business and professions are overcrowded-small wonder that insecurity, worry, and
"anxiety neuroses" are rampant at times among the white-collar fraternity I Beware of
trying to elbow your way into such overcrowded fields as law, journalism, radio, motion
pictures, and the "glamour occupations".
- Stay out of activities where the chances are only one out of ten of your being able to
make a living. As an example, take selling life insurance. Each year countless
thousands of men-frequently unemployed men-start out trying to sell life insurance
without bothering to find out in advance what is likely to happen to them! Here is
approximately what does happen, according to Franklin L. Bettger, Real Estate Trust
Building, Philadelphia. For twenty years Mr. Bettger was one of the outstandingly
successful insurance salesmen in America. He declares that ninety per cent of the men
who start selling life insurance get so heartsick and discouraged that they give it up
within a year. Out of the ten who remain, one man will sell ninety per cent of the
insurance sold by the group of ten; and the other nine will sell only ten per cent. To put it
another way: if you start selling life insurance, the chances are nine to one that you will
fail and quit within twelve months, and the chances are only one in a hundred that you
will make ten thousand a year out of it. Even if you remain at it, the chances are only
one out of ten that you will be able to do anything more than barely scratch out a living. - Spend weeks-even months, if necessary-finding out all you can about an occupation
before deciding to devote your life to it! How? By interviewing men and women who
have already spent ten, twenty, or forty years in that occupation.
These interviews may have a profound effect on your future. I know that from my own
experience. When I was in my early twenties, I sought the vocational advice of two older
men. As I look back now, I can see that those two interviews were turning points in my
career. In fact, it would be difficult for me even to imagine what my life would have been
like had I not had those two interviews.
How can you get these vocational-guidance interviews? To illustrate, let's suppose that
you are thinking about studying to be an architect. Before you make your decision, you
ought to spend weeks interviewing the architects in your city and in adjoining cities. You
can get their names and addresses out of a classified telephone directory. You can call
at their offices either with or without an appointment. If you wish to make an
appointment, write them something like this:
Won't you please do me a little favour? I want your advice. I am eighteen years old, and
I am thinking about studying to be an architect. Before I make up my mind, I would like
to ask your advice.
If you are too busy to see me at your office, I would be most grateful if you would grant
me the privilege of seeing you for half an hour at your home.
Here is a list of questions I would like to ask you:
a. If you had your life to live over, would you become an architect again?
b. After you have sized me up, I want to ask you whether you think I have what it takes
to succeed as an architect.
c. Is the profession of architecture overcrowded?
d. If I studied architecture for four years, would it be difficult for me to get a job? What
kind of job would I have to take at first?