10 Recession-Proof Job Fields for All Skill Levels

Although no job is guaranteed to be secure during periods of economic uncertainty, certain industries may be less susceptible to conditions like layoffs and reductions in force. These include the medical industry, the legal industry, and essential services like grocery stores.

If you're looking for greater stability in your career, consider industries and professions that tend to remain in demand across economic conditions. Explore some jobs that tend to be more stable during economic upturns and downturns.

What is a recession-proof job? 

The term "recession-proof" can be a bit misleading. No job is completely safe from economic conditions. However, when people colloquially talk about "recession-proof jobs," they mean jobs that tend to be in demand regardless of the economy’s status.

Certain jobs offer strong security, even during challenging times. Depending on what causes economic uncertainty, some jobs can be in even higher demand during tough times. 

10 recession-proof fields

Even when the economy takes a downturn, certain industries will typically need workers.  

1. Healthcare

Medical professionals tend to be essential at all times, and individuals with varying levels of education and experience can find suitable roles in this field. Some common job titles in the medical field include the following:

• Emergency patient care technician

• Certified nursing assistant

• Registered nurse

• Hospital administrator

• Medical technologist/Medical laboratory technician

• Occupational therapist

2. Public safety

Roles that ensure and maintain the safety of the general public tend to be in high demand despite what happens to the economy. Some common public safety jobs include the following:

• Police officer

• Firefighter

• Emergency medical technician

• Correctional officer

• Security guard

• Safety officer

3. Education

Students continue learning through economic shifts, and they require teachers and school administrators to keep things running smoothly. This includes primary, secondary, and higher education.

During the course of their education, teachers learn skills like teaching methodologies, curriculum development, learning theory, classroom management, and educational assessment. Teachers may experience greater job security than in other professions regardless of whether they work for a government or non-government institution.

4. Law

While not all legal jobs are recession-proof, a few fields tend to hold steady through downturns, including criminal defence, bankruptcy, and healthcare law. You don’t necessarily have to attend law school to benefit from the security of a legal job. Some roles in the legal industry that tend to always be in demand are as follows: 

• Paralegal

• Legal assistant

• Legal secretary

• Court clerk

• Court reporter

• Electronic discovery consultant

5. Finance

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 the following:

• Financial controller

• Financial advisor

• Tax accountant

• Bookkeeper

• Loan officer

• Financial analyst

6. Mental health

Mental health professionals are often in high demand during cycles of economic uncertainty. Jobs within this field may vary according to scope and responsibility and include:

• Addiction counsellor

• Social worker

• Therapist

• School counsellor

• Clinical psychologist

7. Utilities

Utility workers are typically in demand because people depend on infrastructure—lights, water, internet—to live their lives. Education, training, and salary differ from job to job, but some options are as follows:

• Power plant or substation engineer

• Power plant manager

• Safety engineer

• Pipeline engineer

• Utilities manager

• Environmental engineer

• Lineman

8. Trade

A trade worker is someone who specialises in a certain trade. They usually acquire job skills through an apprenticeship, technical school, or on-the-job experience. Some examples of trade workers include the following:

• Carpenter

• Plumber

• Mechanic

• Locksmith

• Electrician

• Pipefitter

• Dental hygienist

9. Grocery stores

People may cut their spending during a recession, which could mean eating out less and cooking at home more. This is where the grocery store becomes more important. When people need food, essential services like grocery stores can help. Job titles you might find include the following:

• Clerk

• Store manager

• Cashier

10. Rideshare and delivery

Whether you're 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 the following:

• Rideshare driver

• Food delivery executive

• Delivery executive

Recession-proof job skills

Beyond certain fields, you may find that some skills remain in demand through economic changes. These tend to be marketable, transferable skills that you can use no matter what field 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.

Next steps to recession-proof your career

Looking to pivot to an in-demand career that can withstand a recession? Consider earning 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. Build your skills at your own pace from anywhere with an internet connection and earn a credential for your resume.

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