or, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Fear and Loathing at a Public Library Reference Desk



Guide to Hiring Women

   May 29th, 2008

1943 Guide to Hiring WomenSince I mentioned recently that it's staff review time in my library, I thought it'd also be appropriate (although I use that term loosely) to post this 1943 Guide to Hiring Women. Originally published in "Transportation Magazine," I found it over on the studio twentysix2 blog, and I agree with Tom's commentary.

As a male in a traditionally female-dominated field, of course I found this interesting. I work for and with women, and have women who report to me, and I'm happy to report that this is not at all applicable to 2008. All of my colleagues, professional and paraprofessional, have their jobs because they are good at their jobs - not just because they fit the uniforms we had on hand.

Times change. That's a good thing.




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4 Responses to “Guide to Hiring Women”

  1. Melissa Says:

    Dang! The photo is set to private. Can you make it public so we can see it? I’m waiting with bated breath!

  2. Brian Herzog Says:

    Sorry about that – I outsmarted myself (again).

  3. Jack Says:

    I was reading parts of it to my mostly female coworkers (I’m a librarian as well), and they thought it was hysterical. So it’s now hanging up with the rest of the cartoons in our cubicles.

    (Not sure how they felt about my comment that we need to hire more “husky” women.)

  4. Liz Says:

    Oh man – maybe it’s because I was born after the whole feminist revolution, but I found this hysterical. “When you have to use older women,” “‘husky’ girls… are more even tempered,” “women are inclined to be less nervous and happier with change,” “make some allowances for feminine psychology” – who comes up with this stuff?!? Priceless.

    The only one that might be even remotely applicable today is number 10, but that’s just a good policy for most professional businesses regardless of gender, I think. That’s also the only one I still see in use to this day – guys often apologize for swearing in front of me, but never to their fellow guys, who may be far more… linguistically sensitive than I. Hmm.