One Thousand Ways to Make a Living; or, An Encyclopædia of Plans to Make Money
3. _Not handicapping at all_--
1964 words | Chapter 80
(a) Diseases:
Chronic diseases not preventing ordinary activity and not easily
noticed by others. This includes chest and head diseases, rheumatism,
deafness in one ear, Bright’s disease, shell-shock, etc.
Temporary diseases from which recovery may be slow but certain.
(b) _Wounds:_
Loss of one leg if artificial limb can be worn.
Loss of one arm or hand with or without artificial arm.
Wounds to arms or legs not requiring amputation.
Moderate disfigurements that can be covered by hair, beard, garments,
or glasses of usual type.
Scars on face or hands that are not repellent.
Loss of teeth--if plate can be worn.
Hernia--if truss can be worn.
PLAN No. 1096. NUMBER OF POSITIONS OPEN
The companies selling ordinary life insurance can absorb rapidly 10,000
candidates for sales positions, reasonably evenly distributed between
the two classes of partly handicapped and not handicapped. If the latter
class predominates, even a larger number could be used.
These men can be assigned profitable and suitable new business locations
either of their own or of the insurance companies’ selection, as they
prefer, or they can be used at their former place of residence no matter
in what sections of the country this may be.
The industrial companies, about 25 in number, can absorb about 4,000
candidates presenting disabilities of a nature that would not preclude
the physical activity required, since the nature of the business demands
that the routes assigned be fully covered each week.
FINANCIAL RETURNS FOR LIFE INSURANCE SALESMAN
The average earnings of all life insurance men, whether devoting all or
but part of their time to it, and including the unsuccessful and the
beginners but a few months in the production field, on the sales of 1917
was $1,000 per capita. The average of those giving it their entire time
is nearer $2,000 per agent. An additional yearly income for a number of
years is paid on first-year sales through the annual renewal commissions
on such business as renews, which in 1917 yielded an additional $1,000
per agent. By reason of renewals accruing in future years, the annual
income of a life insurance man maintaining a uniform production will
increase steadily yearly.
While the rate of compensation is based upon the commission plan under
which the income closely follows actual earnings and is in ratio to the
salesman’s efficiency and the intelligent effort he puts forth, the
methods of compensation are varied according to individual preference.
Such methods include straight commission, commission plus salary,
straight salary, drawing accounts against contingent commissions and
guarantees, and combinations of these methods as may be arranged.
The items of interest are that incomes are without limit as to maximum
and that earnings can begin even during the period of preparation and
study. The commission plan is thus not a difficulty, since the candidate
will be assisted by his Government allowance until he is prepared to
undertake work under a compensation plan which guarantees pay exactly
according to earnings.
To those qualifying for executive positions correspondingly larger
salaries and opportunities are open, and men having the capacity to
direct the activities of others are in constant demand. For this work
Army and Navy men, as a class, have had fundamental training.
EARNINGS OP INDUSTRIAL INSURANCE MEN
Salaries varying from $10 to $25 per week are paid to the field men of
industrial insurance companies, depending upon the size of the district
covered. Such agents are expected to make the weekly collections
assigned to them and to maintain the volume and number of such
collections.
In addition to this salary, the right and opportunity is given to earn
liberal commissions on new business secured, which in turn may operate
to increase the compensation for collecting future premiums.
Opportunities for promotions to positions as superintendents and
district managers are frequent, and the tendency is toward the retention
and development of efficient employees indefinitely.
PLAN No. 1097. OFFICE MANAGEMENT
This position is one that is usually filled by promotion and one to
which any man who qualifies for business by taking a complete commercial
training may reasonably aspire. Men who have executive ability;
knowledge of men and ability to handle them; the ability to organize the
work of an office on an efficiency basis; and a good general knowledge
of business are needed for office managers.
TRAINING
Extension courses in preparation for advancement to this grade of
commercial employment are available in many places. Those who already
have the necessary training for office work will be helped by definite
courses of instruction to prepare for this desirable line of promotion.
Others who have had neither business training nor business experience
may prepare for office work first in accordance with the plan suggested
earlier in this monograph, and may later qualify for office management
by extension courses under the direction of the Federal Board for
Vocational Education.
PLAN No. 1098. BANKING
The banking business is one in which the higher positions are usually
recruited from the lower. Many younger men are employed as messengers,
clerks, runners, etc., and it is comparatively easy to find promotion
material already in the organization. Since these lower positions pay
very small salaries and make no appeal to men, it is not likely that
large numbers of men will break into the banking business through
rehabilitation channels. However there are many men in our Army who have
had banking experience and desire to secure training for further
promotion in this business. Then, too, some of the larger financial
institutions in the big cities are in the habit of taking on men for a
period of training with a view to service in their foreign branches.
