Help wanted newspapers advertisements have changed through the years because of cultural mores or legalities. Notwithstanding the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) and the 1967 Age Discrimination Act, some language in ads persisted.
A retrospective below, spanning several decades, may raise eyebrows or evoke a laugh or two. Postings below were found in South Florida newspapers. More ads are from the help wanted female sections because there were more "requirements." Before the 1960s, help wanted female ads sections didn't exist in many newspapers. Black or white race requirements were mentioned mostly in personal or home services.
Today employers find a way to get around a direct query
about age; they want to know the year graduated from high school or college. One high-profile online job board actually asks for the year born after applicant has
applied for job.
Some words of ads below are omitted.
1919
A trip far back ... to 1919. This made the front page of the newspaper as a headline: “Little Girls Not Wanted as Clerks on Railway Mail.” According to the Miami Metropolis, the story was based on a posting from the then-called Civil Service Commission:
Young women must weigh in at 110 pounds and be at least 5 feet, 2 inches tall.
Men must weigh at least 130 pounds and be at least 5 feet, 5 inches tall.
_____
1960
Help Wanted Female
Stenographer for larger financial institution. Please
do not apply if you do not meet the following requirements: Age
22-30, average weight and height, typing at least 60 words per minute with
few mistakes …
________
UNENCUMBERED woman with managerial capacity for late
night drive-in work
_________
Help Wanted Male
Presser wanted – first class only. High wages for
right man.
_________
Ages 23-40 for insurance business – no experience necessary.
We pay while training.
_________
Retired man or responsible high school boy for part
time kennel work.
______
1965
Help Wanted Female
Business couple, no children, requires [race mentioned] woman
35-45 for part time housework $2.00 per hour, $24/week.
_________
Photo Assistant – Bahamas. Young, attractive woman
experienced in BLACK and WHITE (poster’s caps) printing. General dark room
work and sales (reply address listed at Miami airport…)
_________
Woman to solicit new customers on retail egg route.
_________
Help Wanted Male
Young man to crate marble and pack furniture. Must be
intelligent.
1970
Las Olas real estate office needs young, attractive
secretary with pleasant telephone voice …
_________
Are you Swedish? I miss the friendly Swedish woman who
helped clean my house up North. Help needed one day a week.
_________
British ladies for work in English shops … apply at …
on Sunrise Blvd.
_________
Receptionist, age 25-35, for general office
work
_________
Dental Assistant: We need a capable girl to
assist in all chairside duties. Prefer experience but not necessary.
_________
Help Wanted Male
Semi-retired man for phone answering and light plant
work. Write, give age and background.
_________
1975
Help Wanted listed by industry
ALERT female wanted at downtown optometrist’s office.
_________
SANDY was a great girl, cheerful, neat, industrious and a good typist. She learned our business well …Unfortunately her husband was transferred up North. We are now looking for someone like her.
_____
Sources:
Miami Daily Metropolis, Feb. 15, 1919
Fort Lauderdale News, March 6, 1960
Fort Lauderdale News, Feb. 7, 1965
Fort Lauderdale News, Feb. 1, 1970
Miami News, Sept. 5, 1975
Tags: Fort Lauderdale history, Miami history, labor history, help wanted ads
