These 20 jobs are most likely to survive a possible recession in 2023
Mass layoffs, primarily in tech, have stoked fears of a recession. These roles would have the most job security in a downturn, according to Payscale.
Mass layoffs have hit tech, and they've stoked fears of a broader recession.
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However, some jobs look better-positioned to make it through a possible downtown, and a new report from Payscale reveals just which ones.
The salary comparison site identified the top 20 recession-proof jobs based on wage growth in 2022 compared to previous years. They've seen pay hikes of anywhere from 14% to 30% this year, according to employees' self-reported wages.
These roles, a mix of blue- and white-collar jobs, are considered recession-proof because labor shortages and increased competition are leading employers to drive up wages, Payscale says.
"Despite the possibility of an economic downturn, the labor market remains tight, forcing employers to pay top dollar to attract and retain talent for the most sought-after roles," said Lexi Clarke, VP of People at Payscale, in an accompanying press release.
Here are the jobs that would have the most job security in a recession, according to the report, along with their national median pay and salary growth:
Waiter/Waitress
Median Pay: $19,900
Salary Growth: 30%
Private Banker
Median Pay: $93,000
Salary Growth: 25%
Media Director
Median Pay: $108,000
Salary Growth: 23%
Police, Fire, or Ambulance DispatcherMedian Pay: $44,500
Salary Growth: 19%
Sales ConsultantMedian Pay: $56,800
Salary Growth: 18%
MicrobiologistMedian Pay: $59,900
Salary Growth: 16%
Marketing & Business Development Director
Median Pay: $119,000
Salary Growth: 16%
Dock WorkerMedian Pay: $41,100
Salary Growth: 15%
Electrocardiogram (EKG) TechnicianMedian Pay: $40,400
Salary Growth: 15%
Installation TechnicianMedian Pay: $46,800
Salary Growth: 15%
Assembly Line Machine OperatorMedian Pay: $37,200
Salary Growth: 15%
Bookkeeping, Accounting, or Auditing ClerkMedian Pay: $47,300
Salary Growth: 15%
Tanker Truck DriverMedian Pay: $58,100
Salary Growth: 15%
JournalistMedian Pay: $46,500
Salary Growth: 15%
Graphic Design ManagerMedian Pay: $69,700
Salary Growth: 14%
Pastry ChefMedian Pay: $43,400
Salary Growth: 14%
Diversity ManagerMedian Pay: $97,100
Salary Growth: 14%
Education CoordinatorMedian Pay: $51,800
Salary Growth: 14%
Director of Environmental ServicesMedian Pay: $73,800
Salary Growth: 14%
Estimator, Automobile DamageMedian Pay: $60,300
Salary Growth: 14%
Workers across industries are nervous. And for good reason.
Some predictions put the likelihood of the US entering a recession in the next 12 months at 100%, and mass layoffs are likely on the horizon.
Specifically, the list of technology companies conducting layoffs continues to grow — with startups and big businesses joining the likes of Snap Inc., Wayfair, Robinhood, Peloton, Shopify, Tesla, Netflix, and Coinbase in dismissing employees. And some companies, including Facebook, are conducting "quiet layoffs," putting swaths of employees on performance improvement plans — PIPs — with no intention of giving them an opportunity to improve, Insider previously reported.
Still, the number of job openings in the US increased in September to 10.7 million, and technology industry recruiters have told Insider there is minimal to zero slowdown in hiring.
Insider compiled a list of 15 tech-industry jobs paying over $200,000 that are available right now. Some of the positions listed below note that the salary range is for Colorado-based residents, which, as Insider previously reported, is the state with the most far-reaching laws around salary transparency. This law requires businesses to include the salary range in job postings. New York City has enacted similar pay transparency laws, and Connecticut, Nevada, and Rhode Island are in the process of implementing such regulations.
Job Title: Enterprise Sales Account Manager - Federal
Company: Adobe
Salary: $231,000 - $300,500 per year
Location: New York, NY
Software company Adobe is looking for an individual with five years of enterprise software sales experience and a bachelor's degree or MBA to create and maintain the sales strategy as it relates to Adobe Systems Federal.
Apply here
Job Title: Senior Backend Engineer
Company: TradeBlock
Salary: $175,000 - $225,000 per year
Location: Remote
TradeBlock, a digital assets trading platform, is looking for a backend engineer with five or more years of experience to help build and maintain the platform.
