by TDK

Created on: January 18, 2009   Last Updated: January 27, 2009

During this time of economic turmoil, the job market is rife with layoffs and downsizing. Not only does it seem that job opportunities are shrinking, but the prospective employee base is growing. There is no real "recession proof" job, but there are some jobs that tend to stand up better in poor economic climates than others.

One of the first industries that never loses momentum in trying economic times is health care. The health care profession is always seeking new professionals to staff hospitals, geriatric homes, and pediatric wards. The general public will also always have a need for professional health care because they are always getting sick. Also, with the recent wave of "boomer's" reaching retirement age, there is a much larger demand for health care practitioners to take care of the elderly. Plus, most health care careers require certification only, which can be attained at career colleges or certificate programs at local community colleges.

Another profession that is seeing steady growth despite the economy is computer networking and system administration. Though the Internet boom and bust is far in the past, the current world is becoming more and more plugged in and Internet based. There is a need for Internet security specialists for large companies, IT troubleshooters for offices, and programmers for firms that deal with large databases of information. A bachelors degree can open doors in the Information Technology and Systems Administration sector. If you are interested in this profession remember that the current technology is always evolving, and one must be prepared to learn new programming languages and platforms.

Also, Federal Government jobs fare well in a poor economy due to the fact that they are steady. There are a large variety of government jobs available on line at USAJOBS, and they are located all over the United States and abroad. The Government offers decent pay, outstanding benefits and opportunities for growth.

In conclusion, there is no real "recession proof" career, just ones that perform a bit better than others in trying times. In order to be a true asset at your career always update your skills set, and be flexible. Flexibility is important because it makes the you more useful, and keeps you informed procedurally. The company is not going to want let you go if they can place you in different positions and give you varying responsibilities. Plus, with the experience of performing many tasks within your profession, experience is gained and can prove to valuable on your resume if the worst possible situation does occur.

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