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Recession-Proof Careers

You’ve probably seen or heard the news about unemployment being at its highest level since 1992. The biggest job loss since 1974 was this January, shedding 600,000 jobs. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 3.6 million jobs have been lost since the recession began in December 2007. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says the unemployment rate is at 7.6%, putting the number of unemployed people at 11.6 million.

Industries hardest hit are manufacturing closely followed by construction. Since the recession began, significant job losses have also occurred in the service-providing sector, as well as retail and wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, financial, professional and technical services.

However, have you heard the good news? An overall increase of 15 million jobs are projected to be added to the economy over the next seven years, some of which will be due to baby boomers retiring. While todays unemployment figures are at a 17-year high, tomorrow is expected to be quite the opposite. Presently, there are even some industries where jobs have continued to grow.

The Fastest Growing Industries For The Next 7 Years

EDUCATION
Jobs for teachers over the next seven years will grow faster than average, depending on location, grade level, and subject. High-demand fields, such as math, science or bilingual education pay upward of $43,500. The need for college instructors is rising as college enrollment is rising. More adults are returning to school to increase their prospects, or are making career changes. Also, as more women enter the labor force, demand for childcare and pre-school services is expected to grow.

Most job openings will come from replacing teachers expected to retire through 2016. Traditionally, public school teachers are required to have a bachelor's degree from a teacher education program. However, New Jersey and other states offer alternative routes to licensure if you have a college degree in another field.

GLOBALIZATION
Specialists in foreign languages and cultures will be in demand to work in government and the private sector. Jobs for translators and interpreters are expected to grow by 24% over the next decade. Language specialists with the federal government earn an average of $76,287 per year.

Most in demand are those who are fluent in Middle Eastern and North African languages, along with Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and American Sign Language. The globalization of business increases the demand for international management analysts, earning $68,050 and up. U.S. firms need help with business strategies and legal matters and other issues specific to each country in which they have a presence.

Criminal Justice & Legal Careers
Ross London, Professor in the Legal Studies Department at Berkeley College, says careers in criminal justice are recession-proof because, “even with the gloomy economy, the last budget to be cut would be law enforcement.” By earning a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice students are prepared for jobs in policing, probation, corrections, and law school. Jobs in these fields are at the local, state and federal level.

The need for staffing in immigration and naturalization offices and private security jobs have increased, post 9/11. London adds that every graduate from the Criminal Justice field is given extensive training in computer skills with advanced internet. While London says employment prospects are good and expanding, he adds that the career field has become more competitive.

“Police Officers’ education is way beyond what it used to be. Besides being physically strong and having the ability to shoot straight, today's police officers must have comprehensive knowledge of the law, be good communicators and excellent problem solvers. Police have been criticized for being unresponsive to our communities, so now we require more education.” London added, “We’re hoping to educate a new generation. Police officers are responsible for responding to the community.”

Salaries for police average $47,460, detectives $69,310, private investigators make $33,750 and security guards earn about $22,000. When budget cuts do kick in, finding other positions is not difficult. Many positions related to international security are also on the rise.

CYBER CRIME SPECIALISTS
With increased internet activity comes the rise of high-tech crimes such as identity theft and online fraud. The FBI and larger police departments employ specialists knowledgeable in cyber crime techniques and forensics to combat online criminals.

A cyber crime specialist works to prevent crimes such as computer virus planting, cyber terrorist attacks, website hacking, and pedophiles or other deviants from using chat rooms to lure the innocent. To land a computer forensic job requires skills in two areas: technology and criminal justice.

Computer forensics require an understanding of the basics of high tech, how information is transported and stored and the ability to analyze how technology is used on the internet. Computer forensics is a specialization within law and criminal justice. Many traditional and technical schools and colleges offer these courses, while some can be taken online.

COURT REPORTERS AT WORK
Employment as a court reporter means recording verbatim everything that is spoken, frequently providing a transcript of the proceedings. Court reporters transcribe testimony, arguments, depositions, and judicial orders to ensure accuracy in legal records.

Ironically, the demand for court reporters actually rises when the economy is in distress, as more people find reasons to sue, and litigation increases. The realtime computer technology available to reporters has also expanded the marketplace with captioning and other IT careers. According to the National Court Reporters Association, job prospects in this profession will increase 25% through the year 2016.

