Recession-Proof Your Career: A Guide for New Grads

Hey there,

A swarm of fresh grads are pouring into the real world, one of which happens to be my startup pal Mick, the co-writer of this piece. We put our heads together and cooked up this little number for you. As we get down to brass tacks, we want to tackle a significant concern: finding jobs that are both recession-proof and AI-resistant. Given the recurrent mentions of recession splashed across the news, it's natural to feel job security jitters. Yet, it's entirely possible to keep your financial goals in check even when the economy belly-flops. The secret lies in picking the right career.

In our rapidly evolving world, it's not just about hedging against economic downturns. You're also up against the rise of AI, necessitating the pursuit of roles resilient to both financial storms and silicon smarts. Here, we've highlighted a few jobs that can stand the test of both.

However, it's crucial to remember that no job is entirely immune to the drastic shifts of economic tides. Yet, some roles can be likened to the proverbial cockroaches of the job market, demonstrating remarkable resilience, even thriving amidst the most devastating fiscal nuclear fallout. So buckle up, as we dive into these recession-proof and AI-resistant careers.

1. Healthcare professional: Your health doesn't care about the economy or AI trends. People always need medical care, regardless of economic conditions or advancements in AI. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers provide a human touch that AI can't replicate.

2. . Legal professionals Even during shaky economic times, you might need a criminal defense lawyer. : Plus, they require nuanced judgments that AI can't yet match.

3. Educators: While online learning and AI can provide support, they cannot wholly replace human educators. From understanding a student's unique needs to providing personalized guidance, teachers are invaluable.

4. End-of-life Specialists: A sobering reality, but people will always need funeral services. It requires a level of empathy and interpersonal interaction beyond the reach of AI.

5 Emergency Service providers: Firefighters, police officers, and paramedics are crucial in any economic situation. AI might lend a hand, but nothing replaces human judgment in those life-or-death moments.

6. Tradespeople and Utility workers: Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, pipeline controllers, and wastewater engineers maintain infrastructure in all economic climates and perform hands-on work in unique environments that challenge AI. - the hands-on, problem-solving nature of their work makes them relatively AI-resistant. Sure, they may slow down during a recession, but they're always in demand.

7. IT professionals: Despite building and maintaining AI systems, IT professionals are in high demand and are safe from being replaced by the very systems they create and manage.

8. Grocery Store workers: People need to eat, regardless of the economy, and customer service requires a level of interpersonal interaction that AI can't emulate.

Let's talk about the economy. Despite whispers of a looming recession, the US economy strutted its stuff this May, flexing an impressive addition of 339,000 jobs. Now, you might be wondering which sectors are cranking up the job creation machine?

Leading the pack, Professional and Business Services ramped up their game with a solid 64,000 job increase. Hot on their heels, Healthcare bolstered its ranks with 52,000 new roles, while Leisure and Hospitality, a sector that took a sucker punch from the pandemic, made a commendable comeback, adding 48,000 positions, largely in eateries and bars. Construction wasn't far behind, drilling in an extra 25,000 jobs, and Government chipped in 56,000 roles, predominantly at state and local agencies. However, not all sectors basked in the growth glow. Manufacturing, grappling with six consecutive months of contraction, trimmed down by 2,000 jobs.

Yet, looking at the broader picture, there's reason for optimism. Employers raised the bar in April, posting a record-breaking 10.1 million job openings. Even though the specter of worker shortages continues to haunt employers, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Most parts of the U.S. are seeing these shortages ease as pandemic-benched Americans filter back into the workforce.

And let's not forget the annual June rebound. As high school and college students swarm the job market for summer gigs, hiring typically gets a welcome boost, according to research firms.

The jobs of tomorrow are not the jobs of today. In a nutshell, the way we work and the kind of work we do is changing. The AI disruption is here, and it's reshaping the employment landscape. The only way to recession-proof your career in the AI era is to be at the forefront of the revolution.

There are people who think that Uncle Sam needs to implement UBI.

What’s UBI? Imagine this: everyone in the U.S, no matter their job, their bank balance, or their social status, gets handed a chunk of change. We're talking about every single citizen here. This isn't some lottery or game show gimmick, it's called Universal Basic Income, or UBI if you're into the whole brevity thing.

This model says, "Hey, let's give everyone a set sum of money, no strings attached." Sounds pretty radical, right? Time will tell, my friends, time will tell.

For now stay tuned for future articles where we'll dissect how job descriptions have been revolutionized by AI. I'm getting a whiff of opportunity, especially in the field of insurance, where regulatory compliance and ethical considerations are paramount. With AI taking center stage in modern operations, the complexities and potential for change in these areas are immense. And we're excited to explore that with you.

