Most Recession-Proof Jobs

Who's hiring when everyone else is firing?

In Pictures: Top 10 Recession-Proof Jobs

When Forbes first looked at the most recession-proof jobs in July, there were 8.8 million Americans unemployed. As of October, that number had risen to 10.1 million and looks set to rise further.

Among the 500 largest U.S. public companies alone, Forbes has totted up almost 90,000 layoffs since Nov. 1 (see our Layoff Tracker).

But there are still opportunities, the most abundant being in sales, customer support and accounting, according to the latest data from Jobfox.com, a job board founded by the creator of CareerBuilder.com. These jobs rank highest on a list of most recession-proof.

In Pictures: Top 10 Most Recession-Proof Jobs

"Skilled professionals remain in demand," said Rob McGovern, chief executive of McLean, Va.-based Jobfox.com.

To determine its ranking of its 25 most recession-proof jobs, Jobfox collected a list of more than 4,000 job openings in a 120-day period ended Oct. 28. The report also includes information about current median salary ranges and desired median salary ranges as defined by a random sample of job candidates.

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Sales and business development representatives top the list. In tough economic times, it's important for companies to develop the business rather than cower into a corner. The job, which is largely based on commission, pays in a salary range of $55,000 to $65,000 a year.

If peddling goods or services isn't your strong suit, try the frustration end of the business. The holiday shopping season yields a torrent of calls to businesses from customers wanting either information or a refund. Account and customer-support jobs rank No. 2 on the list. The job pays in a range of $25,000 to $35,000.