The search for the recession-proof job

Posted at 9:20 AM on February 16, 2009 by Bob Collins (3 Comments)
Filed under: Economy

In December, I wrote about jobs that may be recession proof. It came on a day when hospitals announced large cutbacks, exploding the notion that health care was recession-proof. It's not.

"Mortician," a reader volunteered, a suggestion that seemed perfect for the times.

But MPR's Tom Robertson pokes that bubble with a needle today, too. It's not that people aren't dying, Tom points out in his story today, it's that when they go, they're going more cheaply. The big caskets aren't selling.

So let's scratch "mortician" off the list, too. What's left?

A TV station in Oklahoma went searching for some last week. "Health care" was #1 on their list. It was an odd conclusion, all things considered, but if you look at the job listings for area medical centers in Minnesota, there are jobs posted despite the announced layoffs.

The Boston Globe today profiles a young couple, victims of the economy who have been looking for work and identifies "career management counselor" as a recession-proof job. How does one break into that business?

Lawyers once were considered recession proof. Those days are gone.

On the other side of the coin, however, heating and air conditioning repair, barbers and hair stylists. And the biggest growth industry is government.

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Comments (3)

How about discount grocery store employee? Seems people still like 3 buck chuck ;)

Posted by Kate | February 16, 2009 10:48 AM

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My barber (not hair stylist) "Jim the Barber" on Franklin says his business goes up and down with the economy. Men just wait an extra week or two for a hair cut.

Posted by sheldon | February 16, 2009 12:14 PM

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I don't do them anymore, but downturns in the economy are even bad for resume writers!

The customers you do get haggle, you get more queries but fewer appts., and people come in wanting free counseling they're determined not to pay for.

Posted by Mark Gisleson | February 17, 2009 8:21 AM

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