Best career options for recession

Jobfox did a study from Nov 2007 and July 2008 to find 20 professions where demand remained high over economically rough periods.  The top five are:

1. Sales Representative
  2. Software Design/Development
  3. Nursing
  4. Accounting & Finance Executive
  5. Accounting Staff

The problem with this study is that it takes a period that is nowhere close to what is anticipated in the coming future!  The future will be very grim from the way things are shaping up!  Even the larger banking and financial institutions are falling down.. the oil prices are not giving any respite and the consumption seems to be still going up.  In fact fall in consumption could accelerate the recession.. but consistent consumption could further worsen the oil prices and definitely hurt the deficits of US!  So, its a situation of being between a rock and a hard place!

John Challenger, CEO of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas discusses with Yahoo-Hotjobs the careers in certain industries which have the best chance of withstanding the recession.

* Education. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has historically shown teaching to be relatively recession-proof. But demographics are important: High-growth areas like the Sun Belt offer much better prospects than the Rust Belt.
* Energy. “This is a major issue for the global economy, and jobs related to oil and gas, alternative energy and even nuclear are likely to see strong growth,” Challenger said.
* Health care. Almost half the 30 fastest growing occupations are concentrated in health services — including medical assistants, physical therapists, physician assistants, home health aides, and medical records and health information technicians — according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
* International business. “If you have a strong knowledge of other cultures, and an ability to work in another country, you’ll find plenty of opportunities,” according to John Challenger. “If you’re first generation Chinese, with business skills and Chinese language skills, you’re in good shape.
* Environmental sector. There is a huge and growing industry geared to combat global warming. “Not only will professionals with skills in sustainability issues be in demand through the end of the decade, we are likely to shortages of professionals with ‘green’ skills,” said Rona Fried, president of sustainablebusiness.com, a networking service for sustainable businesses.
* Security. “Crime doesn’t stop during a recession, and police officers, port security specialists and international security experts will continue to be in demand,” Challenger emphasized.

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