Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/752

 724 WOMAN'S WORK S GA.FTh 1 JONEE The sphere of woman's work is ever widening, and now there are innumerable professions and businesses by which the enterprising woman can obtain a livelihood. This section of Every Woman's Encyclopedia, therefore, will serve as a guide-book, pointmg out the high-road to success in their careers. It will also show the stay-at-home girl how she may supplement her dress allowance and at the same time amuse herself. It will deal with : Professions Woman's Work in the Colonies Little Ways of Making Pin- Doctor Canada Moncy Civil Servant Australia Photography Nurse South Africa Chicken Rearing Dressmaker New Zealand Sweet Making Actress- Colonial Nurses China Painting Musician Colonial Teachers Bee Keepitig Secretary Training for Colonies Toy Making Governess Colonial Outfits, etc. Ticket Writing, Dancing Mistress, etc. Farming, etu etc., etc. OCCUPATIONS FOR WOMEM No. 5. HOW TO BECOME A PRIVATE SECRETARY By ALFRED BARxNARD Author of " Every Way of Earning a Living," " Ottr Sons and Daughters" etc. Essential Qualifications oE a Private Secretary— Cost of Training— How to Obtain a Secretarial Position CoMETHiNG more than a knowledge of ^ shorthand and typewriting is required before a girl may obtain one of the few good posts as a private secretary. Indeed, it would be quite impossible to set down exactly the requirements for this position, so much depends upon the individual case. In this series of articles in Every Woman's Encyclopaedia it has been my object not only to give a list of employments open to women, but to show how appointments may be secured. In the present instance, therefore, I shall not give the cut and dried advice so often offered to those who want to become shorthand typists or secretaries — namely, to join some well-known college, such as Clark's or Pitman's, and to stay there until they are fit to secure a post. Instead of this I shall ask my readers to be quite certain that they are fit for this particular profession. The life of a private secretary to a busy man is no easy one ; indeed, often much more worry falls upon her shoulders than upon those of the business man himself. Here then, roughly, are the initial re- quirements : I. A good constitution ; freedom from headaches, nerves, and other ailments. 2. A good sound general education. 3. The power of adapting oneself to almost any surroundings. 4. A temper that is never out of control. 5. A knowledge of bookkeeping, short- hand, and typewriting — 120 — 50 — and the ability to write a business letter around the suggestions given. 6. In addition to these things a knowledge of some foreign language, according to circumstances, will be useful. Now I am quite sure, after considering this list of qualifications, many would-be private secretaries will abandon their present ideas, and turn to some other calling in which to earn a living, and I may say that any girl who does this will be proving that she is not cut out for one of these positions. It has been the fashion to advise any girl, no matter what her education or natural abilities, to go to a big college, where she, or her parents, are told that she can be turned into a secretary, just as flour and water can be turned into paste. The girl wh(5 has four of the above quali- fications, however, can acquire the necessary business training and tuition in shorthand and typewriting either at Pitman's or Clark's College. Tuition there is given orally or by