Introductory
Commercial occupations include certain occupations which have to do with the administrative, executive, clerical, accounting, stenographic and selling side of business. Definite courses of training for these employments have been worked out and are being offered in many high-grade schools. It must not be assumed that by a commercial course is meant merely training for bookkeeping and shorthand work. On the contrary, the range of commercial occupations open to men is very broad, as is indicated by the following partial list of such occupations:
I. Common commercial employments.
Bookkeeping.
General clerical work.
Stenography.
Retail selling.
Telegraphy and wireless operating.
II. Professional commercial service.
Accounting.
Salesmanship.
Advertising.
Foreign trade service.
Secretarial work.
Life insurance salesmanship.
Office management.
Banking.
Commercial teaching.
Plan No. 1082. Keep thy Shop and thy Shop will Keep thee
The occupations listed in group I will appeal to men who have had a fair general education and who are willing to devote a few months to intensive courses of training. Men who take such courses may enter upon employment at a reasonably early date after beginning their study, and may subsequently, if they desire to do so, take up evening school courses to prepare themselves for some one of the employments specified in group II. This second group of employments will appeal to men who have had a good general education, some special training, and possibly some business experience. For the average man a longer period of training will be required to fit for one of these commercial professions than will be required for group I employments. However, men who have had considerable business experience may find it possible to complete their training in a comparatively short period.
Men who have had a good general education and who are willing to devote considerable time to preparation for a profession may well consider the possibilities of commercial teaching which has been included in group II. There are thousands of schools in the United States employing teachers of commercial subjects. Since such schools are in competition with business, as well as with each other, the demand for commercial teachers is more active than for almost any other class of teachers, and salaries are correspondingly higher for such teachers.
Telegraphy and wireless work referred to in group I may appeal to some men who have had railroad experience and who are not physically able to undertake the kind of work they have been doing in the past.