Amy Bonanno

Tom Andrews has lived on his family farm near Pompey his entire life. At around 12-years-old he began helping his grandfather with “typical” farm chores like sawing wood and driving their Case SC tractor. The very same one he uses today.
The eldest of four boys, he was the first grandchild to get his hands dirty in the field. Now, Tom and his brother Jerry, yes Tom and Jerry, work side-by-side. But unlike the popular cartoon from the 1940s and ‘50s, their relationship is anything but cat-and-mouse. Tom says though their names get a few laughs, admittedly by their own mother, it was all part of his father’s plan.

Patrice Innocenti

Syracuse, N.Y.— CONNECT conducted a non-scientific poll in which eighty-nine people at various locations were asked, “How worried are you about losing your job?”

With the national unemployment rate topping 8.1 percent and 3.6 million jobs lost since the start of the recession, sixty-nine percent of the Central New Yorkers interviewed said they were not worried about losing their jobs.

In today’s struggling economy, jobs are hard to come by, but there are still a few professions that are said to be recession-proof. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting industry growth in health care and education. According to Labor Statistics, “By 2016, three out of every ten jobs will be health care and education related.”

Forbes.com recently published their “Top 10 Recession-Proof Jobs.” Sales representative was first on the list. Forbes.com said, “In tough economic times, a good sales force is a critical way to pull a company out of a downturn.”

Don Dutkowsky, professor of economics at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, agreed that there are certain jobs that can hold up in a bad economy. As an example he mentioned, “Human services; jobs which serve human needs like garbage pickup.”

According to CareerBuilders.com, “During the Great Depression the movie industry boomed because people craved escapism.” The Web site said the same might be true of the current economic downturn, and pointed to industries like film, video games and sports as fields where jobs might be more sustainable.

If you’re wondering how to get one of these recession-proof jobs, Mark Jeffries author of What’s Up with Your Handshake? shared some tips on NBC’s “Today Show.” Jeffries said it’s important to follow up when you send an e-mail to an employer. He calls it the “e-mail sandwich.” Jeffries recommends first calling employers to introduce yourself. Let them know you will be sending an e-mail. Then, after sending the e-mail with all of your information and resume, call back to make sure they received it and attempt to maintain contact.

The majority of people CONNECT interviewed in Central New York are not feeling the economic pinch as deeply as most Americans. Some of these people might still be in school or occupy a recession-proof job, but the results of this informal poll still lead to two positive conclusions: For people who want to plan their lives around the latest economic opportunities, seeking additional advice on these types of jobs sooner, rather than later, is a safer bet. For those who want to follow their own ambition in a career choice, know that there are still a lot of optimistic people out there, who are confident things will work out just fine.