Roanoke Rapids Herald

EMPLOYMENT NEWS
-by-
W. G. Cherry, Jr., Manager
N. C. State Employment Service

Local Employment:
One of the best barometers of general business conditions in a community is the employment situation. Every job filled means additional income not only for the individual but for the community as a whole. In this respect, recent statistics issued by the State Office of the Employment Service indicate that there has been a decided change for the better in local business conditions. The number of placements made by the Roanoke Rapids office during the month of December showed an increase of 50 per cent over December, 1938. For the first six months of the fiscal year-that is, through December 31--a total of 760 placements were made by the Service in Roanoke Rapids, representing an average of approximately 127 jobs filled each month.

Merit Examinations: Charles G. Powell, Chairman of the Unemployment Compensation Commission, recently announced that merit examinations will be given in the near future for all employees of the Unemployment Compensation Division who did not take or failed to pass the tests given a year ago. The Social Security Board is insisting upon this examination although an amendment to the North Carolina Law permitted blanketing under all employees who had given satisfactory service with the Division for six months. These new tests will be only for those in the Unemployment Compensation Division who did not take or failed to pass the previous tests. The examinations will not be open to the public or to any other than the present employees.

Employees in the Employment Service Division qualified for their positions under earlier examinations and will not be required to take the new tests.

Off the Record: As is the case with many of the colored applicants who visit the Employment Office, one of our callers last week proved to be blissfully ignorant concerning such trifles as his age, the date and place of his birth, etc. Also, there was considerable vagueness in his mind as to the names and addresses of his previous employers. To him they were simply "Mr. Jack" or "Mr. Tom" and they lived "out in de country." At long last the interviewer had patiently extracted enough bits of information to fulfill requirements. "Now," he said, "Can you write your name?" "Yes, suh," was the prompt reply. A pen was tendered, the interviewer pointed out the line on which he was to sign and sat back to wait. The applicant also sat back and waited. "I thought you said you could write." "Yes. suh, I kin write but I never does. You see when I writes I writes it left-handed so it ain't no use for me to write cause most folks is right-handed and they can't understand me."

Job Openings: The jobs listed below are now open through the Employment Service's clearance system. Complete information about any of these openings may be obtained by calling at the local office.
3 Chemists, Metallurgical (non-ferrous)
1 Artist and Photographer
1 Blocksmith, Foreman
1 Sales Manager
1 Tea Room Manager
14 Mechanical Engineers
1 Foreman Sheet Metal Plant
1 Industrial Engineer
1 Private Secretary
1 Social Worker
American
Bo y
2 Seamers, Full-fashioned (Hosiery)
1 Mechanic, Machine
12 Weavers, Cloth (Textile)
1 Technician, Combination Physicians' and Surgeons' and X-Ray
1 Cook, First
1 Medical Detailer (Solicitor-Salesman)
1 Detailer (Wood Mill)
20 Loopers, Circular (Hosiery)
4 Interior Decorators
2 Layers, Block, Asphalt
50 Mechanics, Aircraft and Engine Service
1 Watch Repairer
1 Barber
1 Foreman, Shop (Manager)