Member Article

Recession, what recession?

Workers from driving instructors to beauty salon bosses have seen their wages soar during the economic downturn, new industry figures reveal.

At a time when many saw their own pay packets freeze, others have raked it in as their services have remained as in demand as ever, the study shows.

Among those who appear to have remained recession proof are pilots and ship’s captains and even tractor drivers along with other farming and horticultural workers, it added.

The study by freelance marketplace PeoplePerHour analysed the hourly rates of professionals from 2008 to 2013.

Among those to have outpaced the recessions are track maintenance workers to tax advisers to transport planners.

But the best performance of all came from the legal professions where the average hourly rate soared by a staggering 68 per cent over the five year period.

Transport accounts for many of the best performing professions, including platform assistants on the railways to those who own or manage garages.

Many have benefited from charging by the hour, said PeoplePerHour, as this is a transparent system for customers and employers alike.

Others who have done well include dentists and beauty salon bosses, showing the rise in pampering and grooming among both men and women.

Tax advisors have cashed in on the boom in self employed and companies who need the best possible advice on how to keep their tax bills down.

Xenios Thrasyvoulou, founder and CEO of PeoplePerHour said: “Traditional practical roles such as hairdressing and driving instructors have seen great increase in hourly rates over the last five years.

Where some industries have fallen prey to the recession, others have thrived, where their services are considered necessities rather than luxuries and will no doubt continue to enjoy an increase as the economy looks up and people have more cash to spend.

The shortage of NHS dentists is much publicised, so to perhaps comes as no surprise to see dentists ranking third. Their services are much in demand and many have chosen to diversify taking both private and NHS patients to boost the coffers.

However the figures from PeoplePerHour also show at least ten professions where the hourly rate has fallen the most from coal miners and steel erectors to office managers and marketers.

Some are as a result of declining industries while others are seeing times change. With more employees working from home, the need for office-based professions is falling.

Xenios Thrasyvoulou said “Office managers have fallen in demand over the last five years, with the going hourly rate down 13%.

The idea of the traditional office is a thing of the past for many small businesses who have turned to freelancers and remote working reducing the need for an office manager.

*Table shows job title and average hourly rate for the profession 2008 to 2013

Job title/description——- 2008——- 2013——- Increase

1. Legal professionals——- £22.77——- £38.26——- 68.03%

2. Transport planners/execs——- £25.70——- £39.18——- 52.45%

3. Dental practitioners——- £24.82——- £34.39——- 38.56%

4. Pilots/flight engineers——- £40.27——- £54.83——- 36.16%

5. Driving instructors——- £11.04——- £14.97——- 35.60%

6. Tax advisors——- £18.95——- £24.99——- 31.87%

7. TV, video, audio engineers——- £9.86——- £12.85——- 30.32%

8. Tailors/dressmakers——- £7.38——- £9.58——- 29.81%

9. Garage owners/managers——- £14.93——- £19.28——- 29.14%

10. Rail workers——- £12.11——- £15.48——- 27.83%

11. Protective services——- £13.48——- £17.13——- 27.08%

12. Ship/hovercraft officers——£16.06——£20.07——- 24.97%

13. Horticultural trades——- £7.66——- £9.55——24.67%

14. H’rdresser/beauty salon boss——- £11.00——- £13.64——- 24.00%

15. Quarry workers——- £11.55——- £14.23——- 23.20%

16. Rail construction/maintenance——- £13.60——- £16.69——- 22.72%

17. Agricultural machinery drivers——- £8.58——- £10.45——- 21.79%

18. Musicians——£15.17——- £18.29——- 20.57%

19. Train/platform assistants——- £12.71——- £15.10——-18.80%

…and ten professions where hourly rate has fallen between 2008-13

1. Coal miners——- £21.60——- £15.26——- down 29.35%

2. Electronic engineers——- £23.47——- £18.86——- down 19.64%

3. Marketing professionals——- £18.10——- £15.41——- down 14.86%

4. Construction workers——- £12.21——- £10.48——- down 14.17%

5. Office managers——- £17.59——- £15.28——- down 13.13%

6. Pest control officers———£11.27——- £9.84——- down 12.69%

7. Door-to-door salesmen/women——- £10.97——- £9.73——-down 11.30%

8. Energy plant workers——- £15.01——- £13.94——down 7.13%

9. Leisure/travel workers——- £13.66——- £12.71——- down 6.95%

10. Steel erectors——£11.05——- £10.32——- down 6.61%

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by VP .