of course if, like the girl already quoted, you intend to lean back against the shelving and say: "Well, I have gone as far as I can go, so what's the use of trying?" you will not progress.
It is for the girl who must work that I am writing this article, not for the girl who wants to earn a little pin money; for the girl who must secure some sort of a salary from the very start of her business life, not the girl whose parents can afford to send her through an art school, a business college or a course in domestic science. This talk is with the girl who is face to face with the problem of clothing and food and a roof over her head.
We will start by assuming that you have a neat appearance, good manners, and a clear handwriting and are quick at figures. These are valuable assets.
If you live in or near a good-sized city, first make the round of the stores there. Study the appearance of the girls already employed, and the conditions under which they work. You will soon learn whether seats are provided behind counters, whether the counters and shelving are so arranged that the girls between them have room to work comfortably, whether the light and air are as good as one can expect to find in the modern store. In your inexperience these may seem like trifles, but once you get on