StenoTech has been training court reporters since 1989. Medical transcription programs became available in 1995. “We are extremely proud to be celebrating our 20th anniversary during the 2009 school year,” said MaryEllen Arce, Admissions Coordinator for the school. They have campuses in Fairfield and Piscataway. The program length is approximately 2 ½ years. It becomes self-paced after the first 9 months, when the theory phase is completed. Some students will naturally progress faster than others.

“There are many benefits of being a court reporter, aside from the lucrative aspect,” says Arce. “The freelance field is particularly flexible, allowing reporters to choose when and how often they want to work. They have options that range from working primarily at home to traveling across the globe for a reporting assignment.”

“The field of court reporting can be challenging,” says Arce. Good reading, writing skills and grammar are a plus. Being highly motivated and having a strong work ethic is essential to develop dexterity, concentration, accuracy and speed.

THE PARALEGAL
Diana Marin, a Paralegal and Associate Dean of Legal Studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), who holds a juris doctorate from Rutgers, describes the Paralegal career track as a recession-proof career choice. FDU’s five-month, full-time program can be done as a 10 month, part-time evening course. Students will take 9 subjects in law, including Civil Litigation and Family Law, Corporate Estates, Trusts & Wills, Environmental Law, and Administrative Law.

“Graduates of the program receive the foundation to work in a law firm or public sector,” says Marin. The program is offered at 3 campuses in New Jersey. Students will attend technical seminars, learn software and internet skills to do legal research. “Attorneys call upon paralegals so they can get more work done. A law firm might be able to pay about one fourth the amount to a paralegal that a lawyer would get, and the work needs to be done – so it’s a good business model, a win-win for the paralegal and the firm,” explains Marin.

Paralegals often get contract assignments, guaranteeing nine months to a year of employment. They can do freelance work for multiple lawyers. “Paralegals are in demand, attorneys are not in demand,” says Marin. While paralegals can’t do certain things such as go to court or give legal advice, Marin says only one percent of cases get tried, and there is always a lot of paperwork involved. “Right now there’s a growing demand for contract work,” she says. “Paralegals do best when they accommodate to changes in the market place.”

HEALTHY NUMBERS IN HEALTHCARE
14% of the nation’s gross income is spent on health care. There’s always going to be a need for health care, making it one of the fastest-growing industries, and it will stay hot for years to come. Nursing is currently the largest healthcare field, with 2.5 million people working in this profession. Nurses are expected to add another 587,000 new jobs to the workforce by 2016. Additionally, a record number of babies were born in 2007, this number of births has not been seen since the baby boom years, and will further the increased demand for health care.

A wide range of highly skilled in-home care service workers, including nursing, therapy, infusion, pharmacy, respiratory, orthopedics, cardiopulmonary, senior health, neurorehabilitation and hospice are still in demand. Opportunities are growing for physical therapists, occupational therapists and other clinicians.

Specific jobs and salary levels with stable prospects include doctors at $156,010 and up, registered nurses median salaries are $60,020, pharmacists get $94,520, physical therapists earn $66,200 and occupational therapists receive $60,470 on average. With the increasing emphasis on controlling health-care costs, demand is also booming for physician assistants at $74,980. Health-care administrators average $73,340, who handle the business and medical scientists make $61,680, who conduct research and develop new treatments and drugs.

HEALTH SERVICES MANAGEMENT
Professor Michael McDonough, dean of the Health Services Management program at Berkeley College, says “Big medical centers will continue to exist, but small community hospitals are in trouble in NJ and in need of more people with an understanding of Health Services Management (HSM).” Berkeley offers a Bachelors degree program for HSM.

With modified elderly care, people can often stay in the home by relying on home health care organizations, which in turn are managed by people who have HSM degrees. Skilled nursing facilities are managed by people with a BA in HSM. “Our graduates also obtain work at Surgical Care Centers, retirement communities, lab testing facilities and doctors offices often seek Health Service Managers,” said McDonough.

“Our courses will give students a sense of the issues of the health care system, including political ones, like the fact that 46 million people lack insurance.” Students can choose a specific area of study such as Care of Elderly. “Many of our students are working and going to school at the same time. We are the only undergraduate Health Services Management program offered in NJ.” Berkeley College has 4 locations in NJ. h

DENTAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANTS
In just 13 weeks, students can receive the education that prepares them for a career in two of the top 10 in-demand, recession-proof professions, Dental Assisting with Radiology and Medical Assisting. New Jersey Premier Institute for Medical & Dental Training has just opened in Hazlet, NJ, to help meet the demand for Medical and Dental Assistants.

