Forum - Ask the Hiring Manager
QUESTION:
I will graduate in May with a B.A in English, and am interested in working in some sort of secretarial (or related) position while I am applying to graduate schools (1-2 years duration). I have worked as a temporary secretary through an external agency during my college vacations, and have amassed a great deal of experience with various corporations. My query is twofold:
- How can I list the descriptions of the jobs I have held with various companies while indicating that they were attained through a temporary agency?
- How can I best use the contacts and inside information I have gained about one of the companies I have been employed with on three separate occasions (in different locations and positions) to obtain a permanent job with the company? Must I still go through traditional avenues in order to apply?
Your help is much appreciated. I've just ordered your book today.
From: Robin Alison Michaels, Senior, Elizabethtown College
ANSWER FROM BRIAN KRUEGER:
- List the jobs under a generic heading that covers the time period. However, you are best served to list the names of the corporations you worked for, rather than the names of the temp agencies. The best way to set off the information is to list the company name in bold, then list your tasks/duties/accomplishments in either narrative or bullet format.
- No! Talk directly with your contacts. And calling is always preferred over writing. If you are referred on to others, you can make reference to your previous association with their company and that you have been referred by an internal manager. You will get much quicker (and more positive) responses.
Enjoy!
Author of College Grad Job Hunter
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All job search information at this forum is provided by Brian Krueger, author of the book College Grad Job Hunter, the definitive guide for college grad job search. Used by permission of the author.
