Best Pandemic Proof Industries And Careers For Felons

The coronavirus pandemic has turned the working field upside-down. Many people have either lost their jobs or have had their hours cut. Online platforms have made it easier to find some kind work during these uncertain times, but for many, in-person is the only way, or best way, to do their jobs.

Whether you know what field you want to work in or what specific job position you are looking for, there are certain companies and careers that have shown to be pandemic proof.

Here is a list of careers and jobs for felons that are in demand during the pandemic

Pandemic Proof Industries and Careers

Healthcare Jobs

The healthcare industry does not rely on the economy, any virus or disease to function.

Certain jobs are more in-demand than others, but the top recession proof jobs include anything in the field of healthcare. Some career examples are doctors, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, community healthcare workers, and more.

Many hospitals, nursing care facilities, and physician practices are hiring more staff to meet the demands of the second wave of the coronavirus.

This is also a good time to go get a professional degree in one of these medical fields.

Childcare and Education Jobs

There will always be a demand for those who educate and cultivate children’s’ skills and brain development.

Jobs in education will always be essential; in fact, jobs that involve the education field are one of the top-recession proof jobs. These jobs include, but are not limited to teachers, administrators, academic advisors, guidance counselors, librarians, and coaches.

Stability can be tricky when it comes to teaching. Teachers need to be flexible and prepared for anything. Many schools are open for in-person, hybrid, or fully remote learning, and teachers need to be ready if schools shut down again.

If childcare is your field, consider offering cheap, flexible options. A lot of working families will need help with childcare. Until schools are fully open, these are great options for work and potentially, multiple gigs.

The pay for educators varies depending on the state and level of education. But teachers are rising to the challenge of teaching on Zoom, Google, or in other ways that are new to them, too.

Remote Meeting and Communication Jobs

Now that we mentioned Zoom, it is not surprising that remote meeting and communication companies are hiring. These platforms are valuable in allowing society to proceed without putting individuals at risk of exposure to COVID and any other illness.

Whether it’s for business, school, family, or friends, Zoom Slack, and Microsoft Teams are tools being used every day, making them a great place to look for a job, and not only because they are hiring.

Check out our extensive guide on Remote Jobs.

Law Enforcement Jobs

It is common knowledge that everyone is encouraged to stay home. That has not, and will not, stop crimes from being committed. During a pandemic, recession, or any other time of uncertainty, a career in law enforcement is one of the most stable careers to have.

Whether you are a police officer, sheriff’s deputy, firefighter, investigator, or corrections officer, you have a more certain future than other professions when the economy gets bad.

Although they are in-demand indefinitely, law enforcement jobs are unable to be done from home. They do, however, provide job security and stability; law enforcement officers are not laid off or furloughed as often as other careers, even during a pandemic.

Consider your motivation behind pursuing a career in law enforcement. Police departments need candidates who are skilled in conflict resolution, de-escalation techniques, and are culturally sensitive.

Social Service Jobs

Social Services are incredibly important to the welfare of everyone society. Social workers, childcare workers, mental health counselors, substance abuse counselors, and other professionals provide vital functions for both individuals and families.

Whether you work with children, adults, or all, helping the social needs and welfare of the individuals of your community will most likely always be a viable option, regardless of the external circumstances of the world.

Finance Jobs

During times of both economic prosperity and recession, financial services are incredibly important. Whether you are a banker, accountant, actuary, auditor, or insurance worker, you will be always needed.

A career in the field of finance would be a wise choice, especially when recessions occur. In fact, in the United States, working in the financial sector has proven to be one of the most stable careers.

This career is also less complicated to handle if you have school aged children at home. Not that juggling work and childcare will be without struggle, but it is not impossible.

Funeral Industry

During the coronavirus pandemic, there has been an unprecedented number of deaths in a short timeframe.

It is morbid, but funeral directors throughout the country are frazzled?? Trying to keep up with the demand for their services. Now more than ever, but also in general, the funeral service industry has some of the most stable careers in America.

Funeral directors may be able to conduct some, or even most, of their duties virtually. However, there are some tasks that will need to be done in person, of course. It’s important to keep in mind that while it does allow you to work from home at times, this field does put you at risk of contracting the virus.

Public Services and Trade Jobs

Despite the coronavirus pandemic and the current recession, there is still a high demand for utility workers, municipal employees, court employees, transit workers, recreation workers and trade workers.

The demand for utility services is higher than usual with most families living their lives, working, and going to school, from home. Utilities are being used for both work and play, significantly increasing the cost of bills, like electricity.

