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| 1933 Century of Progress Exposition Documents |
'No Help Needed' Sign Hung Up at World Fair; Jobs Office Is Closed
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Source: Chicago Daily News, 19 May 1933, pg. 13.
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By Malcolm McDowell.
A sign with this announcement will give the reason for the closing
of the world's fair employment office tomorrow morning. The building, on
the Inner drive just south of Soldier field, goes out of commission; the
men and women who for many months have been listening sympathetically to
hundreds, and on many days thousands, of earnest applicants for jobs
will be working elsewhere on some other tasks.
Accoridng to the announcement of the employment division of the
exposition's department of operations and maintenance, "the Century
of Progress is about ready to start; the task of selecting employees for
its operating organization is practically completed and the doors of the
employment office, open to the general public for the last three years,
will be closed Saturday morning.
"Concessionaires exhibitors and contractors do their own
hiring at their regular business offices.
Long Lines of Job-Seekers.
"During recent months the line at A Century of Progress
employment office has so increased that even with enlarged personnel it
has grown impossible to interview the thousands of persons applying
daily for positions. Many of the persons seeking work applied for
employment over which the exposition has no control; that is, for
positions such as waitresses, or for sales positions, demonstrating,
lecturing, painting, plumbing and other jobs which are filled by
concessionaires, exhibitors and contractors."
Since the employment division started three years ago as a branch
of the personnel division with a couple of small rooms in the
Administration building more than 100,000 men and women have applied for
jobs. Of this number more than 80,000 applications were for jobs,
positions and work in nowise connected the exposition management, for
the world's fair itself has never had anything to do with employment
related to exhibits, concessions and building.
The impression had been widespread that the world's fair hired
every person who worked in any capacity in the buildings and on the
grounds. Until recently the entire staff of the exposition proper
numbered fewer than 300, and almost every person on the exposition pay
roll was a specialist in his or her work. It is doubtful if any other
group had such a large proportion of specialized employees.
The simple fact that the world's fair was the only building
enterprise in the city of any size put it in the limelight;
consequently, its employment office became the center of attraction to
men and women out of work not only in the city but in places as remote
as Omaha, Cincinnati, New York and New Orleans.
Many Were Interviewed.
Until recently, when the rush of applicants simply swamped the
office people, every person applying for a job was interviewed.
A recent checkup showed that the great bulk of employees necessary
for efficient operation up to and including the opening stages of the
exposition have already been employed or selected. The quota of men
tested and qualified as guides had been filled, the quota for cashiers
was more than 90 per cent filled both for men and women, and the quota
for female informationists was complete and that for males nearly so.
The personnel division has in reserve a sufficient number of
qualified applicants for positions to take care of the needs of the fair
as nearly as they can be anticipated and for the ordinary labor
turnover.
[End of news article]
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Page compiled: 29 December 2005
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