previously employed by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "previously employed by" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a past job or position held by an individual at a specific organization or company. Example: "She was previously employed by a leading tech firm before starting her own business."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Ms. Johnson was previously employed by the Richard Allen Center on Life, a foster care agency, which closed.

The New York Times

The RSF are a paramilitary unit comprised of Janjaweed militia previously employed by the government to battle rebels in Darfur.

The Guardian

And yet, there is only Jaime Zurita, previously employed by the Yankee Pedlar Inn in Holyoke, Mass.

The New York Times

Some Unite members were previously employed by the civil service but their jobs have now been privatised or outsourced.

The Guardian

Previously employed by Manufacturers Hanover Trust & Avaya, Inc. Survived by children, Steven, Shannon and Colleen; mother, Anne Scanlan; brother, Daniel Scanlan.

The New York Times

One Iraqi oil company manager previously employed by Shell told me, "I see the future of Iraq as the United Arab Emirates... separate states".

The Guardian - Opinion

@CEB_ECSB: 45% of boomers who started a business in the last 3 years were previously employed by a large corporation.

The New York Times

A private investigator previously employed by the News of the World was arrested today over allegations of phone hacking and perverting the course of justice.

Independent

It brought together around 900 nurses, physiotherapists, doctors and other staff previously employed by the primary care trust and local council.

Independent

Freestyle has used an innovative digital video technology, previously employed by film-makers like James Cameron, to allow crowd members to display apparently real-time reactions to the players' performance.

The Guardian - Tech

Monkey is not quite sure what Whitehouse would have made of the anniversary being marked with a PR stunt previously employed by FHM to project a naked image of Gail Porter onto the Houses of Parliament, but there you go.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "previously employed by", ensure you provide context about the subsequent or current role of the person for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "previously employed by" when referring to someone's current employer. Use phrases like "currently employed by" or "works at" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "previously employed by" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun, providing information about a person's prior work experience. According to Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Science

39%

Encyclopedias

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Social Media

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "previously employed by" is a grammatically sound and widely used prepositional phrase to indicate a person's former employer. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is considered grammatically correct. Its frequency is very common, particularly in News & Media and Scientific contexts. While suitable for neutral and professional communications, remember to use the phrase accurately concerning tenses. Consider alternatives like "formerly worked at" or "previously worked for" to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formerly worked at

This alternative uses "formerly" instead of "previously", emphasizing the past nature of the employment.

previously worked for

This substitutes "employed" with "worked", offering a slightly more informal tone while retaining the original meaning.

used to work for

Expresses a past employment relationship, focusing on the habitual aspect of past employment.

was an employee of

This alternative uses a more formal structure, highlighting the individual's status as an employee.

once worked at

This conveys that the person worked at the organization at some point in the past, without specifying the duration.

past employee of

This alternative uses a noun phrase to describe the individual's relationship to the organization.

had been employed by

This uses the past perfect tense to indicate that the employment occurred before a specific point in time.

formerly in the service of

This offers a more formal or archaic tone, emphasizing the act of serving the organization.

served at

This is a shorter and more concise alternative, focusing on the act of serving at the organization.

held a position at

This emphasizes the specific role or position the individual held within the organization.

FAQs

What does "previously employed by" mean?

The phrase "previously employed by" indicates that someone used to work for a specific company or organization in the past, but no longer does.

What can I say instead of "previously employed by"?

You can use alternatives like "formerly worked at", "previously worked for", or "used to work for" depending on the context.

How do I use "previously employed by" in a sentence?

You can use "previously employed by" to provide background information about someone's work history. For example, "John, previously employed by Google, now leads the engineering team at our company."

Is it correct to say "previously employed at" instead of "previously employed by"?

While "previously employed at" might be acceptable in some informal contexts, "previously employed by" is generally considered more standard and grammatically correct for formal writing.