What Are the Best Jobs in a Bad Economy?

8 of the best jobs during a recession

A core component of building wealth is earning enough to invest in assets which will enable sufficient financial freedom. That might seem tough when the economy is in a slump.

While no job may be completely recession-proof, some are more likely than others to stay in demand. The careers that thrive during economic and technological shifts are those that combine specialised, hard-to-automate skills with a source of non-negotiable demand (essential services, compliance, or complex problem-solving).

1. Specialisation & Essential Services

In our current tech-driven world, IT workers are always in demand. Most businesses wouldn’t have the choice to significantly cut back on IT without damaging their business.

During a recession, many companies look to technology as a way to streamline processes or reduce costs, so IT professionals may even find some new opportunities.

It has been suggested the market needs less generic coding and more high-level expertise that protects business assets. The following private sector jobs require deep technical or relational expertise that is costly and difficult to replace, regardless of economic conditions.

• Cybersecurity architect.
• Ethical hacker.
• Cloud infrastructure engineer (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Data scientist.
• Machine learning engineer.
• Specialised software developer (e.g., Salesforce/ERP/SAP).

2. Trades & Infrastructure (The Un-Outsourceable)

These roles are necessary to maintain the physical infrastructure of life and cannot be done remotely or by a robot.

• Licensed plumber.
• Gasfitter.
• Commercial electrician or electrical engineer.
• Construction project manager.
• Quantity surveyor.
• Heavy diesel mechanic or automotive electrician. When money is tight, most people will opt to keep their cars for longer, which means increased spending on maintenance and repair. Maintaining an older car is generally a lot cheaper than buying a new one, so it makes sense.

3. Public Service: The High-Paying Government Core

New Zealand’s public service (government) offers significantly better average pay than the private sector. The average public service salary in mid-2025 was approximately $103,300, compared to the private sector equivalent of around $85,700, representing a substantial premium for technical and advisory roles within government departments.

The roles below are non-frontline and focus on policy, strategy, and regulation. These are usually stable and well-compensated.

• Senior policy analyst or adviser.
• Regulatory compliance specialist or manager.
• Government procurement manager.
• Organisational development consultant.
• Human Resources (HR) strategist.
• Principal economist or senior data scientist.

Learn more:

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• High-income skills

4. Medical Professional

Working as a doctor or nurse can be a great option, but there are many other opportunities as well, including:

• Medical and physician assistant.
• Physical therapist.
• Lab technician.
• Radiology technician.
• Paramedic.
• Medical secretary.
• Dentist.
• Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

Of course, some of these jobs require extensive education and training, where others require less. These professionals are in demand and will likely continue to be in demand.

5. Law Enforcement

Through any economic situation, communities want to invest in physical safety for local businesses and residents, which means that police officers and the professionals who support them remain in demand during an economic recession. Budget concerns may result in slight job losses during a recession, but in general, law enforcement is one of the more recession-proof careers.

Crime can increase during economic downturns and so more law enforcement may be needed.

6. Soft & Relational Experts

This might be called the empathy economy.

Many of these services are paid for by insurance or the government (i.e., taxpayer-funded), which encourages people to use them, even when money is tight. Even so, during the last recession it was widely reported that some areas you might not expect experienced strong growth, for example, in the US the demand for spas and massage therapists increased.

These roles rely on core human skills that are, by their nature, non-automatable.

• Licensed mental health therapist.
• Clinical psychologist.
• Elder care.
• Disability specialist.
• High-end executive assistant.

Learn more:

• ‍How safe is your job?
• The benefits of part-time work, and the best part-time jobs
• Protect yourself from lay-offs
• Nail your job interview with these pre-prepared answers to common job interview questions
• The best office jobs in a recession

7. Education and Training Services

Economic booms come and go but investing in the future is always important. Most jobs in education (primary, secondary, higher, special, and adult education) are relevant regardless of the economic climate. This may be helped when many adults make more time to up-skill and may go “back to school” until the overall economy improves.

Those who want to pursue this path should note:

• The way education is delivered is shifting. New models of distance, online, and on-demand education are becoming more relevant as people need to continually up-skill, especially as the result of technological change.
• International online service providers are delivering high-quality education at scale. This includes in transforming fields and high-tech industries. Some of the most popular learning communities are Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, and Skillshare. These offer thousands of courses and topics to choose from at highly economical rates.
• Concerns are rising about the approach of traditional universities and academia, including: education falling behind fast moving industries, skill gaps between what universities teach and what employers expect, and even a lack of academic freedom and viewpoint diversity which undermines critical analysis.
• The full impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the employment market is yet to be seen, though early indications are it may reduce demand for some office-based roles and increase demand for many practical skills which software cannot perform.
• These trends have led to falling enrolments at New Zealand universities.

8. Salesperson

The ability to sell is arguably the most valuable and transferable skill one can master. Forget the door-to-door stereotype; sales is critical for every sector, including pharmaceuticals, software, manufacturing, and non-profits.

Many consider it the single most important business function.

No matter how good your product or service is, it must be sold.

During economic downturns, the best salespeople are invaluable and enjoy high job security. This lucrative field rewards confident, strategic, and motivated individuals, offering strong earning potential from entry-level onward.

The Bedrock: Your Confidence and Attitude

The true bedrock of any successful career is not a qualification, a title, or even the current state of the market, it is the attitude you bring to the table every single day. The person who views challenges as puzzles to solve, who maintains a genuine "can-do" spirit, and who embraces the mindset of a perpetual student is the person who will always be in demand. Hard work is non-negotiable, but it must be paired with the humility to admit when you need to learn more, and the adaptability to change course when necessary. Those who focus on cultivating inner confidence, not arrogance, but a quiet belief in their ability to improve, will find that they are not just surviving economic shifts, they are making the most of them.

In the long run, the individual who consistently shows up, works diligently, treats colleagues with respect, and actively seeks out new knowledge will generally emerge as better off, regardless of their starting point. Your character and your willingness to grow are the most powerful career insurance policies you can ever hold.

The Bottom Line: The Best Jobs For a Bad Economy

Across these jobs, commonalities are the ability to handle complexity, uncertainty, human relationships, and sometimes non-routine physical tasks.

Whatever channel you take to learn one or more of the skills above, do your research on the advice you follow and training you receive.

Learning and certifications are great, but just getting started and doing the work (even if it’s your own project) is surely the best way to help you build and prove competence.

Sure, a downturn might be challenging, but it can also present unique opportunities for growth and success. By staying confident, being proactive, and continuously learning, you can not only survive, but thrive.