Recession Proof Job?

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice


Times are tough, the economy is bad, unemployment is up, blah blah blah, we know the routine, we've heard it all before, I am not here to tell you anything new. People are looking for jobs, not finding jobs in their established career field, and are taking what they can. While there are no real guaranteed recession proof jobs, there are some fields that are less affected by recessions, because they are fields that are always in demand. The utilities field is one of those types of positions.

Pretty much everyone needs basic utilities such as electricity, water, gas and sewer service. Some of these positions have been shifted over the years as more and automations have come into being, but for the most part, the career has been fairly stable. In a couple former posts I had written about how many positions were in high demand these days, such as power workers, mainly due to the expectation of a large amount of baby boomer aged people retiring in the near future, and not as many people have stepped into those positions over the years. So, if you are seeking to make a career switch, you may wish to look into the utilities field as a career of steady work and one of being less affected by the economy.

Clair Swan serves as an industry consultant and is the founder of Self Reliance Works, and he notes, "My experience as a consultant in the electric utility industry – both power generation and power delivery – suggests that this general industry is relatively recession proof. I’ve been through several recessions, but never saw any of them with respect to employment or income. For the most part, utilities provide a service that folks can’t easily do without."

He has noted that the field has a wide range of needs, and while it has its downside like any other field, it has more pros than cons usually. Schwan states:
One of the upsides of working with a utility is that there is a wide range of skill sets needed in the industry. They need technicians, mechanics, electricians, planners, analysts, managers, marketers, trainers, system operators, equipment operators, facility operators, security personnel, librarians, clerks, custodians, writers, lawyers, chemists and many other general as well as specialized workers. In addition, if you’re achievement oriented, you can rise to the top and generally that’s a good thing from the perspective of keeping your job.
While Schwan has admittedly never actually worked for a utilities company, his career as an industry consultant has allowed him to evaluate the field quite a bit over the years, and he has never noticed any major changes in the demands of the utilities field due to the economy. The industry is so widely required, that the field seems limitless. Again, Schwan states, "My experience in the industry has been positive, so it’s a good place to investigate if you’re looking for a wide range of seemingly recession proof jobs."

Jeff McCormack resides in Virginia Beach, VA. where he works as a web designer by day. In his off time he is a husband, father, mail order book store manager, and musician. Aside from being a freelance writer for this Utilities Jobsite blog, he also seeks to assist in career choices and information by contributing to other Nexxt blog sites.
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