Not everyone affected by looming recession
5:27 p.m. Monday, March 10, 2008
There’s growing concern the economy is in a recession, or soon will be. Many people are worried about losing their homes, their jobs and their money. But, some Kansans have no reason to be worried at all.
Healthcare is one industry most resistant to economic unrest.
“People’s illnesses do not stop during a recession and there is still a need for those services,” said Cherish Allshouse, St. Francis Health Center employment manager.
Teachers and other school workers are also comfortable in their jobs.
“We’re always going to have to educate our kids, so someone’s going to have to clean up the mess they make,” said Larry Wilson, school janitor. “I think I’m pretty safe.”
Some Good News...
There's good news for Kansans in this time of job loss. There are actually more people working than one year ago. There were more than 118,000 people employed in the Topeka area in December, 2007. In December, 2006, there were more than 117,000 people working. The unemployment rate has remained at 4.7 percent.
Other recession-proof businesses include those related to death; people still die in a recession. Emergency repair services also stay in demand; drains still get stopped up. And, the cosmetic industry has always done well during recessions.
“It’s so important how a woman looks,” said Shirley Burbank, Topeka Merle Norman Cosmetics franchise owner. “If she has her makeup on, then she’s going to do a better job … she’s going to be a better wife, going to do better in her job.”
The looming recession is somewhat of a double-edged sword for accountants. While tax preparers stay busy this time of year, other accountants see the negative.
“A lot of our business is about helping other businesses with their accounting and book keeping services,” said David Knudtson, Knudtson & Company CPAs. “When there’s a recession or when times are slow, people aren’t thinking about opening new businesses as much.”
Rounding out the list, the energy industry is also expected to stay safe from a recession.
Experts say job-seekers might have better luck if they find jobs in these recession-proof sectors.
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