Download Recession-Proof Your Future (With a Degree) Recession

Recession-Proof Your Future
(With a Degree)
See how the right education and training can help secure a steady, stable career.
By Chris Kyle
Worried about the state of the economy? Are you looking to recession-proof your future?
The president has some simple advice: get a college degree.
"It's an economic issue when the unemployment rate for folks who've never gone to college is almost double what
it is for those who have gone to college," President Obama said in a speech recently.
"It's an economic issue when eight in 10 new jobs will require workforce training or a higher education by the end
of this decade," the president added.
[Click here to find a college degree program]
A college education is expected to remain the key to financial security, according to a 2010 report from the
Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, which found that most future jobs will require an
associate's or bachelor's degree.
"I want us to produce eight million more college graduates by 2020," said Obama, who is urging Americans to
fast-track their career training and education plans.
Want to secure your future? Check out these six stable, well-paying jobs that are defying these tough economic
times. Then see what education you need for one of these recession-proof careers.
Recession-Proof Career #1 - Personal Financial Advisor
Personal financial advisors help clients manage their money and build investment strategies. Lately, business has
been booming. "The last 12 months have been good to financial advisors," Forbes magazine wrote in 2010.
Why it's stable: The U.S. Department of Labor cites the surge of retiring baby boomers as the main reason why
personal financial advisors are in demand. With many Americans now living longer, healthier lives, financial
advisors are needed to advise them on how to finance their retirements. Through 2018, career opportunities are
expected to grow a robust 30 percent, offering financial advisors a rosy, recession-proof future.
Average salary: $69,050
How to get started: A bachelor's degree in an area like accounting, finance or business administration provides
a strong foundation for success. Strong sales skills are also required.
Find Accounting and Business programs near you now.
Recession-Proof Career #2 - Paralegal
Paralegals and legal assistants are an attorney's best friend. They perform many of the same tasks as lawyers,
though by law they are not allowed to present cases in court.
Why it's stable: Recession? What recession? Paralegal pay is up 5.9 percent in 2010, according to a survey by
ALM Legal Intelligence, a New York consulting firm. As law firms look to pass along more responsibilities from
lawyers to paralegals in an effort to save money, paralegals will enjoy an increasingly rock-solid future. In fact,
paralegal employment opportunities are expected to climb 28 percent through 2018, according to the Department
of Labor.
Average salary: $46,120
How to get started: Earning a paralegal certificate or associate's degree can help you recession-proof your
future in as little as six to 18 months.
Search for local Paralegal training programs.
Recession-Proof Career #3 - Medical Assistant
Medical assistants help keep a doctor's office operating smoothly. They do everything from scheduling
appointments to taking a patient's vital signs.
Why it's stable: Laurence Shatkin, author of Best Jobs for the 21st Century, says health care is the most
recession-proof industry of all. In an effort to keep up with an aging baby boomer population, medical assistants
are needed to assist doctors and keep health care costs down. Shatkin forecasts a 40 percent increase in job
opportunities for medical assistants through 2018.
Average salary: $28,300
How to get started: Medical assistant training programs are quick and usually last 1 to 2 years.
Search for Medical Assistant training programs today.
Recession Proof Career #4 - Marketing Research Analyst
Marketing research analysts study what people think about different products and ideas, including everything from
Hollywood movies to bottled water to politics.
Why it's stable: Profiled in U.S. News & World Report's 50 Best Careers of 2010, marketing research analysts
are expected to see a nice increase in job opportunities between 2008 and 2018, according to the Department of
Labor.
Average salary: $61,070
How to get started: A bachelor's degree is required for most marketing positions. Studying areas like math and
computer science, in addition to business, will strengthen your marketing skills – and resume.
Find local and online bachelor's degree programs.
Recession Proof Career #5 - Medical Biller and Coder
Every year more patients stream into the health care system. Someone needs to keep track of them all. Medical
billing and coding professionals do exactly that by updating patient files, analyzing data, and working with
insurance companies.
Why it's stable: The health care system is big and getting bigger every day, causing job opportunities for medical
records technicians to swell 20 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the Department of Labor.
Average salary: $30,610
How to get started: An associate's degree in medical billing and coding can help launch your career and teach
you the latest software and medical terminology you'll be using on the job.
Search for Medical Billing and Coding career programs.
Recession Proof Career #6 - Video Game Designer
EA Sport's megahit Madden NFL has sold more than 85 million copies and generated over $3 billion in revenue.
With a new sequel every year, video game designers are busy updating and tweaking Madden and many more
games in this massive industry.
Why it's stable: The video game industry employs more than 32,000 workers, a number that has jumped nearly
nine percent annually since 2005, according to the Entertainment Software Association.
Average salary: $42,363-$69,885
How to get started: Video game and graphic design programs will give you the specialized, highly-technical
skills you need to get your video game career rolling and recession-proof your future.
Find Video Game Design and Graphic Design programs near you.
All average salary data is from The U.S. Department of Labor, and represents the annual average salary in May
2008, except for Video Game Designer salary, which comes from PayScale.com.