The school offers a state-of-the-art facility, where students receive hands-on training, small class instruction, and career planning assistance. The school has a unique advantage of providing a 100-hour internship on-site at the adjoining dental practice of the school’s owner, Mark Wassef, DMD. Students will be exposed to specialties such as oral surgery and implant dentistry.

In the Medical Assisting program, students will learn and get hands-on training with EKGs, phlebotomy, and vitals, in an on-site medical treatment room. Medical Billing & Coding is another in-demand program coming soon to New Jersey Premier Institute for Medical & Dental Training. The Institute has been approved by NJ Departments of Education, Labor & Workforce Development, and Environmental Protection. Open enrollment is year-round, and applications are now being accepted. For further information, www.njpremierinstitute.com.

BUSINESS SERVICES
Professional and business services, a supersector which includes some of the fastest growing industries in the U.S. economy, is slated to grow by 23% and add over four million new jobs. Administrative support, waste management and remediation services will grow by more than 20% and add nearly two million new jobs to the economy by 2016.

Management of companies and enterprises will grow by 15%, adding 270,000 new jobs. Employment services will create over 40% of all new jobs in this sector, and ranks second among industries with the most new employment opportunities in the US according to BLS. It’s expected to have a faster than average growth rate, due to the need for seasonal and temporary workers and for highly specialized human resources services.

SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL SERVICES
TThis sector will grow by 29%, adding over two million new jobs by 2016. Computer systems design and related services will add nearly one-fourth of all new jobs in this sector. Job growth will be driven by the increasing reliance of businesses on information technology and the continuing importance of maintaining system and network security. Management, scientific, and technical consulting services also will grow significantly, by 78% due to increased use of new technology and software adding to the complexity of business.

THE INFORMATION SUPERSECTOR
Software publishing, Internet publishing and broadcasting, and wireless telecommunication carriers will grow by an average of 40%. The information supersector also includes motion picture production and broadcasting, as well as newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishing. Increased demand for telecommunications services, cable service, high-speed Internet connections, and software will fuel job growth among these industries.

Leisure and Hospitality
Arts, entertainment, and recreation will grow by 31%, adding 595,000 new jobs by 2016, with nearly 80% of them in the amusement, gambling, and recreation sector. Job growth will stem from increasing incomes, leisure time, and awareness of the health benefits of physical fitness. Hospitality and food services is expected to grow more than 11% and add 1.3 million new jobs through 2016.

Video Game Art Designer is a job requiring creativity and technical know-how. The video game industry, over $10 billion annually, exceeds the movie industry as primary entertainment for youth. Graphic design and game art specialists earned in a range of $30,000 - $60,000 annual salary in 2008. A degree from an Art & Humanities department is often required.

TRANSPORTING & WAREHOUSING
This sector is expected to increase by 496,000 jobs. During economic downturns, the truck transportation and warehousing industry is one of the first to slow down as orders for goods and shipments decline. Warehousing is expected to grow faster than the rest of the industry, at 24%, adding 150,000 jobs.

Demand for truck transportation will expand as many manufacturers contract out their product transportation and storage functions. Also, as more consumers make purchases over the Internet, there will be increased demand for the transportation and value-added services offered by the truck transportation and warehousing industry.

Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency
The renewable energy and energy efficiency (RE&EE) industries represented more than 9 million jobs and $1.04 trillion in US. revenue in 2007, according to the American Solar Energy Society. The renewable energy industry grew three times as fast as the economy, with the solar thermal, photovoltaic, biodiesel, and ethanol sectors leading the way, each with 25%+ annual revenue growth.

As many as 37 million jobs can be generated by the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries in the U.S. by 2030 – more than 17% of all anticipated U.S. employment. The hottest sectors include solar thermal, solar photovoltaics, biofuels, and fuel cells. Some companies are shifting their focus to Energy Efficiency, and plan to hire aggressively to help New Jersey meet its Energy Master Plan goal of 1.7 million households having an energy audit, along with upgrades, by 2020. Now that the stimulus bill passed which mandates 75% of federal buildings to be retrofitted with energy efficiency improvements, you’ll see a shift within the construction industry.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
The effort to implement alternative fuel sources and abate pollution have spawned big growth in environmental engineering and sciences. According to BLS, employment growth in this field will be "much faster than average" through 2016, with an estimated 25% more jobs projected, a much higher growth rate than for other occupations. Average salaries for ecologists is $76,511, geoscientists $72,660, and for environmental chemists $56,100.