YouTube, Facebook Live, and Zoom have provided many recreational workers with job security, enabling them to provide educational material and entertainment to kids at home.

Public service jobs are also safe career paths during recessions. Often recession proof, utility workers have job security but often are unable to complete their job duties from home and bringing children to work sites is not possible.

Public Relations & Marketing Jobs

Companies want to survive and prosper. Marketing effectively is more important now than ever.

There are many recession-proof jobs within these industries. If you are interested in marketing and public relations, you must be willing to work hard and “re-invent their way of thinking to adapt to these strange modern times” — rephrase.

It’s also important to keep in mind that while jobs are out there, many companies are hiring independent contractors for their marketing. This means, if you are hired as an independent contractor, there is no job security, and you have to pay taxes separately. Most notably during a health crisis, you do not receive benefits.

Animal Care / Vet Jobs

Did you know that veterinarians have some of the most stable careers in the United States today? Don’t act surprised, your fur baby is more than a pet!

It makes complete sense. Health matters and that includes the family member with paws. In fact, many people have lost their jobs or went on furlough because their pet got sick.

Becoming a veterinarian will put you in a position to have a recession proof job, like working in the healthcare field, it will always be in demand. Again, makes sense, it technically is healthcare, just for your pets.

It’s important to note that veterinarians are more exposed to risk of the coronavirus as plenty of people come in and out of their offices. They also work long hours. And like other professions who can’t do their duties from home, finding healthcare can be a huge challenge if schools are closed.

Legal Jobs

The last year has been difficult to say the least. A lot of couples have spent more time together over quarantine than they have their entire relationships. It has been a learning experience for so many. It has been a growing experience for everyone; however, this unexpected curveball has resulted in some married couples growing away from each other.

That is right, divorce. It has been predicted that there will be a boom in divorce as the pandemic continues.

Attorneys remain in demand, and honestly, because of the rise in marriage relapse, there may even be an increase in demand.

If you are looking for a career path, working in the legal profession can mean finding a recession proof job.

Shipping and Delivery Companies

Amazon is hiring 100k workers mostly for fulfillment and delivery and some UPS hubs are hiring.

If you work in shipping and delivering, want to, or are considering it as an option, there are often job postings for shipping and delivery positions. Of course, this job cannot be done remotely, but shipping and delivery continues as the world continues to turn and try to beat this pandemic.

Grocery Store and Delivery Services

Major chains like Kroger, Meijer, and Safeway are hiring in-store shelf stockers and delivery staff. The same is the case for regional chains like Raley’s.

There is also the option of working for grocery and delivery services and apps like Instacart, Shipt, and UberEATS.

Like with shipping and delivery, everyone needs to eat. If you are looking for a job that offers stability, working in the grocery store and delivery services is a safer bet.

Software Development Jobs

Demand for software developers is increasing rapidly in multiple industries. The salary is also pretty high.

Software development engineers should develop the test, modify and debug software applications, monitor program performance and design software solutions based on the users’ needs.

A career in software development or other high-tech fields involves a heavy workload and usually work in a group with content producers. It’s a competitive industry and we recommend having experience in database integration and client applications when applying.

Big Data Development Jobs

Demand for skilled, big data development engineers is growing, no matter the level of technical depth or development. Big data development engineer is the “hottest” position at the moment and the demand will only increase going forward.

The skills required for a job in this field are SQL, programming, exploratory analysis skills, parallel processing. You should also be willing to constantly upgrade your skills and obtain as much practical experience as possible.

Insurance Salesman Jobs

The insurance industry has seen new policies as the pandemic continues. In fear of the coronavirus outbreak and concern for leaving behind a financial burden, many customers have opted to buy insurance policies like, medical insurance, accident insurance, serious illness insurance, etc.

The rise in selling of insurance makes becoming an insurance salesman a promising job during these times.

High Paying Freelance Jobs

Freelance work has become more popular with the rise of the internet, but with the pandemic and change in the job market, Americans are turning to freelance work at high rates.

According to Upwork, there are nearly 59 million American freelancers which accounts for a whopping 39% of the United States workforce. That’s nearing half quite quickly!

Considering the coronavirus pandemic, the opportunities for freelance workers with professional skills are only increasing and I must say, the pay does not look bad.

