Not all news regarding unemployment numbers and shrinking industry sectors is bad.  There have been a few sectors where unemployment has dropped since 2008 and others that have held steady in the midst of the economic turmoil and uncertainty.  Upon examining these industry sectors, one will find that an overarching theme begins to assert itself.  The theme is related to the idea that even during a massive recession there are a few key industries that are in such great demand that they are immune to the negative effects of the economic crisis.  Perhaps during this examination of these industries it will be easier to see why this is the case, and to begin to prepare yourself for the next recession by recession-proofing your skill sets and enhancing those characteristics and works experiences that employers are eager to find in employee candidates.

Not all news regarding unemployment numbers and shrinking industry sectors is bad.  There have been a few sectors where unemployment has dropped since 2008 and others that have held steady in the midst of the economic turmoil and uncertainty.  Upon examining these industry sectors, one will find that an overarching theme begins to assert itself.  The theme is related to the idea that even during a massive recession there are a few key industries that are in such great demand that they are immune to the negative effects of the economic crisis.  Perhaps during this examination of these industries it will be easier to see why this is the case, and to begin to prepare yourself for the next recession by recession-proofing your skill sets and enhancing those characteristics and works experiences that employers are eager to find in employee candidates.

We are all familiar with the industries that have taken a major hit during the recession but few are aware that some sectors have actually added jobs.  The official government data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that jobs that require highly-skilled laborers have been hurt the least during the economic crisis.  This is very much expected since many of these occupations in the mathematical and science realms require years of education and research to obtain.  As the occupation gets even more highly-skilled, fewer and fewer people are willing to do what it takes to obtain the position, leaving the employment sector in high demand for workers with the proper qualifications or experience. 

The healthcare sector has just started to see a loss of jobs, but up until July 2009, it had been growing right through the recession.  Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals will always be in demand, more so as the baby boomer population ages and more and more people require hospitalization and doctor’s visits.  This sector has historically been one of the best when it comes to low unemployment rates, and there is little question why.

Another sector that has seen relatively little loss of jobs is the management professional’s jobs.  Many of these are business-related, but again, they represent a very small and very highly-skilled population of people.  It is far easier to find another job as a high level CEO if one has experience in this position already.  The education and experience necessary for these positions disqualifies the vast majority of the general population, and therefore is in very high demand even during hard times.

Tough economic times stress everyone out.  People are looking for ways to make money and cut corners whenever possible.  This is not only true for people but for companies as well.  The legal services sector has seen very little rise in unemployment through 2009.  This is to be expected as America, one of the world’s most litigious societies, continues to wrap red tape around much of its reality.

Numbers don’t lie, and it’s relatively easy to see even in through a very fundamental examination of the BLS numbers that education and experience are worth their weight in gold so to speak.  Those who obtain high levels of education and work experience are best suited to ride-out economic recessions and continue to find work.  The fact that the healthcare and legal sectors of the economy are still going strong is a testament to the cultural and moral ideals of this country, not just a great example of how education can really recession-proof a person’s career.