How to Keep a Job (1949)

[Music] e [Music] [Music] [Music] this looks all right tell me why are you interested in this job I need a steady job Mr Wy with a chance to go places I see now this one job you had with the uh Central Distributing Company you work there for 18 months yes sir why did you leave because I wasn't getting anywhere after 18 months I figured I was worth more than they were paying me and I figured I was ready for promotion to more important work I see honest Mr Wy it was a rotten company I don't know why I stayed as long as I did tell me were you fired yes I was but it wasn't my fault the company just up and started firing people retrenching they called it what do you think of that I think it's a pretty normal situation a business has to live within its income many factors affect that income sales General economic conditions the development of new industries that replace old ones for these and many other reasons businesses often go through periods of adjustment and reor organization when they're forced to let people go I didn't do anything why me you said that in 18 months you hadn't gotten anywhere that's right other fellas who started later were promoted right over my head how much warning do you need couldn't you see the company valued the other fellow's services above yours but I thought I was doing fine what did I do do you expect me to answer that no sir I guess you wouldn't no actually I probably do know better than you do I have no business taking time for this but well I can't help thinking you might really amount to something if you'd set your mind to it try to see yourself as your employer saw you better still let me give you a picture of a case I really do know it's about a young man who came to work in our shipping room here and another young man now We Begin work here at 8:30 that's the time to begin this business of keeping a job and that's the time Bob andison began work every day we could depend on him to be on time and to do his work on time you might call him an eager beaver but look at it from the employer's point of view wouldn't you like to have Bob working for you dependability is one of the main keys to keeping a a job and getting ahead now dependability includes a willingness to work some of the work in our shipping room is hard work that's why we've always had two fellows working there well two fellows who were supposed to be working the other fellow I want to tell you about is Walter Bob's brother Bob's twin brother but the resemblance is only Skin Deep look at Walter from the employer's point of view and you see how not to keep a job look at him from Bob's point of view and you see how not to get along with your fellow workers on the other hand Bob would be popular wherever he worked you know he would do his share of the work and help others who needed help cooperation is another way to keep a job Walter finally decides to go to work but a job he was supposed to do first thing actually he was supposed to run them off the evening before but he put it off this is how not to be Dependable how not to cooperate with the company and with your fellow workers and your own and other departments poor Walter who should come into the ship room but me the boss always seems to find out Walter's manner gave him away now it isn't hard to learn to make good clean copies on a duplicating machine and this wasn't the first time I'd had to criticize Walter for making poor copies and it wasn't the first time he tried to Alibi his way out of the situation the fact was Walter just couldn't take criticism yet how can a man expect to improve on a job if he won't listen to The Very people who can help him just before closing time you'll find Bob getting the shipping room ready for the night and you'll find Walter getting himself ready so he won't be a second late punching the clock an employer sees this as a sure sign that a man isn't really interested in his work I ask you if you were the employer and had to cut down your staff which fellow would you keep that's not hard to answer but why didn't you go ahead and fire this uh Walter now don't be too hasty I'm only telling you about Walter's bad points he did enough work to hang on to his job as long as times are good there'll be jobs for fellas who just barely do enough to get by but to keep a job when the going gets rough you need to ensure your job make yourself so valuable your employer Can't Let You Go we've talked about dependability and cooperation now another Prime quality is initiative and for once I have something good to say for Walter it's not hard to understand why he was unhappy whenever shipments were left just inside the door the packages had to be hauled all the way across the room for wrapping then hauled back again when they went out if you don't like the way things are done you can spend a lot of time complaining about it that was Walter's usual way but this time he he got an idea and he knew what to do with it in every company there's plenty of room for improvement and the management usually welcomes suggestions from employees Walter's idea was a practical one so we adopted it the company benefits Through Time saved and less handling of packages the fellas in the shipping room benefit through having one of their harder Jobs made easier and Walter improved his standing with his employer by his display of initiative but one good Mark isn't enough one day not long after Walter was taking advantage of a lull in the work and Bob was bringing the shipping records up to date when what you got there shipment for you Wise Guy well finally the stuff they've been running in here asking about every hour for the last 3 days sign here that's the way it is in this company they wait till they run out of something and everybody runs around like crazy no system and nobody in charge with enough brains to start one what a way to run a business you don't like the company why do you work for it me I work for a swell outfit I'm proud of them maybe I'd like to work for them could they use me what for a press agent yes Walter found out that nobody thinks very much of a man who talks against the company he works for and what did Walter gain by making that false statement about his company nothing except trouble for himself if it got back to his employer which it did I guess it's not very different from the way I was talking to you about the place where I used to work well there's a saying if the shoe fits oh the shoe fits all right you knew it would didn't you y I could see my shortcomings all over the place dependability initiative cooperation and loyalty I could have done a lot better on every count you can do better come on yes sir well by I've got a new assistant for you Bob Anderson this is Ed blakesley hi Ed glad to meet you Bob's a good man to watch as soon as he trains somebody to take over here he's moving up to assistant purchasing manager say that's great Mr wy's been telling me about you and your brother my brother yeah your twin brother Walter I uh had a point to make so I invented a twin brother for you you said in this twin of Bobs I was really describing Bob's poor conduct on the job when he first came to work here Oh you mean the way I was loafing on the job around here before I get it and then you well if you can say Mr Wy did I ever tell you about my twin [Music] brother