Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-12
ONLY PRETTY
GIRLS APPL Y
HoMELY sTENoGRAPHERs NOT
IN DEMAND
Los Angeles Employment Agent Says,
"Look Into Mirror Before choos-
ing Office career"--some
Romantic Cases

First, consult your mirror; second,
sean the classified columns of the daAy
papers,
This is the advice of an employment
bureau manager to Los Angeles girls who
contemplate taking up stenography as a
vocation.
"a pretty stenographer," declares the
man who has found positions for hun
dreds of young women, lis always in de-
mand, but the homely girl who must eke
out an existence by pounding the keys of
a typewriter is drug on the market.
"That is why / advise the beginner to
consult her mirror and scan the classified
columns before deciding on a business
career. The mirror tells it's own story,
and by reading the advertisements in the
female help wanted column the pros
peetlve stenographer win discover that
nine out of ten employers requires some
one of neat appearance and in this in
stance neat appearance means a pretty
face, an attractive figure and good clothes.
Talent and experience seem to be of sec
ondary consideration.
He Soon Detern ines
"Since 1 have been in the business
nave found positions for so many stenog-
raphers that ] can almost tell at a
glance to which class an applicant be-
"As a rule, it might be added the
woman who falls short in appearance
makes up for it to a certain extent in
ability, realizing no doubt that IL her
face has been her worst enemy her brain
must balance the account.
But even ability experience and strict
attention to business are rarely sufficient
to cope with pretty faces.
Occasionally an employer comes to
me in search of a stenographer and
simply asks for a woman who Is speedy
and accurate In her work, but as a gem
eral thing he will remark just before
leaving the office Cor hanging up the re-
ceiver, as the case may be- that the ap-
plicant must be a woman of good ap-
pearance.'
=" She will have to meet people when l
am out of the office. you know some will
say, as though apologizing for being so
particular, while others seem to take It
for granted that all stenographers and
typists should be good looking
Some Experiences
Speaking of pretty women" continued
the employment bureau man, reminds
me of an endless number of amusing ex-
periences. For instance less than a year
ago l placed a verv pretty little blonde
with a well known attorney and before
the first month had rolled around he had
box of confectionery. This, of course, be-
cause she had been exceedingly attentive
to business.
Before the end OF the second month
the attorney gave her two theater tickets.
and whom the girl intimated that she was
alone in the world and had no escort her
employer applied for the position.
"Yes, you win. The wedding took place
at the end of tho third month. At pres
ent another stenographer is filling the
blondes position at the office, but she
isn't winner in appearance, for the at
| torney's wife Is wise to the game and
assisted him in making the selection
"Her work has been satisfactory. but
| there are no flowers and no theater
| tickets as a reward for strict attention to
business.
Wants an Extra Fee
mo, / didn't receive an invitation to
the wedding. but you can gamble that the
next time / bring two hearts together
that were made to beat as one I am GO
ing to put in my bill for a matrimonial
agency fee, in addition to the regular
fee."
At this juncture the employment agency
door opened to admit a stenographer who
evidently had failed to consult her mirror
before deciding on stenography as
means of livelihood.
She was "short, fat and 40' and her
dress came about as near to fitting her
figure as would a bedtiek thrown care
lessly over a sawhorse.
After the nothing doing sign of the
man behind the desk had been acknowl-
edged the woman walked out
Now, there's one of the best stenog