Where the Jobs Are

http://norris.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/where-the-jobs-are-2/?emc=eta1

We have continued to suggest that bad economic times are when it is appropriate to look at sectors of the economy and institutions within them (profit or non-profit) that continue to grow and hire. While the Floyd Norris list attached is not exhaustive, it covers sectors where jobs have continued to grow since December of 2007.

While we continue to recommend to undergrads that they stay in school and get a graduate degree because the job market is just not there (plus the extra degree helps to differentiate them as a "product"), some of the growth categories that Norris points out are:

Home Health Care Services: Up 10.8%

Oil and Gas Extraction: Up 7.4%

Pipeline Transportation: Up 6.7%

Hospitals: Up 3.8%

Computer Systems Design &
Related Services: Up 3.4%

These, and the other job categories listed by Norris provide a clue to what's "secure" in a bad time for jobs. Just as Sarbanes has provided an instant job market for audit students, so also have the markets represented in these sectors provided continued opportunity in down times.

Last, I've kept the Federal Government (which is on the Norris list) until last because I want to promote it as a safe place to work until the economy comes all the way back if you have the right skills. The Norris list shows "Federal Government Except Postal Service" up 9.3%. Resisting the temptation to comment on the "Postal Service" aspect of that list, the government is a safe place to hide while looking for more lucrative places to land.