on of a prospect your real service motive in coming
to him, and how at the same time you can indicate to him your
capabilities; then you will be as sure as was my ingenious acquaintance
that no office door will long remain closed to you. _You only need to
use the processes of the master salesman to gain any chance you want._
You will succeed almost always in your immediate object; and if you are
unsuccessful in your first or second sales attempt you will be
absolutely certain to get some other good opportunity very soon.

[Sidenote: Make a "Vacancy" For Yourself]

It is not necessary to wait until the employer for whom you have chosen
to work advertises a job. You should plan ways and means of gaining an
entrance into his business organization, regardless of any "vacancy" he
may have in mind. Plan exactly how you can serve him. Prospect for a
need that he may not realize himself. Afterward work out a particular
method of showing him clearly _what he lacks_, and that _you are the
man_ to fill the vacancy you yourself have discovered and revealed to
him.

An elderly man who was down on his luck and who, on account of his grey
hair, had been unable to get various kinds of work he had sought,
devised a novel plan of approach that gained him a coveted chance in a
big department store. He came to the main office and reached the sales
manager without difficulty by appearing to be just a customer of the
store. Then he whisked from under his coat a pasteboard sign on which he
had printed, PORTER WANTED--TO KEEP SIDEWALK CLEAN.

"I'm after that job, sir," he explained his presence.

The sales manager waved the old man away.

"You're in the wrong place," he said curtly. "Employment office is on
the top floor."

"I made the sign myself," the applicant declared, standing his ground.
"The employment manager--you--no one in this store has realized, I
think, how filthy your sidewalk is. If you will come down with me and
look at it, I'm sure you will want to have it cleaned and will instruct
that I be given the chance. It is hurting your sales, as it is now. Kept
clean, as I would keep it, it would be a fine advertisement of the
store's policies, and would help sales."

The old man's plan of entrance gained him his initial opportunity. He
swept the sidewalk only two weeks. Then the sales manager made a place
for him behind a counter, where he is serving customers with
satisfaction to-day.

[Sidenote: Distinguishing Characteri