Sample Top Paying Careers and Salaries During Covid 19

Sample Careers: Financial modeling expert; CPA; financial analyst, estate planning attorney.
Median Hourly Rate: $75

Network and System Administration
Sample Careers: Network and collaboration architect; Microsoft services architect & IT
Median Hourly Rate: $65

Marketing Strategy
Sample Careers: Digital marketing consultant, copywriter, B2b marketing specialist
Median Hourly Rate: $60

Ecommerce Development
Sample Careers: Ecommerce developer: online marketing and ecommerce solutions expert; ecommerce integration and automation consulting
Median Hourly Rate: $54

Email and Marketing Automation
Sample Careers: Marketing expert; front-end developer; senior marketing strategist and consultant
Median Hourly Rate: $50

Quantitative Analysis
Sample Careers: statistics analyst
Median Hourly Rate: $50

Web Development
Sample Careers: Full stack web developer and business systems expert; front-end web development; web designer, UI/UX designer, front-end developer
Median Hourly Rate: $50

Display Advertising
Sample Careers: Graphic designer; internet marketer; PPC advertiser
Median Hourly Rate: $50

Web and Mobile Design
Sample Careers: Web and mobile app development; iOS apps for start-ups and entrepreneurs; user experience and UI designer
Median Hourly Rate: $50

Search Engine Optimization
Sample Careers: Digital marketing and SEO consultant; SEO expert
Median Hourly Rate: $42

Recession Proof Careers That Did Not Have A Loss Of Income.

The following percentages are the average percentage of change in income from March to August 2020 in each career.

Nurse
The average percent of nurses who reported no income change: 72%

Corporate Employee
The average percent of corporate employees who reported no income change: 75%

Veterinarian
The average percent of veterinarians who reported no income change: 75%

Teacher
The average percent of teachers who reported no income change: 76%
Only 2% of teachers reported a loss of income completely.

Many teachers are local government employees. Teachers who are employed at private schools are suffering the most.

Non-Profit Professional
The average percent of non-profit professionals who reported no income change: 77%

Non-profits usually rely on donations to operate and function. When the stock market fell in March 2020, wealthier donors pulled back substantially on what they gave.

Non-profits also receive funding through grants and government funding, which contributed to the non-profit profession making the top 10 list.

Physician Assistant
The average percent of physician’s assistants who reported no income change: 78%.

Lawyer
The average percent of lawyers who reported no income change: 82%

Physician
The average percent of physicians who reported no income change: 83%

Pharmacist
The average percent of pharmacists who reported no income change: 88%

Pharmacy has been one of the most stable careers during the pandemic.

Government Employee
The average percent of government employees who reported no income change: 89%.
During the COVID pandemic, government employees have had the highest level of financial security of any other profession.

What Jobs Are Essential During The Pandemic?

Balancing act for what to reopen the economy while also maintaining public health and safety. Many workers have been teleworking while others have lost their jobs entirely.

Some jobs, however, have been deemed by their state as “essential” requiring them to continue to work during the different phases of restrictions that have been implemented by the states to combat this pandemic.

The designation of whether someone is an essential worker is more important than ever in the history of the pandemic. Reason being states are now beginning to decide how to prioritize the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine among their residents. I think we would all agree that essential workers should be at the top of this list.

What Makes an Essential Worker?

According to the United States Department of Homeland Security, essential workers are those workers who conduct a range of operations and services that are typically essential to continue critical infrastructure operations.

However, some states have no guidance, some states have created their own guidance, while others have opted to use the federal guidelines.

Here is what we know:

Federal Guidelines and the states who follow them.

Of the 43 states with essential worker orders, directives, or guidelines, 21 now defer to the federal definitions developed by the United States.

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) — intended to support state and local governments in their identification of essential workers. CISA promotes the ability of critical workers to continue working during periods of community restriction, access management, social distancing, or closure orders. This is crucial for communities to recover from crises and continue the functioning of what is necessary for that community.

States who follow the federal guidelines are Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas, Oregon, Wisconsin, Idaho, Utah, Oklahoma, Minnesota.

State Guidelines and the states who have implemented their own.

The remaining 23 states, including Washington, DC, have developed their own lists of who needs to be continuing work under the stay-at -home orders. The states themselves have issued and implemented these guidelines.

States often use the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guidelines as a starting point and states have either added or subtracted essential worker categories and sectors based on the needs of their state.

States who have created their own guidelines are Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, District of Columbia (Washington, DC), Florida, Alabama, Virginia, West Virginia, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, California, Wyoming, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Illinois.

States that have no guidance: North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina.

Between both the federal and state guidelines, essential worker orders, several major sectors overlap including, but not limited to:

Energy
Childcare
Water and wastewater
Agriculture and food production
Critical retail (i.e., grocery stores, hardware stores, mechanics)
Critical trades (construction workers, electricians, plumbers, etc.)
Transportation
Nonprofits and social service organization