Though not completely recession-proof, the roles outlined here are usually more in demand across economic shifts. Read on to discover jobs that tend to be more suitable during economic upturns and downturns.
Economic uncertainty can threaten any job, but some industries weather these storms better, seeing fewer layoffs and workforce reductions during downturns. These include the medical, legal, and essential services industries, such as supermarkets.
If you're looking for greater stability in your career, consider industries and professions that tend to remain in demand across economic conditions. Read on to discover jobs that tend to be more stable during economic upturns and downturns.
A recession-proof job refers to employment that remains stable or even grows during economic downturns. While no job is completely safe from economic conditions, these jobs tend to be in demand regardless of the broader economic situation.
Some fields offer security, including healthcare, public safety, education, and certain legal roles. These professions maintain consistent demand for their services even during challenging times.
Even when the economy is downturned, certain industries will typically need workers, including the following.
Medical professionals tend to be essential. Within healthcare, roles exist for every education and experience level. Some common job titles in the medical field include:
Certified nursing assistant
Registered nurse
Healthcare administrator
Medical technologist
Laboratory technician
Those who work to ensure the general public's safety tend to be in high demand despite what happens to the economy. Some common public safety jobs include:
Police Officer
Firefighter
Emergency medical technician
Prison officer
Security guard
Occupational health and safety specialist
Students continue learning through economic shifts, requiring teachers and school administrators to keep things running smoothly. This includes nursery through primary and secondary schools.
Teachers learn skills like teaching methodologies, curriculum development, learning theory, classroom management, and educational assessment during their education. Whether you work for a public or private institution, you may experience greater job security than in other professions as a teacher.
While not all legal jobs are recession-proof, certain fields can hold steady through downturns, including criminal defence, bankruptcy, and healthcare law. You don’t necessarily have to attend university to benefit from the security of a legal job. Roles in the legal industry that tend to be in demand include:
Paralegal
Legal assistant
Legal secretary
Clerk of court
Court reporter
Stenographer
eDiscovery specialist
Finances and taxes are a necessary part of life, so people in these professions usually have plenty of job security. A few roles you might look for include:
Financial controller
Financial adviser
Tax accountant
Bookkeeper
Loan officer
Financial analyst
Mental health professionals are often needed during cycles of economic uncertainty. Jobs within this field may vary according to scope and responsibility and include:
Drug addiction counsellor
Caseworker
Social worker
Therapist
School counsellor
Clinical psychologist
Utility workers are typically in demand because people depend on infrastructure—lights, water, internet—to live. Education, training, and salary differ from job to job, but you could consider some of the following options:
Power plant or substation engineer
Power plant operator
Safety engineer
Gas or pipeline operator
Utilities manager
Water engineer
Electricity distribution worker
A tradesperson is someone who specialises in a certain trade. They usually acquire job skills through apprenticeships, technical schools, or on-the-job experience. Some examples of trade workers include:
Carpenter
Plumber
Mechanic
Locksmith
Electrician
Pipe fitter
Dental hygienist
Radiographer
People may cut their spending during a recession, which often means eating out less and cooking at home more. Enter the supermarket. When people need food, essential services like supermarkets can help. Job titles you might find include:
Shop assistant
Shelf filler
Retail manager
Personal shopper
Whether expecting an important piece of mail or your latest e-commerce order, you depend on delivery drivers for all kinds of things. That's why this job will continue to be in demand. Some specific roles include:
Rideshare driver
Food delivery driver
Package delivery driver
Courier
Beyond certain fields, you may discover that certain skills remain in demand through economic changes. These tend to be marketable, transferable skills that you can use no matter what job you're working in:
Adaptability
Creativity
Ability to multitask
Critical thinking
Leadership
Collaboration
Communication
Time management
Attention to detail
A recession can also be a useful time to reassess your skill set and work on developing high-income skills in in-demand areas or strengthening valuable technical and workplace skills. You can continue building your skill set by completing a professional certificate, working on an independent project to gain useful experience, or enrolling in a class.
Certain fields consistently prove reliable during periods of economic turbulence. Consider the question: ‘What will people always require?’ Typically, the answer encompasses essential domains such as food, trade services, utilities, healthcare, and law.
Are you looking to pivot to an in-demand career? Earn a Professional Certificate in data analytics, IT support, project management, UX design, cybersecurity, sales development, or bookkeeping from industry leaders like Google, Meta, Intuit, and IBM. Learn at your own pace from anywhere with an internet connection, earning more credentials for your CV.
Editorial Team
Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.