CHOICE OF A CAREER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20366, 21 September 1929, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHOICE OF A CAREER.

COMMERCE.

RV E. MOWBR AY-lflN KISS

The daily distribution and interchange of commodities provides work for a very complex organisation of business enterprises. Upon tho successful maikct.ng of a country's products tho whole prosperity of its people stands or falls. The boy' or girl therefore who dovotes his or her life to commerce plays a very important part in the life of the community.

In every rank, or Great or small, "lis industry supports us all.

Tho wares that are displayed in the shop-window (o-day aro tho result of great genius and industry on tho part of the producers, and provide labour for a largo part of the world's workers, but almost as largo an army of men and women is required to sell these goods, and what is even more remarkable, perhaps as much genius and industry is required to sell thorn to profit as to produce them.

Boys and girls, then, must not think that they aro entering upon an easy wicket when they choose commerce for a career. It has been truly said that " formerly, when great fortunes were only made in war, war was a business;" but now, when great fortunes aro only made by business, business is war. Tho vastness of tho retail business is impressed upon us every day as we walk down tho main shopping thoroughfare of any great city, 'but tho main streets disclose a small part of tho labour that commerce employs. Behind the main thoroughfare is a network of streets, where merchants, import and export, wholesale and retail; warehousemen, transport and forwarding agents, stock and share brokers, ship and insurance brokers, and a r ost of others, do their business. Many of the men in the side-streets will be seen working in their shirt-sleeves, but they require in many cases even greater business acumen than thoso men who, in stiff collar, .hand the goods over the counter. _ Scope o! the Calling.

Tho difficulty that is presented to the boy and. girl who chooses this occupation is to know what particular branch of commerco to enter, but tho branches aro so inter-related that time is not wasted even though a boy may pass from one branch to another after entering the business. Tho boy who is born to this class of work will soon find his way into the particular branch of tho business for which he is most adapted.

Tho oft-repeated saying, " business is tho thing," is undoubtedly true, and never more so than to-day, but only for those who have the necessary bent for the commercial side of life.

While commerco offers a great variety of work to youth, it requires one essential qualification in most of its branches, and that ia tho instinct c-£ salesmanship, or what somo havo been pleased to call the " bargaining instinct."

To buy or sell wcll ? & man must, in tho first place, know overything that is to bo known about tho articlo he is buying or selling. This in itself may require the experience and keen observation of a lifetime. Such merchandise, for instance, as precious stones, silk or chemicals, can only be handled by tho expert. To Peter Bell:

A primrose by a river' 3 brim A yellow primrose was to him, And it was nothing more.

There's a Peter Bell behind most counters and in not a few warehouses, but, needless to say, these men never rise to any highly remunerative position in their business. A boy or girl who has a keen power of ». ..yrvation, quickness of perception, sound judgment, charactor, imagination and industry cannot but mako his or her way in this vast field of enterprise. Qualifications.

The salesman must bo able to talk well and persuasively, he should possess a quickly working mind that can seize upon any favourable opening that the turn of conversation may gi\o, ho must look at matters from tho customer's point of view, persuade and finally effect a sale. Iheso essential parts of tho good salesman are often observed quito early in a boy's or girl's lifo, and may determino their career. . . A course of training in retail distribution has within recent years been established in Londou under the auspices of tho principal firms in '.ho Metropolis. One of tho chief factors that prompted the establishing of this school was the scarcity ,oF highly cfncient men to fill the administrative posts. More than one departmental manager in Auckland has stated that it is difficult to find men and women with sufficient administrative ability, executive powers and imagination to fill tho big job. . . Hero then aro positions awaiting the smart , boy or girl who will grasp every opportunity to learn tho business, and become a leader among men. A sound, general education is required for this calling, and in addition a boy or girl should take up hobbies and playgames that will sharpon tho wits and dovelop tho powers of observation and judgment. A man who gives his children habits of industry provides for them better than by giving 'them a fortune. Young aspirants for this calling should attend classes in salesmanship and all tho useful commercial subjects. Tho Beddon Memorial College would do well to include in its well-planned syllabus tho subject of salesmanship, as so many of our boys and girls must earn their living in the busy world of commerce.

Remuneration.

The commencing wages in most of the branches of commerce are low, for tho business is ono which has to bo learnt. In the retail drapery business a youth under 15 years of ago receives a minimum wage of 12s 6d por week and a girl 10s. In five years' time a boy will receive from £5 per week. Aftor tho ago of 20 everything depends upon a man oi woman's capacity, but for tho man or womiln who shows ordinary ability the occupation offers a comtortablc living wage, while to tho man or woman of exparo with almost, any other occupation, ceplionaf ability a salary that will comParents need to take a wider view than tho condition of tho labour market to-day wheil seeking a calling for their boys St While tho commercial prosperity of New Zealand is entirely contingent upon her staple industry, and all too tow secondary industries, she will eventually expand her industries and support a far bigger commercial business than she can priao herself on to-day. Commerce, therefore, offers splendid opportunities for the future to those who go into the field to-day, and especially to those bovs and girls who will ever busy' themselves to keep pace with the times, and with keenness, vision and industry go in and possess the promised laud*