With U.S. population growth causing a move into environmentally sensitive locations, planners and developers will seek scientists and engineers who can advise them on more efficient and sustainable uses of our resources.

FINANCE
Failures by large financial institutions such as AIG, Bear Stearn, and Washington Mutual, has made financial planning more desirable as people seek workable plans for retirement savings, elderly care savings, college savings, life insurance and debt management. Median annual earnings, including bonuses, for financial analysts were $66,590 in May 2006.

The highest 10% earned more than $130,130. This career requires good math skills and the ability to work with budgets and accounting systems. Certified Financial Planners are required to pass a certification and exam to obtain this special designation. Real estate, rental and leasing should grow by 18% and add 392,000 jobs as the population grows. Property management and real estate appraisal will be the fastest growing in this sector, growing by 29%.

Finance and insurance are expected to grow over 15% adding jobs within insurance agencies and brokerages. Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments are expected to grow 46% by 2016, due to increased number of baby boomers in peak savings years. Credit intermediation and related services, including banks, will add almost one-third of all new jobs within finance and insurance.

GOVERNMENT
A government job may be one of the safest careers to have during a recession. Even in tough economic times, when businesses are forced to downsize, the government stays open. Government jobs, not including employment in public education and hospitals, are expected to increase by 5%, fueled by an increased demand for pubic safety. Bureau statistics show government layoffs are at one fourth the rate of the private sector.

In the next five years the federal government will lose about one-third of the full-time permanent workforce, mostly through retirement. It's expected to have more than 500,000 job openings, from almost every field, with better benefit packages offered than the private sector which may compensate for lower entry-level paychecks. In some cases, government workers have higher earnings than their counterparts in the private sector, according to the BLS.

Other Industries to Watch

Retail trade is expected to increase about 5%. Despite slower than average growth, retail will grow from 15.3 million employees to 16 million over the 2006-2016 period. Consolidation among grocery and department stores will temper growth. Wholesale trade is expected to increase from 5.9 million to 6.3 million jobs.

Construction jobs are expected to increase by 10%. Demand for commercial construction, road, bridge and tunnels will account for the bulk of job growth in this supersector.

Religious organizations will add thousands of jobs, and are expected to grow by 20%.

Service-based organizations that provide lawn and landscaping maintenance and repair, HVAC service and repair, plumbing maintenance and other home maintenance services will be employing people, especially in the spring and summer months. These companies often seek sales representatives, service technicians and customer service representatives.

Automotive repair and maintenance will be the fastest growing industry at 41%.

Employment in water, sewage, and other systems is expected to increase 19% by 2016. Jobs are not easily eliminated by technological gains here because water treatment and waste disposal are very labor-intensive activities.

Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing will grow by 24% and add 69,000 new jobs by 2016. Job automation, and international competition will adversely affect employment in most manufacturing areas.

Support activities for agriculture and forestry, which include farm labor contractors and farm management services is expected to grow by 10% and add 12,000 new jobs.

Veterinarians and Pet-Nurse jobs are expected to increase much faster than average. Excellent career opportunities are expected. Employment of veterinarians is expected to increase 35% over the 2006-16 decade, much faster than the average for all occupations. Many pet owners are relatively affluent and consider their pets members of the family.

Self-employment is great because nobody can fire you. But it does require discipline and some sacrifice. A home-based business is worth considering during a recession. Your special skills could be transformed into an income. Returns depend on your skills and efforts. Try working as a freelancer or offer consulting services in your chosen field.

Recession-Proof Your Career
How can you protect your job or get one you really want? Keep informed about the skills companies are looking for in your area, and who’s hiring. Invest in yourself, and get the skills you’re missing.

Take classes, go to the library, or find an internship. Consider doing volunteer work to get the experience you want. Have an open mind. Promote your skills online with one of the popular social networking sites, like FaceBook, LinkedIn or Craigs List. Attend networking events like Chamber of Commerce groups.

Work to promote yourself within your company. Position yourself as a team-player. Look for ways you can save money for the company or increase profits. Volunteer for assignments, be cheerful, maintain visibility, and inform the boss of your accomplishments. If you lose your job, get new job skills, and keep up with the latest in computers and software applications. Staying involved in continuing education is critical. Maintaining a positive attitude is a top priority for today's job seekers, because that’s what most employers and clients want to see.

Go to www.bls.gov/oco for earnings information, job descriptions, educational requirements and outlook projections for hundreds of jobs.

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