Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-09

1t is possible that the demand for
women wage earners Is greater now
than ever before, for several profess
siOns In which women predominate re-
port an inability to secure competent
workers In sufficient numbers. An In
vestigation of conditions in the de-
partment stores shows that their sup
ply of women clerks is subject to the
same general shortage. The manager
of one of the large sixth avenue shops
was emphatic today In describing the
difficulties in the way of getting sales
women.
"There has been a shortage for two
or three years." he said, "but | have
never known anything like 1t for the
past year. We used to advertise once
or twice a month and have certain
days and hours for interviewing app
pliCants, and usually had a reserve
list waiting for vacancies, but now
am willing to see an applicant, no
matter how pressing other matters
may be. If the applicant is promising
/ hire her on the spot, whether there
is a vacancy or not. ] do this because
| am afraid she will be snapped up
by the next store at which she applies.
In spite of the jokes about the con-
Versation and demeanor of saleswomen
behind the counter they are as q rule
a much better educated class of women
than were available years ago. The
extra employees needed for the Christ
mas trade are more easily supplied
than the permanent ones. A good
many women are glad to earn an extra
sum of money by six weeks employ
ment and n certain percentage stay
on the regular force. Shopping con-
ditions during the holidays make it
easier to use inexperienced sales
women. The shopper will buy one
article after another upon seeing it.
Acquaintance with the stock of
goods and the fine art of selling, which
consists largely in helping the GUS
toner to make up her mind, are not
needed to any extent at such times.
Employees in the good shops have COM
pensation for the fatigues and long
hours of the weeks of holiday selling.
There is extra pay, and what is ap-
preciated even more, a vacation al
lowance for every hour of overtime.
Some women elect to have an extra
hour each morning before reporting
for work. Others prefer to go home
an hour earlier for a time, while in
some cases it is applied to the sum-
mer vacation. The use of these vaca-
tion hours creates vacancies to a GER
tain extent, for the saleswomen visit
other shops and may take a notion
that they would like to change to this
or that one. but that condition equal
ICES itself, for if some of my employees
go to a competitor l am just as likely
to get a share of my neighbors' help
We come to know the floater,' as tho
restless saleswoman is known, and,
although the girl may be an efficient
saleswoman she does not get as good
wages as the one who settles down
and tries to make herself valuable to
the store.
Valuable characteristics
while a careful watch is kept upon
the daily sales of each employee it |
does not follow that the girl who |
makes the most sales in q department |
will receive the highest pay. There |
are women who are worth more money
owing to their general value to the
house. girl may have a pleasing
appearance, good manners and an
evenly balanced disposition. These
are often appreciated !
a girl may be an alert saleswoman,
and yet be so quick-tempered as to
stir up strife behind the counter. 1t |
stands to reason that the good-natured
girl, even if she is slower, better serves
the good of the store.
I'VE take a great deal of pains In
training the large number of young
girls of about seventeen whom we en-
ploy. Different methods are used in |
stores, but after much experience l
put new girls, as a rule, at the aisle
bargain tables because the seeker after
bargains is much more likely to be
patient with delays and other faults
of ineXperience. The bargain instinct
serves a useful purpose in that re-.
spect, and the clerk gets a valuable
experience in responsibility and poise
When she goes behind the counter she
is more amenable to the instruction
by the head of the department, and
thus saves the time of the experienced |
clerk.
The personal tastes of girl are |
carefully considered quite without her |
knowledge. She is shifted about from |
one department to another under care
full supervision, and it may be that !