Evening star., 1940-01-14
AY ASSISTANT was Nhitt-iaCrd a> she
NH turned from the telephone. He $
ava he's dead" she said He killed

ONCE WIN MS STORY. fOl twenty lcdtS TIC ll''d
been with a small Chain-store organization,
had worked his way up to an executive posi-
ton Then the chain had changed hands.
And he was out Out at fortythree.
Iknew he was detected. 1t had been written
all over his face Il don't suppose there's any
chance of decent Job for me. he had said.
Il don't suppose anybody would take man
of my age
had tried to cheer him up. Jobs are my
lob. Il think we'll find something" | had
told him.
Now, Just two days later the opening had
appeared "a good job for which his expert
ence would have fitted him perfectly. But it
was too late He had killed himself, convinced
that the job would never come. because he
was forty-three.
Fortv-three? What is that? Just the age
when man or woman has reached full matur-
ity. Said Benjamin Franklin. AT twenty the
will reigns; at thirty the wit: at forty the
Judgment" And I'd like to explode right now
the myth that man or woman over forty
can't get job in modern America. That's
not only untrue - it libel on an intelligent
country.
As an employment counselor have had
a hand in placing thousands OF men and
women in Jobs. big and little. have to know
what sort of people employers need and want.
| know. of course there are some firms that
prefer to hire young people and train them.
wait for them to acquire the experience.
Judgment and maturity that come with years.
But to make up for that there are tar more
young people than older ones looking tor
Jobs. Bv forty, most men and women are
permanently placed. Those who seek jobs
are the exceptions But the fact that they find
jobs is not exceptional. Their years. far from
being liabilities, are assets that no twenty
year-old can possibly duplicate. Assets, that
is, if they have the confidence and courage
to buck the myth that they are too old.
Let me tell you about friend of mine. At
forty he was successful dentist - had just
arrived at that point where his practice was
bearing fruit Then came his awful day. He
was standing over his chair, intent on deli
cate dental operation - and suddenly every
thing went fuzzy before his eyes. Two days
later, when the eye specialist had finished his
examinations. my friend knew that his career
was stopped. Never again would he have
good enough vision to practice dentistry.
1t was black outlook. He had wife and
children to support. And the one way he knew
of making living had been taken away from
him. Or had it? He began to appraise himself.
Weren't there other ways in which he could
use his knowledge and experience?
While he was pondering, pharmaceutical
salesman came in. The dentist started to tell
him that he would need no more supplies.
Then thought struck him.
DO you have any dentists in your sales
organization?" he asked.
The salesman shook his head.
But the more you know about dentistry
and dentists - the better you can do your
job. Isn't that so?" the dentist pressed him.
You ought to know" agreed the sales
man. You're the fellowwho does the buying
Il was," said the dentist Nov maybe
I'll try selling
And he did The pharmaceutical company
to which he applied was quick to see his
point - that he could bring to the sales force
a deeper knowledge of their sales problems
than any layman could possibly acquire.
He was hired and went to work. 1t was not
an easy change for him. But he had an ad-
vantage over other statesmen that only
experience could give.
IT was five wears ago that he became