PA and Secretary Community - Deskdemon.com

First of all, thanks to anyone reading this, I am open to any help I can get!!



I am going to be moving to Chicago in July. I have a place lined up to live and a roommate..but no job. I am 23 and have been in school and working in an office setting since I was 16. Currently I am working full time in a marketing firm. I have experience in MS Office, Quark, Quickbooks, Access..I am familiar with Power Point, and I use databases to organize all our clients. I also do a lot of Internet research and customer service.



If anyone can offer any advice on relocating, or especially relocating to Chicago, I would be very greatful!! I would like to have a job lined up before I move, I can travel for interviews. I have been checking out the Tribune online and monster.com, I have gotten some really good advice so far from people.



Thanks!!

Kar, welcome to The Admin Authority, and welcome to the Windy City!



I live about 30 miles west of Chicago in the suburbs... as for job hunting, the Tribune is a great resource.  Watch out for the temp agencies who place ads for one job, making it look completely ideal and wonderful, and then when you call they tell you it's not available and try to place you in other, less glamorous sounding jobs.



Anyway, you will need to decide if you want to work in the 'burbs or in the city... if you want the burbs, I'd suggest sending a resume to Motorola, GE Financial Assurance, Ameritech, Sears - any big company who is based in the burbs, and baby, we're full of 'em!  



If there's anything I can do to help you out, feel free to email me at winkiebear@administrative-assistants.com



Good luck!

 winkie the Welcome Wagon

Thanks for the info winkiebear! I'm so excited to move there already, I have heard nothing but good things about the city!



About working in the suburbs, don't you need a car for that? That is something I will be selling before I move, both for financial reasons and the fact I heard it's more trouble than it's worth due to parking.



 Is it generally pretty easy to find a job in this field, or is it usually pretty hard to find something? As for temp agencies, I was surprised to hear such negative things from a variety of people. I am at my current job due to my temp agency, but I've heard horror stories from others. That will be my last resort, hopefully I will find something by then. As I said, I'm moving in July, but I have been spending hours looking. I am determined to get something lined up!



Thanks again for the information, this website has been very informative! I actually heard about it from someone else who helped me off the monster.com boards - I'm glad I found it!!!

We're glad you found it too and welcome.  Check with your temp agency to see if they have an office in Shytown.  If not, sign up with an agency that does, several if you have the time.  This way you've tested and you're merely transferring your file to the new offices in Chicago.  



Make contact with these offices before you move, have your file sent on from the local agencies and develop a working relationship with your potential placement people well before you make the actual move.



I did this on my move from Florida to Charleston, using two agencies.  When I got to Charleston, Snelling had several positions ready and waiting for me, and it did cut out all that submit your resume, take this test dance that you have to do. It was neat to go to work right away, I was well treated because the agencies had input from their other offices about my skills and work ethic, and I had several positions to choose from immediately.  I've always found the temp agencies are a great avenue to long term employment and it's an easy way to make sure you dont have long gaps in your employment history.



Good luck on your move!



Andrea

 

Thanks for the advice! I have a question though. I plan on staying at my current position until I move, and I am not really wanting to say anything about leaving until (1) a month ahead of time or (2) I get a firm job offer. So I will be working until I leave. Can I still go to a temp agency and ask to take the tests, ect. but not seek work here - just for the reason of tranferring? I am really not sure how that works. My temp agency is very small and local, but we do have Snelling, Kelly, Manpower, ect. in town.



Thanks Andrea!

Kar -



The company I work for has a couple of offices in Chicago.  Also I think one of the guys I work with might be looking for an admin.  If you want you can send me your resume at jjarrait@kpmg.com and I'll run it by everyone and then put it in the system.  



Btw, welcome!



Julie

And welcome to TAA!  We Chicagoans have a great fondness for our city, and once you get here, I'm sure you'll love it too!



Now, where exactly will you be living, and where did you want to work?  The greater Chicagoland area has TONS of well know companies in the downtown area (the loop), and there are two major areas, one known as the R&D Corridor (southwest suburbs) and the Golden Corridor (Northwest suburbs), and the area around O'Hare (that's were I'm at currently!)  I would definately go with an agency, and let them help you, as well as scouring the job sites on line, and the Chicago Tribune, as Winkiebear stated.



