Arizona republican., 1907-10-14
CHOOSE WELL YOUR EMPLOYERS

In these modern times that young man who makes choice of some mer- cantile or industrial line of work for himself must consider his first open ing as dependent upon some organized line of business. He must look upon his first opportunity for work as a school in which he is to master the technicalities of business. If that young man shall be a graduate of some school he will have made the best selection possible to him in choos- ing his college or university. He will have attended this school with the purpose of being prepared best for his primary, intermediate. and high school training in business Will he be as careful in his selection of his business lschool as he was in choosing his aca- demic institution?
 | Too much stress cannot be laid upon the necessity for this choice of a first business opportunity. The young man may say to himself. mistakenly in the deepest sense. that he is in such a crowded. crowding world as to force upon him the acceptance of the first opportunity offered him in business | training
 II This may be true in thousands of cases If it were not there would be no such distinctions as success and failure in the world. The fact is over looked that the vast majority of the failures in the world are inevitably in the beginning of the young mans career. Granting that in personality. mental caliber. and school distinctions he is more than the average of the stu dent type which in the next quarter of a century is to dominate the world, he can make that mistake in the begin ming of his work which shall court only an inevitable failure.
 |l l know nothing in the conduct of business in all it's branches which pre- sents more possibilities for pitfalls than that intangible thing known as busi- ness good will" says John A. How land in The Workers Magazine. This good will of a business. intangible as it is, at the same time Is one of the most tangible of assets of that particu- lar business. It is intangible enough to escape taxation IL is so intangible that while it may sell at great advance over the material effects of a house. there is no assurance that the pur- chaser can hold it. In the hands of the organization which created it this good will is all important and supreme, however, and how it may deceive that lyoung man who considers such a business as his school is one of the simplest of demonstrable things.
 That the one concern which possesses this good will in marked degree shall stand pre- -eminently above it's con- petitors will be granted. That one concern has the choice of applicants who would train for that particular field of work Therefore the ranks of the applicants are crowded
 | Elsewhere in the competitive field only the overflow from the concern of first choice makes up the largest pro- portion of matriculants in the business. Jones. with the good will of his busi- ness. has first choice of applicants and may apply the supreme test to all ap- plications. Brown and Smith and Black and White find a difficulty in getting the right type of men. In con- sequence they pass men with less scru- tiny. On occasion where a better type proves himself. they offer that man more money as an inducement for him to stay where he is. In general. too. i wages are higher in these places where the competitive influnces of good will are felt
 ! Just here the young man may find his pitfall. There are several ways tO it. and they are devious.
 | How did Jones acquire the good will which he enjoys? Where did 1t come from? What is its influence upon the chances of the young man who would acquire his business training? The ranks of his applicants for positions are crowded more than elsewhere. Banking upon the prestige which his house carries, he pays less money to his apprentices. Is 1t worth while for | the young man to fight for a place here while over there openings and money both are easier?
 | Here is the question to be decided. That good will possessed by Jones may have been based upon the methods and records or his father. who handed over | the business to the son when he re- tired The basis of the business may have been an old conservatism of gnarled. rugged growth. Long ago that conservatism may have reached the limit of its growth. It is a memory. rather than live. active organization and purpose. Schooling there may be as impossible as the learning of Latin and Greek for social conversation. Stagnation at the best may mark it. Dry rot already may be making it's foundation inroads unseen and un- noticed.
 Brown. on the other hand. may have no prejudices aroused against him. even while he has failed to earn the good will that could be his. His meth ods are square and above suspicion. There are possibilities for him yet If he only would see. Shall that young man who feels himself capable hesi- tate as between Jones and Brown2 Shall Jones levy salary tribute upon him because of a prestige that has only a memory for it's foundation2
 What sort of men has that house de- veloped in the last 10 years? Where are its graduates? What are they dO- ing in the world?
 These are the vital questions for the young man who would begin his worlds work .et him discover if n