The economy feels shaky right now, with wild swings in the stock market and U.S. employers cutting more than 275,000 jobs so far in 2025. While no one can say with certainty what the future will bring, JPMorgan recently pegged the odds of recession at 60%, despite President Donald Trump's 90-day reprieve on certain tariffs.
“We’ve been through recessions before, so we know how these things work,” says Brittany Dolin, owner and CEO of recruitment firm Pocketbook Agency.
During economic downturns, companies typically tighten their belts, and that often means reducing the size of their workforce. Non-revenue-generating roles are often the first to go, according to Dolin.
“There’s going to be less jobs available and more people applying for them,” says Kyle Elliott, a tech career coach.
That means you probably don’t want to be laid off and looking for a job during a recession. While there are no guarantees, here are steps to take to recession-proof your career.
- Focus on what you can control.
- Increase your visibility.
- Make yourself indispensable.
- Learn new skills.
- Be a team player.
- Strengthen networking connections.
- Update your online presence.
- Job search but don’t look like a flight risk.