Let us know how it goes...as far as I can see, there's all kinds of opportunities for a highly skilled administrative professional here.  Happy hunting!



Daisylee

(I was born in the city known as the "Stinking Onion")

Kar,



I have always found OfficeTeam almost everywhere I've lived.  You might want to give them a try.



Next suggestion, go to www.iaap-hq.org.  On the home page scroll down until you see Chapter websites on the left-hand side.  There should be some IAAP chapters listed in the Chicago area.  Contact someone with the chapters and ask for assistance.  The members of IAAP can be a great resource.



Next, pull up the local Chicago Sunday paper and check the classified ads.  And after you have reviewed those, go to monster.com -- select the area of work and the city/state and see what's out there.



Good luck.

Thanks for reminding me....kar, by all means contact OfficeTeam.  They have an office in the building where I work, as well as downtown Chicago.  And I recommend them highly, have used them in the past to backfill my position!



If you're interested, email me at daisylee@administrative-assistants.com, and I'll send you a contact name.  And the web site for the Tribune is chicagotribune.com (saw serveral admin and office asst positions listed today!)  Wednesdays and Sundays are the days for new job postings!



Happy hunting!



Daisy

Hi Kar,



Glad you made it over here, and as I expected, everyone here is happy to help out. You know where to find me if you need additional assistance.



Marie

Big HUGE THANKS to everyone! Especially Marie for telling me about this site! You guys are great!



About where I will be living, we will either be in Wrigleyville or Lincoln Park. We have our eye on 2 apartments, it depends which one will allow dogs=) I'm not really sure how far away that is from everything...Honestly, I've never been to Chicago, we're coming up there this month to look at the apartments so I guess I'll find out!



To everyone that offered help, I will probably take you up on it!



Thanks again everyone!!

Since you will be living in the city proper, rather than the burbs, you will want to look at any job postings in the "loop" area.  That's downtown, easily accessed by bus and el trains!



Wrigleyville and Lincoln Park are wonderful old neighborhoods, the very place where most of the young, upardly mobile live.  I'm sure you'll gave a great time.  BTW, where are you moving FROM?



Daisy

Hi Kar! I live in the northern suburbs of Chicago, been here all my life. My company has their headquarters in a northern suburb about 30 miles north of Chicago. We also have a smaller office downtown. If you're interested, I'd be happy to pass along your resume.



As for transportation, there are trains (Metra) that run north from the city into the suburbs and our firm offers a free shuttle from the train to the office. Also, there's a "Subscription Bus Service" from the Lincoln Park area up to the office. Basically it's a public bus that runs from Lincoln Park directly to the company.



There's also CTA trains/busses in the city for the downtown office. This is a much smaller office, but I just checked our postings, and we have three Admin positions open at the Chicago office.



Anyway, if you'd like me to pass on your resume, I'd be more than happy to. Just send it to ssc1208@yahoo.com



Sabrina

You guys have helped me out a lot so far, thanks! Everyone who offered to pass on my resume, I will be sending it this week. This past week has been incredibly hectic at work, I have been covering three positions while people are out of the office =)



Right now I am planning a 3 day weekend to come up there and probably go to Office Team and maybe a few other agencies and do some testing, as well as try to get my resume in to as many places as possible. I am really nervous about not having a Chicago address though, I have been told that will be a setback. We probaby won't know our address though until the end of June..



And for whoever asked, I am moving from Missouri - about an 8 hour drive. I am excited to move away from the country to the city for a while=)



Thanks again everyone!

Wow I didn't realize there was so many of us here.  Hey remember when I tried to get some of us together for lunch?  well we can try again!



Tribune is a great place to look and there are plenty of agencies that are willing to place you somewhere.  But just watch out, these agency do like to take advantage.  I had a great agency but they merged with another company and now I have no clue what they're called.



I'm here!  Write if you need anything!!  bridget_ramos@hotmail.com



 

I thought lunch would have been nice too, but I'm in the northern suburbs, and taking a couple of hours out of my day just couldn't happen.



Maybe we should start a Yahoo Club or something for Chicago Admins.