Has anyone here worked as a receptionist at a company where you wanted to do a much higher position but get your feet wet first? What did you do to build your credentials there and learn the skills needed if you didn't have experience for it? A part of me wishes I could submit creative material to them too if this happens in my case, but I don't want to look like an ass kisser or desperate, though my grandoise thinking makes me feel that I could make a difference sometimes when I'm not so sure it's easy or I'm bound to be criticized first.

[Edited 10/14/12 8:45am]

In case you wondered, that's not what I'm doing right now. I need to job search for something else soon cause my contract is nearly done.

The master started with a part time (4 hours x 4 days a week) reception job at a college. He was at that institution for 15 years, and he was a manager (under general manager who was under CEO) when he took a severance package in December. They urged him many times to apply for general manager, but then he told me he would actually have to WORK

good one!

I'm not waiting 15 years then just to get into a company I like that may not want me in the end

[Edited 10/14/12 16:53pm]

alphastreet said:

good one!

I'm not waiting 15 years then just to get into a company I like that may not want me in the end

Oh, he wanted out

Too much work to be one of the big bosses

well I'm sure the right one will come along, but I need to get with it soon

I work as a hotel receptionist and trust me, there is no working up when it comes to the receptionist things.

alphastreet said:

Has anyone here worked as a receptionist at a company where you wanted to do a much higher position but get your feet wet first? What did you do to build your credentials there and learn the skills needed if you didn't have experience for it? A part of me wishes I could submit creative material to them too if this happens in my case, but I don't want to look like an ass kisser or desperate, though my grandoise thinking makes me feel that I could make a difference sometimes when I'm not so sure it's easy or I'm bound to be criticized first.

[Edited 10/14/12 8:45am]

thing to do is work as a receptionist, get to know people, volunteer to do 'grunt work' projects. take classes in whichever industry you work, improve your credentials and land a higher paying job at the company where you work. it is not impossible. right now, many companies prefer hiring from the inside like that, rather than taking a chance on someone entirely new to the business. good luck, keep the faith!

Girl4both said:

I work as a hotel receptionist and trust me, there is no working up when it comes to the receptionist things.

Not true.. maybe in a hotel situation but i worked at a Ford dealership and it happened all the time.. In fact thats how most of the girls in the main office got their jobs was from being promoted from a receptionist...

Girl4both said:

I work as a hotel receptionist and trust me, there is no working up when it comes to the receptionist things.

False.

Several years ago I was hired as a temp receptionist and within 3 months I was asked to stay full time with a 10k raise and full benefits...and then 8 months later they offered me a position that required a degree (that I obviously didn't have).

They felt that I would just get it on my own and I suppose I did, but to be honest I always felt two steps behind everyone else. The company was eventually bought out and they moved the office to Toronto, and I decided to take a package instead of move to another city.

You certainly still can start at the very bottom and work your way up. You just have to be a kick ass hard worker. Management will see it.

I've been a secretary for 14 years but there's no working my way up because they won't even give you the time of day unless you have a four year college education and I only went to one of those one year business colleges that were so popular in the mid 1980s when I graduated high school. The jobs laugh at that diploma these days.

that's awesome justerin! One time I was placed somewhere too through a temp agency, and wanted to be hired when they were looking, but they couldn't cause of a conflict of interest

but putting down what I did led to the job I was looking for in the end

[Edited 10/15/12 8:37am]