3 Most Layoff-Proof Jobs in 2024
Written by
Dawn Allcot
Edited by
T. Woods
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2023 saw more layoffs than previous years, with 240,000 jobs cut in the tech industry alone — a 50% jump from the prior year, according to data from TechCrunch.com. A number of factors led to these layoffs, which continue on into 2024.
Companies are trying to reduce costs in the post-pandemic era. The rise of Generative AI has made it easier for companies to replace certain tasks with AI. Resumebuilder.com recently reported that of the 70% of employers laying off people to save money, 40% are using AI to replace those roles. Companies are also outsourcing remote jobs to countries with a lower cost of living to reduce payroll expenses.
However, some fields offer more security than others. Forbes recently shared five industries deemed “recession-proof” by some experts.
1. Healthcare
Healthcare jobs have been in demand for several years, and the economy hasn’t changed that. With 1.8 million openings projected each year through 2032, the field is growing much faster than the average, according to Department of Labor statistics.
2. Social Assistance
Workers who provide social assistance in the fields of rehabilitation, social work, government and housing assistance, and similar fields helping people get through socio-economic challenges remain in demand. Many of these jobs are part of government programs, adding a layer of security against private-industry budget cuts. Jobs in this sector are growing at a rate of 9%, much faster than the national average, according to BLS.gov.
3. Retail
Even in an economic downturn, people don’t stop shopping for necessities like groceries and household goods. That makes jobs in the retail sector more secure than many other industries, as long as you don’t mind work hours that might change weekly and dealing with the general public on a daily basis.
As much as we see self-checkout registers replacing sales clerks at many stores, brick-and-mortar retailers still need human workers to oversee the store, stock shelves, merchandise, and manage store operations.
According to the National Retail Federation, the retail sector employs one-quarter of the U.S. workforce, supplying 42 million jobs. Retail sales are expected to grow by 3.5% in 2024. The retail sector added an average of 7,000 jobs per month in the past year, according to ICIMS research reported by SourcingJournal.com.
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