100 professions for women

In Short

Betty Van Deventer surveys one hundred careers available to women in the late 1920s, ranging from traditional roles like caterers and housekeepers to modern opportunities for aviators, accountants, and investment advisers. She frames employment not as a sad necessity for the unfortunate, but as a path to personal independence and financial autonomy. The work stands as a snapshot of American women entering the modern workforce after the First World War. It outlines practical entry points, required skills, and realistic salary expectations while urging women to pursue education, specialized training, and total self-reliance in a rapidly expanding economy.

The Story

The book opens with a reflection on how dramatically societal expectations for women have transformed over a single decade. Where women without male breadwinners were once viewed with pity as unfortunate "poor relations," the modern "bachelor girl" actively seeks economic independence and a connection to the larger world. The disruption of World War I, alongside the desire for financial autonomy, has driven both single and married women away from routine domesticity and into the paid workforce. Van Deventer establishes that independence is the ultimate goal, noting that earning a paycheck frees a woman from begging a father or husband for allowance money.

From this cultural entry point, the author transitions into an extensive survey of one hundred distinct vocations. She examines established fields while placing heavy emphasis on new, unusual, and specialized careers. In the physical sciences and structural arts, women work as archeologists, master architects designing homes or public buildings, draftsmen, and landscape gardeners. In transportation and mechanics, they fly airplanes as pilot aviatrices and drive taxicabs as uniformed, mechanically trained chauffeurs. The commercial world offers paths as accountants, certified public accountants, bank treasurers, budget advisers, merchandise experts, title examiners, and realtors. Creative and literary fields encompass commercial art, costume design, newspaper reporting, playwriting, novel writing, and publishing.

Van Deventer consistently details the exact mechanics of entering each trade. She outlines typical weekly or annual pay, necessary educational credentials, and the value of starting at the bottom to gain practical experience before launching an independent business. For women with personal capital, she recommends working in every branch of an industry—such as department stores and specialty shops—before opening a business like a dress shop or flower store.

The survey moves through public service and specialized labor, covering dramatic coaches, settlement workers, laboratory technicians, public health nurses, and corporate dentists. Even traditional domestic skills are reframed as professional enterprises, transforming cooks into hotel culinary directors and housekeepers into high-salaried managers of luxury estates. Toward the end of her survey, she even touches upon alternative and esoteric fields, documenting the lucrative consultation practices of professional numerologists and astrologists in major cities.

The book closes with a direct call to action focused on preparation and ambition. Van Deventer stresses that while women can now enter virtually any field, success demands self-knowledge and specialized training. She advises young women to remain in school as long as possible or to utilize night classes and correspondence courses while working. Ultimate success, she argues, belongs to those who acquire superior knowledge and apply it with confidence.

How It Unfolds

The rise of independence Women discard traditional roles as dependent relatives or quiet housekeepers, seeking the excitement of business and the pride of earning their own livings.

Technical and professional entry Fields like architecture, accounting, banking, and medicine open up to women who obtain college degrees and specialized credentials.

Commercial and artistic ventures Opportunities expand in advertising illustration, costume design, real estate, and retail management, where women turn creative talents and market insights into high salaries.

Niche and emerging trades New opportunities appear in fields as varied as aviation, taxicab driving, moving picture photography, public relations, and professional astrology.

The mandate for education The overview concludes with an appeal for women to assess their own capabilities, pursue systematic training, and use specialized knowledge to build lasting careers.

The People

While the book does not feature fictional characters, it highlights historical women and representative professional figures to illustrate its core arguments.

• Eva Le Gallienne represents executive triumph in the theatrical arts. She establishes herself as a dramatic director running her own repertoire theater after years of rigorous work as an actress, demonstrating that women can lead commercial dramatic organizations.
• The Modern Married Woman seeks an active career outside the home. Unwilling to return to the humdrum routine of domestic chores after experiencing wartime service or pre-marital employment, she chooses the business world to secure financial independence from her husband.
• The Skilled Specialist appears across various trades, from the Certified Public Accountant to the Merchandise Expert. She rises above routine, low-paying clerical labor by pursuing advanced training, mastering market conditions, and commanding top-tier salaries in competitive industries.

In Its Own Voice

"The bachelor girl takes the place of the simpering old maid."

Van Deventer contrasts traditional social attitudes toward unmarried women with the modern, active lifestyle of the gainfully employed business woman.

"The greatest urge which women feel to earn their own livings is the glorious feeling of independence!"

The text identifies financial autonomy as the primary motivation driving women into the workforce.

"Knowledge, and the ability to apply it, is power in the business world."

The concluding chapter summarizes the book's core philosophy, urging readers to seek continuous education and specialized skill.

What It's Really About

The book explores the structural shift in women's economic status during the 1920s. It argues that personal dignity and financial self-sufficiency are intertwined, pushing against the idea that women belong solely in the domestic sphere. Beneath its practical advice lies a strong defense of ambition: women are encouraged not merely to settle for routine clerical positions, but to seek executive authority, specialized training, and business ownership. By framing work as a source of pride rather than a sign of misfortune, the author positions specialized skill as the ultimate tool for overcoming gender barriers in the American economy.

Why Read It Today

This guide will fascinate readers interested in social history, women's labor, and the economic landscape of the late 1920s. Reading it feels like flipping through a clear, energetic directory of a bygone era. It captures the exact moments when technologies like aviation, motion pictures, and automated calculating machines were reshaping the American workplace.

The text presents a few period attitudes that may feel distant or surprising to modern readers. It treats positions like cashiering or filing as dead-end jobs reserved for low wages, while unreservedly grouping professional numerology alongside legitimate corporate pursuits. It also reflects the specific racial and social norms of its era, briefly referencing night club hostesses who must navigate personal remarks or settlement workers teaching hygiene to immigrants and the poor. Yet the book remains remarkably readable. Its brief, brisk entries carry a confident rhythm, offering an authentic glimpse into the optimism, salary figures, and career aspirations of women navigating the expanding markets of the early twentieth century.