Apply here
Job Title: ASIC Technical Leader
Company: Cisco
Salary: $215,000 - $250,000 per year
Location: San Jose, California (Hybrid)
Digital communications and technology company Cisco is looking for an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) leader with hands-on experience who can understand and implement the top-level design and improve the product.
Apply here
Job Title: Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate
Company: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Salary: $203,701 - $261,400 per year
Location: Washington, DC (Hybrid)
This position is an executive-level role that would lead NASA's vision and strategy as it relates to the organization's mission of continuous discovery.
Apply here
Job Title: Corporate Strategy Expert, eCommerce & Transaction
Company: TikTok
Salary: Approx. $105,963 - $247,247 per year (150,000 - 350,000 Singapore dollars)
Location: California
TikTok is looking for someone with finance and consulting experience to identify areas of new growth for the business and to evaluate the company's current global e-commerce and transaction finances.
Apply here
Job Title: Strategic Account Executive - Gaming Vertical
Company: Honeycomb.io
Salary: $275,000 - $350,000 per year
Location: Remote
Honeycomb.io, which helps companies observe and analyze software-code behavior, is looking for someone with seven or more years of direct sales experience who can sell its product, and identify and develop relationships with existing and new accounts.
Apply here
Job Title: Corporate Controller
Company: Red Canary
Salary: $195,000 - $220,000 per year
Location: Remote
The corporate controller will be in charge of the computer and networking security company Red Canary's accounting department and will be responsible for producing auditable financial statements.
Apply here
Job Title: Senior Staff Software Engineer, Infrastructure, Google Cloud Compute
Company: Google
Salary: $218,000 - $326,000 per year (determined by role, level, and location)
Location: Sunnyvale, California (Remote eligible)
Google is looking for someone to manage project priorities, deadlines, and deliverables on its Google Cloud team. The person will also be responsible for working on software solutions.
Apply here
Job Title: Director, Data Science & Engineering Manager
Company: Microsoft
Salary: $158,800 - $238,200 per year (Colorado-based residents)
Location: United States
Microsoft is looking for a leader on its Operations + Business Insights team to enable and deliver products and services to market across its portfolio, from cloud to desktop.
Apply here
Job Title: Distinguished Engineer
Company: Paylocity
Salary: $160,000 - $270,000 per year (Colorado-based residents) — base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience
Location: Remote
Paylocity is a cloud-based software company creating HR solutions for small and mid-sized companies. It's looking for someone to be the "technical thought leader" for its Product Engineering team, and solve highly technical and complex problems from idea inception to product launch.
Apply here
Job Title: Director, Product Legal
Company: Pinterest
Salary: $186,700 - $280,100 per year (Colorado-based residents)
Location: Remote
Pinterest is looking for someone to give strategic advice and support its core product and engineering teams, as well as manage legal issues and risk during product and partnership development.
Apply here
Job Title: Research Fellow
Company: AZEK Building Products
Salary: $200,000 - $225,000 per year
Location: Wilmington, Ohio; Scranton, Pennsylvania; or Chicago, Illinois
AZEK Building Products is looking for a research fellow who will report directly to the senior vice president. The fellow will recommend and develop new products and processes and should have a minimum of 20 years of technical experience, or a Ph.D. and 15 years of relevant experience.
Apply here
Job Title: Product Design Director, Commerce
Company: Cash App
Salary: $245,100 - $299,500 per year
Location: San Francisco, California
Cash App is looking for an experienced product design director to lead its "newly streamlined" Commerce team, including working on payments, shopping, and businesses on the app, merchant programs, and Afterpay. The product design director will also recruit and lead other product designers at the company.
Apply here
Job Title: Research Software Engineer
Company: Blockchain Capital
Salary: $175,000 - $250,000 per year
Location: San Francisco, California
Blockchain Capital is a venture capital company founded in 2013. It's looking for an entry-level person to do research and experiments with protocol design, help with the "technical nuances of potential investments," and maintain infrastructure for portfolio companies.
Apply here
Job Title: Software & Solutions Development, Vice President
Company: Lenovo
Salary: $250,000 - $300,000 (Colorado, New York City, Nevada, and Washington-based residents) per year
Location: Morrisville, North Carolina, or Texas
Lenovo is looking for someone to work with business owners and its other technology teams to define, develop, and deliver product roadmaps for different services, and identify and coach top talent.
Apply here
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