Perhaps we all have to find a side hustle using AI tools? Whatever you do just just ember this quote.

SO NOW, LET’S ROCKET NETWORK!

We are using emojis to guide subscribers in our event list 📅📍

HERE ARE MY PICKS FOR THIS WEEK

Monday, June 5

Ion Open Accelerator: Revenue Engineering for Growth Stage Startups Series

🚀Mingle Mondays: FinTech

Tuesday, June 6

Ion Prototyping Lab Office Hours

Nonprofit Startup Organization Meet-up

🤓💻Constraint Programming with Patrick Koehler

Funding Options & Business Credit

Wednesday, June 7

🚀Poptarts & Pitches

🤓💻Just Enough Math

⚡Downstream USA 2023

⚡The Future of Global Energy: Houston’s Role in Leading the Energy Transition Presented by Chevron – June 7-9

MCHC HQ Kickoff Mixer & The Cannon Ribbon Cutting

Thursday, June 8

⚡Downstream USA 2023

⚡The Future of Global Energy: Houston’s Role in Leading the Energy Transition Presented by Chevron – June 7-9

🌈Out in Tech Houston | Monthly Mixer

Friday, June 9

🚀🚀🚀 Cup of Joey

⚡The Future of Global Energy: Houston’s Role in Leading the Energy Transition Presented by Chevron – June 7-9

Friday, JUNE 9th VIP Day Celebrity Golf Tournament, Fame Awards, JUNETEENTH HALL OF FAME Awards Gala 

Ion Office Hours

Ion Prototyping Lab Office Hours

Aramco Ventures Office Hours at the Ion

Saturday, June 10

🚀🤓💻Houston Product Community - June 10th

Ion Family STEAM Day: What is Blood?

🚀 Rocket into the future at the 7th Annual Energy Drone & Robotics Summit! - It's your golden ticket to the biggest event in AI, Robotics & Drones! And guess what? We've scored you an EXCLUSIVE 20% OFF with code EDR20 specifically for Rocket Network readers! So, why wait? Be a part of this tech revolution and Register now!

🌶️🔥Million Dollar Pitch By HubSpot - Calling all Houston startups! 🚀 Grab your chance to skyrocket to INBOUND '23! HubSpot us scouting for six phenomenal leaders to showcase their trailblazing startups to a stellar panel of judges. Not only will your startup receive invaluable feedback, but you will also have a shot at bagging an investment of UP TO ONE MILLION DOLLARS! Apply NOW till June 9 and make H-Town proud!

Community Ask and Founder Spotlight

Meet John. He’s a power player in the renewable energy sector. With a knack for strategic finance, corporate development, and financial modeling, he's making waves. He's got startup experience as a co-founder as well as an impressive track record in the energy industry. He calls Houston home but brings a worldly view from having lived in Latin America and Europe. His commitment goes beyond business: he's currently part of a climate fellowship program, pushing for a greener future. To learn more about John, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Say hello to Clay Daugherty, the brain behind 'Who's On'. This guy's done something pretty slick – he's whipped up a mobile app that's changing the game. 'Who's On' is the name, and real-time work status is its game. This app broadcasts when you're on or off the clock. Think of the potential here. It's like a bat signal for your customers across various industries, drumming up business when you're ready for action. Want in on this? Then connect with Clay on LinkedIn. And here's a thought: if you've got friends who are bartenders, barbers, or other professionals who could ride this wave, why not introduce them to Clay? You'll be doing them a solid.

Stumbled upon something cool at the Ion block party last week called- Pivotal. This beast of a project control platform is redefining the game. Think of it as a conductor that perfectly aligns the owner-operators and EPCs for seamless planning and collaboration. It's a real-time, data-driven hub that tracks every project in your portfolio, even potential ones. The magic? It's a one-stop-shop for all project participants, refining the work and cost structure continuously as the project evolves. No more surprises. Less risk. Protected margins. In short, Pivotal is about making projects run smoother, cost less, and finish on time. Now that's a revolution in project management.

Introducing Kaytlynn Skibo, a computer science expert with a flair for digital consulting and back-end web development. With a strong foundation in data analysis, programming, and statistical modeling, she brings a unique blend of technical prowess and real-world experience. Skilled in data manipulation, database management, and software engineering, she is a strong communicator and collaborator. Excited about data science opportunities, she's open to new roles. Connect with her on LinkedIn if you know of any hiring prospects. Cheers!