Blog

Jobs for a bad economy

|

10 of the best jobs during a recession

While no job may be completely recession-proof, some are more likely than others to stay in demand. If you think that there’s trouble on the horizon of your chosen field, maybe you could look for a job or start a business in one of these 10 areas?

1. Medical professional

Working as a doctor or nurse can be a great option, but there are many other opportunities as well, including:

Medical and physician assistants,
Physical therapists,
Lab technicians,
Radiology technicians,
Paramedics,
Medical secretaries,
Dentists,
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and
Many more.

Of course, some of these jobs require extensive education and training, where others require less. These professionals are in demand and will likely continue to be in demand.

2. Specialised care, therapy, and counselling

This field is next to the medical-care field ‒‒ think care of the elderly, physical therapy, occupational therapy, substance-abuse counselling, and so-on. This is because people value their well-being and will invest in services that allow them to be productive and pain-free.

Many of these services are paid for by insurance or the government, which encourages people to use them — even when money is tight. Even so, during the last recession it was widely reported that some areas you might not expect experienced strong growth, for example, in the US the demand for spas and massage therapists actually increased.

3. Auto repair

During a recession, sales of new vehicles can drop significantly. Why? – because when money is tight, most people will opt to keep their cars for longer, which means increased spending on maintenance and repair.

Car maintenance costs can add up, but maintaining an older car is generally a lot cheaper than buying a new one, so it still makes plenty of sense. This means that there will be added work for mechanics and others who are involved in auto repairs.

4. Public utility services

Services in the areas of electricity, water, sewage, waste, rubbish, and recycling all survive economic downturns. After all, they are critical to maintaining order and public health. Interestingly, some consultancies that serve those utilities seem to share that benefit, as well. For example, many councils outsource work to external consultants.

5. Accountant

Businesses always need accountants. Individuals may be tempted to take a DIY approach to save money, but many people feel more comfortable knowing that a professional is handling their taxes, even in tough economic conditions. Accounting is often considered one of the safest jobs that will be needed in any economy.

That said, in a few more years, accountants are one of the fields at risk of being replaced by robots.

6. IT professional

In our current tech-driven world, IT workers are always in demand. Most businesses wouldn’t have the option to significantly cut back on IT without damaging their business.

During a recession, many companies look to technology as a way to streamline processes or reduce costs, so IT professionals may even find some new opportunities. In this recession, IT has been even more in demand due to the lockdown, which has forced many “white collar” workers to work from home.

Learn more:

7. Virtual assistant

When employees are laid off, someone still has to do that work. Of course, most companies will try to streamline, and remaining employees may need to take on more work, but a lot of companies also outsource part of the work.

Virtual assistants can provide a wide variety of administrative tasks to provide companies with a cost-effective solution.

For small businesses, outsourcing work to a virtual assistant during a turbulent economy may be cheaper and less risky than hiring an employee.

If you’re interested in a flexible business that you could start very quickly, this is a great option.

8. CV writer

It’s no surprise that CV (curriculum vitae) writers will be in demand when a lot of people are looking for jobs. Not only are there a lot of people looking for jobs during a recession, but many people are willing to do anything within their power to increase their chances of landing a job, and that includes hiring a CV writer.

If you have some experience as a CV writer or working in human resources (HR), this could be an excellent business opportunity.

9. Law enforcement

Through any economic situation, communities want to invest in physical safety for local businesses and residents, which means that police officers and the professionals who support them remain in demand during an economic recession. Budget concerns may result in slight job losses during a recession, but in general, law enforcement is one of the more recession-proof careers. In fact, crime often increases during economic downturns and so more law enforcement may be needed.

10. Education services

Economic booms come and go but investing in the future is always important. Most jobs in education (primary, secondary, higher, special, and adult education) are relevant regardless of the economic climate. This may be helped when many adults make more time to up-skill and may go “back to school” until the overall economy improves.

Those who want to pursue this path should know that:

The way education is delivered is shifting. In addition to traditional classroom instruction, new models of distance, online, and on-demand education are becoming more relevant, and
The probable lack of lucrative international students at NZ universities will have an impact and could put traditionally safe university roles at risk.

The bottom line – the top 10 jobs for a recession

As we all face uncertain times, it’s helpful to know that opportunities do exist. Perhaps you can make the most of the worldwide situation and use this time to do some future planning by transitioning to a role in one of the following areas:

Medical professional
Specialised care, therapy, and counselling
Auto repair
Public utility services
Accountant
IT professional
Virtual assistant
CV writer
Law enforcement
Education services