This practice will grow as our foreign trade expands. Men who have the
necessary general education and special training, supplemented by
overseas service, will find in this field an opportunity that will
challenge their interest.
TRAINING
Foundation work in the general business subjects such as bookkeeping,
business writing, business English, correspondence, business arithmetic,
and commercial law will be followed by instruction in economics, money,
banking, and finance. While there are comparatively few business
schools equipped to give the more advanced technical instruction
required, the Federal Board for Vocational Education will aid any man
who is interested in this business, not only to secure adequate training
for it, but also an opportunity to enter this field under the most
favorable circumstances possible.
PLAN No. 1099. COMMERCIAL TEACHING
Male teachers are in great demand for all kinds of educational work, but
in no department is the need for men greater than in that which has to
do with the training of young people for business. The commercial
teacher must associate himself with the industrial and business
activities of his community; he must mingle with business men and keep
in close touch with their business methods so far as they affect
commercial training. In practically every city and town in the United
States having a population of 5,000 or more commercial courses are being
offered in the high school. There are over 1,000 private commercial
schools giving intensive training for business positions. All these
schools, both public and private are in very active competition with
each other for the services of capable men teachers. Not only are these
schools in competition with each other for the services of men who are
qualified for this kind of work, but they are also in competition with
business which is constantly recognizing that successful commercial
teachers are usually well qualified for important business positions. To
the men who are contemplating training for a future career this fact is
of the utmost importance. The training that he takes for commercial
teaching and the experience that he gains in such a position will not
only lead to high-grade educational positions, but also to business
openings of more than ordinary importance.
TWO DEPARTMENTS REPRESENTED
Commercial teachers are naturally divided into two groups, those who
teach shorthand typewriting, and related secretarial subjects, and those
who teach bookkeeping, business arithmetic, commercial law, economics,
commercial geography, and other subjects known as the business group.
While it is possible to make a preparation for either of these two
departments of teaching, it is more desirable for a man to qualify in
both departments in order that he may be qualified for a position as
department head where the supervision of teachers in both lines of work
will fall upon him.
QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING NECESSARY
A man who contemplates commercial teaching as a profession should
possess the following qualifications: Good personal appearance, abundant
energy, resourcefulness, cheerfulness, good general health, and the
ability to move about easily. It is undesirable for anyone who is to be
brought constantly in contact with the public to have physical
disabilities that will be offensive or will seriously distract
attention. In dealing with young people in educational work it is even
more necessary that unsightly wounds shall not be conspicuously apparent
in those with whom such young people come in contact in their work. This
does not mean that one who has lost a leg or an arm should consider
himself in this class. Among the best teachers that have ever presented
commercial education to boys and girls are men who find it necessary to
use a crutch or a cane.
Commercial teachers should be thoroughly qualified to handle all of the
commercial subjects named above. Their training should also include
thorough courses in psychology, pedagogy, school management, and history
of education. Such courses of training are provided in a few of the
State normal schools, and in a number of the best universities. Men who
contemplate this profession are urged to be satisfied with nothing less
than the complete course of training in one of these institutions. This
is of the utmost importance in view of the fact that for public school
commercial teaching State licenses are required and the qualifications
therefore, are such that graduation from an institution of high standing
is the surest way to qualify for such a certificate. It should be said,
however, that for private school commercial teaching there is no license
requirement in most of the States. Men who have a good general education
and are well qualified in the technical subjects named above, will have
no difficulty in securing profitable employment in such schools.
Training for such positions can be secured in much less time than is
required for the full course referred to above.
LENGTH OF COURSE
An intensive course of one year, assuming a good foundation with which
to begin, should prepare a man for a position as commercial teacher in a
private business school. The same will suffice for training a man to
accept a position as commercial teacher in a high school providing he
has completed a normal school or college course. For those who have only
a high-school education, two years in a State normal school, or from two
to four years in the commercial department of a college, will be
required to complete the full training for commercial teaching.
SALARIES
The salary range for men commercial teachers may be stated as from
$1,200 to $8,000, depending upon experience, general and special
education, and personal qualifications.
PLAN No. 1100. PLANS AND SUCCESSES OF DISABLED MEN AND WOMEN
_Chart summarizing data relating to 133 cases of disabled persons who
have taken commercial courses--Tabulation of replies to questionnaires
sent out to schools._[34]
[34] All salaries are on a pre-war basis.
===============+=============+============+============+=============+
School, case | Cause of | Previous | Course | Special |
number, and | disability. | education. | taken. |arrangements.|
disability. | | | | |
---------------+-------------+------------+------------+-------------+
PIERCE | | | | |
BUSINESS | | | | |
SCHOOL, | | | | |
PHILADELPHIA, | | | | |
PA. | | | | |
| | | | |
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