As a woman working in a male-dominated industry, I get to enjoy both perks and annoyances. The main perk is that the bathrooms at trade shows are never crowded. Annoyances run the gamut from being the shortest person in a crowded room to being treated as if I couldn’t possibly understand a technical subject.

But I’m not complaining. It could be much, much worse.

A colleague recently forwarded me an article from the July 1943 issue of “Transportation Magazine.” It was written for male supervisors of female employees during World War II.

Titled “Eleven tips on getting more efficiency out of women employees,” a similar article written today would land the author in sensitivity training quicker than you can say “chauvinist.” Rosie the Riveter notwithstanding, old-fashioned views of women were still the norm in the war years. I offer up these tips not as a 2008 hiring guide but as a reminder that we really have come a long way, baby.

Tip 1: Pick a young, married woman. The rationale isthat they have more of a sense of responsibility and are less likely to be flirtatious. Plus, “they still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public
efficiently.”

Tip 2: (I particularly like this one) If you have no choice but to hire older women, (hey, buddy – who you callin’ old?) try to get ones that have had jobs before. “Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It’s always important to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy.” Yeah, whatever.

Tip 3: (another gem) “General experience indicates that ‘husky’ girls — those who are just a little on the heavy side — are more even-tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.”

Tip 4: Employers are advised to retain a physician to give these women a physical exam covering “female conditions.” This helps prevent lawsuits as well as revealing “whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses that would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job.”
I have to ask — would there also be “male weaknesses” that would cause similar problems?

Tip 5: Stress the importance of time.

Tip 6: Give them a daylong schedule of duties. “Numerous properties say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut out for them but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves.” (I certainly wouldn’t be writing this column without my boss breathing down my neck.)
Tip 7: Let the employee change from one job to another throughout the day – this apparently makes women “less nervous.”

Tip 8: Give them rest breaks. “You have to make some allowances for female psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied up, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.”

Tip 9: Be tactful with criticism. “Women are often sensitive; they can’t shrug off harsh words the way men do.” (They obviously don’t know the same men that I do.)

Tip 10: “Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women.” This one would never fly at our office.

Tip 11: “Get enough size variety in operators’ uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can’t be stressed too much in keeping women happy.”
Obviously some of those uniforms need to be fairly large.

This would be funny if it wasn’t so distressing. Even women my age haven’t been completely free of this type of dismissive treatment. I remember being asked during a recruiting visit in college if the diamond ring on my hand meant I would be quitting after a year to get married and have babies. That kind of question is illegal now; it was not so as recently as 1981.

I guess the only positive ray of hope is that even then men worried about keeping their female employees happy. Nowadays, of course, it’s less about rest breaks and properly fitting uniforms and more about respect and equal pay.

But that’s all I have time for right now. I need to tidy up my hair and apply fresh lipstick.