They say that one door closes, another door opens. A slew of formerly unemployed individuals would have to agree! Thanks to the economic recession, many people are pursuing their dream jobs after being laid-off from their previous company. With a little extra time on their hands, some lucky (or not so lucky!) folks have had the opportunity to re-evaluate their career path and decide what it is that they really wanted to be doing.

For example, many people in the banking, finance, and business industries are looking to switch careers following the economic downturn. Take a look at these recession-proof careers that are also a lot of fun!

Top five career switches:

1) Chef – no matter what the economy is like, people will always need to eat. If you have a passion for food (and who doesn’t?), a career in the culinary arts might be for you.

2) Health care – this is a great career choice for people who enjoy interacting with others. By entering a health profession like nursing or medical assisting, it is almost guaranteed that you will not be stuck behind a desk all day.

3) Automotive industries – it doesn’t matter if you have an extremely high-quality car, it will break down eventually. Mechanics are the folks who love tinkering with automobiles, motorcycles, and other types of vehicles.

4) Veterinary field – if you love animals, becoming a vet or a veterinary technician will keep you very happy!

5) Teaching and education – thanks to compulsory education standards, which keeps kids in school until their teens, there will always be a need for teachers. Though this is very challenging profession, it’s definitely very rewarding to watch children learn.

So, the moral of the story is—follow your passion! Your after-work hobbies may very well translate into a successful or rewarding career. If you’ve been laid off, or are just looking to switch careers, there is no better time than the present to start thinking about your next career move.

Here are some ways to make a career change (or a layoff) work to your advantage:

• Don’t freak out! No job is ever set in stone. Recognize that change is a completely natural process.
• Ask yourself what aspects of your last job left you feeling unfulfilled.
• Review your skills and experiences, and see what else you would like to develop
• Develop long and short-term career goals, with realistic final destinations
• If you’re switching careers, make sure you do your research and conduct informational interviews