businesses.
* Security. “Crime doesn’t stop during a recession, and police officers, port security specialists and international security experts will continue to be in demand,” Challenger emphasized.
I think that is an accurate list. The one thing for sure is that talented employees are always in demand no matter what the economy.