Jobs You Will Never Lose

Well, gas prices are down, but prices on everything else seem to be going up! I noticed when I went to the grocery store that everything, and I mean almost every single item I bought, had gone up about 50 cents. The only exceptions to this were the really small things, like yogurt, that I only pay about 50 cents for anyway.  Add to this the number of people being “downsized” or “released” over the last couple of weeks, and that can lead to some pretty scary stuff for some of us.

But, there are certain fields that are actually growing, or that are just flat out not ever going to go away. So, if you are a single mom, and you are worried about steady income in the future, there are some fields you can get into and always keep working. I think that everybody, especially single parents, should have a wide variety of job skills, so they can always work…but, if you specialize, take some classes, and get a degree or certification in something, that spells bigger bucks in your future. An, let’s face it….although I push being entrepreneurial, not everybody is cut out for it all the time. And sometimes, the unsteady money from a small business doesn’t work as well for some people as knowing they are going to get a smaller paycheck, but that they will get it every single Friday, no matter what.

So, here are some high demand fields that may offer you a little more security in the future:

• Health Care- Ok, so you don’t want to go be a doctor or a nurse. Lovely. But, you can still get a job that will be pretty stable and secure if you look at getting a job in the health care field. Doctor’s offices and hospitals of full of secretaries, receptionists, administrators, visitor’s guides, and IT people, just to mention a few. Even if your chosen field may seem to be a little outside the health care relm, you may want to check the local job listings to see what’s available in health care that you can do now. I know one lady who worked as a receptionist for the same doctor for 17 years. She did a good job, so he adored her and paid her well. That is some security right there.  No job hunting for her until he finally retired.
• Teachers/Education – Schools ALWAYS need teachers. And school systems also always need administrators.  So, even if you don’t have the degree required to teach, check your local school system to see if they are hiring for secretaries or other administrators. Often, even when there is a hiring freeze, there will be some job opportunities there. And if you can get your foot in the door, many school systems like to promote from within, if possible. So, you could realistically start off as a receptionist, do a good job, get some nice on the job training, and end up being a department head or project manager. I know somebody who did this within about two years. She couldn’t be happier, and is still amazed at what progress she made in such a short time. And, same goes here as for health care – it takes a lot of people to run a school system, so this could be a good opportunity for IT people, as well. Or, if you are interested in regular work but on a schedule more or less of your choosing, check into being a substitute teacher. You don’t necessarily have to have a degree, and if you are good with kids, you will be in high demand and put to work regularly.
• IT- OK, everybody has a computer now. If you know computers, you can do anything from freelance to corporate IT support. You may want or need certifications for some places, but if you show some knowledge and talent, many companies will pay for you to get certified.
• Legal – Unfortunately, as more people are downsized, released, and broke, more of them will be going to court. And, lawyers always seem to be busy anyway! Maybe you aren’t a lawyer, but if you work hard, you could be invaluable in an attorneys office or as a court clerk. Attorneys have receptionists, billers, secretaries, couriers, and IT people too. And, once again, if you put a little effort into it and become invaluable, this could prove to be an incredibly secure long term job. You may also want to check your local court system. Some positions don’t require a lot of training, and there are also people like legal arbitrators, or mediators, that sometimes assist people in coming to a reasonable agreement outside a courtroom – you may want to check into something like this, especially if you are a good listener.  Or, if you speak a foreign language or sign language, you may be able to sign up as a translator with both the court system and local attorneys. All of these are in demand in my area right now, and the mediators and translators definitely get both a nice check and some job security!