Julie Huegerich, Legal Secretary, Express Scripts
For some people, the path from one career phase to the next is a long and winding road. But for others, such as Julie Huegerich, it can be relatively short and direct.
After a 13-year stint as a legal secretary at Anheuser-Busch, Julie was laid off in mid-December. She soon discovered that job-hunting in the Age of Technology is quite different than it was 20 years ago. “You can’t just walk into a company’s headquarters and fill out an application. You need to look for job openings on the Internet and apply for them online,” Julie said. The interview process has changed, too. Now applicants must answer behavioral questions to illustrate their decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Fortunately for Julie, her former employer arranged for her to receive outsourcing assistance from Quest Career Center, where she learned effective résumé-writing and interview techniques. At Quest she also heard about several organizations—including the GO! Network—that provide support services for displaced workers.
Julie incorporated these resources into her search for a new job. “Every day I did something. I networked; I contacted prospective employers and made sure they had my résumé.” In late January, she attended a career fair Anheuser-Busch hosted for its recently laid-off employees. There, Julie spoke with representatives from Express Scripts and submitted her résumé. Her experience working in Anheuser-Busch’s legal helped her land an interview for a legal secretary position at the prescription benefits management company.
During the application process, she also interviewed twice at Monsanto, but in the end accepted an offer from Express Scripts, where she began working in early March.
Julie advises fellow professionals in transition to be proactive. “Working with one headhunter is not enough. You have to look online for job vacancies, attend career fairs and seminars, and participate in networking events. If you know anyone who works at a company where you’d like to work, make sure that person has your résumé. That really is the best way to get your foot in the door.”