Admin Professionals Day: 3 Old-Timey Jobs for Women
Administrative Professionals Day is an unofficial holiday taking place on the Wednesday of Admin Professionals Week, which in 2015 is April 22 in the United States. Dates may vary in other countries.
Before women were common in the workplace, their employment opportunities were limited. Aside from factory work, domestic work or shopkeeping and retail jobs, there were few opportunities for women in what we would term “white collar work.” These types of jobs became more available as the centuries and technologies progressed. Here are three job opportunities from the old days which women made their own.
Typewriting Girl: The invention of the commercial typewriting machine in the 19th century brought great opportunities for women who could type 80 wpm on a Remington. Typing was considered “women’s work” by educated, male middle-class clerks. Of course, the ladies were also expected to know shorthand and take dictation.
Telephone Operator: In the early days of the telephone, no direct connections could be made. Switchboard operators were required to connect callers to recipients and male operators were the norm. However, telephone companies had strict rules of behavior due to the nature of “party lines” – telephone lines shared by several people – and by the late 19th century, companies began hiring women because they believed females were more submissive and better suited to a restricted environment.
Office Clerk: The ability to operate a calculating machine, file, process records, do bookkeeping, etc. was once considered men only, but as more women entered the workplace, business owners (with the exception of the insurance industry) began giving this tedious work to women who worked cheaper and could easily learn the same skills-set.
Greeting Card Universe joins you in honoring all secretaries, receptionists, office managers and other office workers with unique Admin Professionals Day cards. Need Spanish language cards for Dia de la Secretaria? We’ve got you covered! Order on-line and we’ll mail your cards the next business day. Need a last-minute card? No problem! Order on-line, get free in-store pick-up – usually in 1 hour – at most Target and Bartell Drug Stores.
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Celebrate Office Pros
Since 1952, Administrative Professionals Day – formerly known as Secretary’s Day – is observed on the Wednesday of Admin Professionals Week (the last full week in April). In 2013 in the U.S. , the day celebrating the 4 million secretaries, receptionists, admin assistants, and other office professionals falls on April 24.
This secular holiday has become very popular in the United States and other parts of the world. Nearly 68% of U.S. employers have said they planned to thank their administrative personnel for their important contributions.
From running the office to working miracles, administrative professionals are the heart and soul of business.
Greeting Card Universe appreciates the hard work and dedication shown by workers every day, and offers unique Administrative Professionals Day cards to give to the women and men who make a difference in offices around the country. Add a personal message and we’ll ship your cards next business day. Last minute? No problem. Pick up your order, usually within 24 hours, at most local Target stores.
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“Very nice quality card. I was so glad I got it for the special occasion. I am sure He will think it was special. It was something I couldn’t just pick up locally at a store.” – Linda, April 15, 2013
Why the Poinsettia at Christmas?
December 12 marks National Poinsettia Day, an observance dedicated to the flower that has become a popular symbol of the holiday season. Close to $200 million is spent on decorative poinsettias every year. But why do we associate the bright red (or white variety) poinsettia with Christmas?
During a trip to Mexico in 1828, American botanist and U.S. Ambassador, Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, came across the wild plant with its beautiful, red, star shaped leaves (Euphorbia Pulcherrima). In Mexico, poinsettias are known as Flores de Noche Buena (flowers of the holy night) for their association with the Star of Bethlehem. Poinsett sent cuttings home to South Carolina, where the greenhouse grown plants were seen as a curiosity.
Decades later, a German immigrant living in California, Albert Ecke, began selling poinsettias from flower stands during the holidays. His grandson, Paul, continued to work on producing more hybrids and promoting the poinsettia as the must have houseplant for Christmas. Today, poinsettias are grown and enjoyed across the world.
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Admin Professionals Day
What happens on the fourth Wednesday in April every year? Administrative Professionals Day! The unofficial holiday is observed by approximately 70% of businesses world-wide as a time to honor admin professionals, admin support, and office workers for their contributions to the workplace.
No one who achieves success
does so without acknowledging the help of others.
The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.
—Author Unknown
What do you know about Admin Professionals Day? Here are some Fun Facts about this holiday…
FACT: The holiday was created by Harry F. Klemfuss, a New York publicist, who handled the Dictaphone Corporation account for the Young & Rubicam advertising agency. He wanted to persuade more women to enter the workplace, and believed secretaries deserved more recognition. Working with the National Secretaries Association, he proposed the idea of Secretary’s Day to Charles Sawyer, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and in 1952, the first Secretary’s Day was celebrated.
FACT: Originally Secretary’s Day, then changed to Professional Secretaries Day in 1981, the holiday became Administrative Professionals Day in 2000. The changes were made by the International Association of Administrative Professionals, once known as the National Secretaries Association.
FACT: In the United States alone, more than 4 million administrative professionals are employed + an additional nearly 9 million support staff!
FACT: Admin Professionals Day is one of the largest workplace celebrations in the world.
FACT: The most popular tokens of appreciation given on Admin Professionals Day by executives to their support staff? Flowers and greeting cards, followed by lunch on the company, gift certificates, or a day off.
FACT: Greeting Card Universe helps you celebrate and show your appreciation with our vibrant and unique collection of custom Administrative Professionals Day cards. It’s never been easier to find the perfect card to say “thank you” to the people who make a difference in the workplace.
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