10 RECESSION PROOF JOBS

Every day, thousands of people are losing their jobs in a struggling economy. By all accounts, we're in a recession. I'm a victim of it. Just under a year ago, I was downsized by Citadel Communications, the owners of WABC radio and hundreds of other radio stations around the country. I was part of the first round of budget cuts. Executives were the next to get the heave ho. Broadcasting isn't the only industry feeling the pinch.



DHL, the European overnight delivery company is slashing thousands of American jobs and shutting most of its U.S. hubs. CitiBank just announced the layoffs of more than 50,000 workers across the country, primarily in their investment and wealth building departments. Across the country, companies large and small are laying off workers and many are shuttering. When people don't have money to spend, businesses don't make money. But, this got me thinking. Are there any jobs that are recession proof. The short answer is yes, but they're not totally immune. Here's the list.



1) Credit counselors: Many of these firms charge customers to help them consolidate or eliminate their debt with creditors. This business will flourish as people try to dig themselves out of debt.



2) Collection agents: What a fun job. Hound people who are broke. I just got a letter in the mail from an agency trying to collect on a 20-year old debt. I thought this had already been put to rest, since I counter sued the bank and the bank dropped its case against me. They couldn't prove I owed any money. They lost the records.



3) Elected officials: While governments cut jobs to reduce deficits, legislators, mayors, councilmen, treasurers, sheriff's, and judges can keep their jobs until term limits remove them from office. Their jobs are safe.



4) NetFlix employees: Going to a movie or a Broadway show are now considered luxuries many people can't afford, so I predict the online and mail-order movie business will flourish.



5) Scooter salesmen: Can't afford the cost of keeping a car, buy a scooter. You see more and more of these little machines tooling around New York City every day.



6) Fast Food worker: Fine dining establishments will suffer, as Americans penny pinch. More people will cook for themselves and those that don't know how will snatch up dollar meals at the fast food chains.



7) Headhunters and Recruiters: Now that so many people, including executives are out of work, headhunters will make a fortune finding jobs for the skilled and unemployed.



8) Bartenders: When people are down and out and depressed, they turn to alcohol. This is a good thing for the tavern industry. I see no slowing down of liquor sales at bars.



9) Garbage Collectors: Sounds crazy, right? But, you know something, all of your trash has to go somewhere and unless you're prepared to haul it away yourself, you'll still need the sanitation people to pick up where you left off.



10) Oilman: Whether you're pumping gas, drilling oil or maintaining natural gas pipelines, you're job is safe. People will always need energy to keep their homes and cars running.

So, if those are some of the recession proof jobs, what jobs are not? Here are a few:



Professional escorts/hookers, Fine dining jobs, construction jobs, luxury car sales, electronic stores, Broadway theater, personal services like dog walkers and housekeepers, print media, car services and taxi drivers and struggling artists will be struggling more than ever.