CLEVELAND -- The sudden downturn in the economy has companies laying off workers by the dozen and freezing open positions. So if you're out of work, you're facing the toughest job market in decades.

NewsChannel5 consumer reporter John Matarese said there is hope. Some companies are still hiring.

2 Job Hunters Struggle

The daily headlines say it all: Layoffs, layoffs, layoffs.

Angela Aridge, laid off from a catering firm, is now looking everywhere for work.

"I keep my fingers crossed every day. And I try to get up as early as I possible can. My mom always told me the early bird gets the worm," she said.

Brian Smith, just out of the US Marines, said he never expected job hunting to be so tough.

"All my buddies are combing the Internet and the newspaper, and a lot of them still don't have jobs," Smith said.

Possible Solution: "Temp to Hire"

Smith signed up with the placement firm "Manpower," which remains busy, despite the slowdown.

Manpower's suggestion to him and other job hunters: Be willing to take a temporary job which could lead to a full-time position.

Manpower calls it "temp to hire," and said it's a great option right now, as many companies are holding off hiring full timers until they see a bottoming of the economic crisis.

"A lot of places are hesitant to hire full time, because they don't want to have to let them go, depending on the economy the next couple of months. So they use a temp agency," Brian Smyser of Manpower said.

Where are the Full-Time Positions? What if you need full-time work with benefits?

Matarese checked the latest numbers from Manpower, Forbes magazine and the networking service JobFox.com to find what each consider the top "recession proof" jobs -- jobs that are still expanding in a contracting economy.

Among them:

• Accounting: The more companies reorganize, the more accountants they need.
• Nursing: One field where there is still a shortage, and openings at most hospitals.
• Physical Therapy: Openings at most hospitals.
• Computer IT: With companies keeping computers longer, they need people to fix them and update software.
• Commission Sales Reps: In a recession, companies are desperate for good salespeople.
• Security: You cant have enough security guards these days.
• Building Maintenance: As companies hold off on new offices.
• The US Census Bureau: Now hiring thousands of workers to prepare for Census 2010.

Brian Smith is now one of the lucky ones: Manpower has just found him a full-time warehousing job.

And Angela Aridge just learned a company wants her too.

Matarese said don't give up hope, and don't waste your money.