Looking for a job with some security after the recession? One that won’t be outsourced later?

June was a weak month for hiring by U.S. businesses, which added just 80,000 jobs. The Labor Department reported an unchanged unemployment rate of 8.2 percent. According to an Associated Press report, the nation lost 8.8 million jobs between January 2008 and February 2010, but has regained fewer than 4 million since then. At the current pace, it will take another three years for employment to return to the January 2008 level.

So for those looking for alternative work, a recent article in the Wall Street Journal offers a suggestion — personal-service jobs, or those that assist or care for other people from hairdressers to home-care aides and child-care workers.

A survey by Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist David Autor found an increase in such occupations during the recession. Mr. Autor and a colleague, Daron Acemoglu, divided the American work force into high-, medium- and lower-skilled workers with the latter faring better during the recession.

The number of middle-skill jobs — such as factory workers — fell by 12 percent. High-skilled jobs such as engineers and those requiring higher education fell by 1 percent. However, the number of personal-care jobs rose by 2 percent.

Between 2007 and 2011, personal and home-care jobs rose by almost 38 percent; child-care workers by about 10 percent and home-health aides by nearly 11 percent.

“These aren’t going to be high-paying jobs, because the skills are quite generic,” Mr. Autor said. But the jobs can’t be automated or sent abroad and will always be in demand.

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