He Xuqing, a first year student at Shanghai International Studies University, is going to spend the intervening time working as a company secretary paid by the hour.

"I work three hours twice a week. And I can earn 500 yuan ($60) a month," said He. "Though I am always rushing between studies and this job, it's worthwhile."

Statistics show Shanghai now has nearly 10,000 people working as secretaries paid by the hour for consulting, accounting, ticket-booking, translating companies and some websites.

The emer-gence of secretaries paid by the hour, or temps, is a new phenomenon in Shanghai. Many of them are college students and women dominate this profession.

Some in the industry say regulations should be made to govern the business.

"We've found that some employment advertisements are not reliable," said the manager of a job agency.

He would like to see regulations formulated to ensure employers treat their secretaries fairly.

A junior student in Fudan University told Shanghai Star that she once got a job as a "secretary" for a young man who was really only looking for a female escort.

But most employers are above board. They can be categorized into three types: businessmen or officials who come from other areas to investigate commercial and investment conditions in Shanghai, overseas businessmen who stay for short-term commercial reasons and local enterprises which can't afford the most highly-qualified secretaries.

"Employing experienced local secretaries who are paid by the hour is less expensive than hiring office workers as full-time employees," said Zhang Qingsong, an executive of a private company, who has employed three hourly secretaries from different colleges in Fudan University. "From my personal experience, I've found that hourly-paid secretaries work more efficiently.

"A few years ago, college students only had the choice of being family tutors to earn some pocket money," said Zhu Lin, one of his secretaries. 'But now, more and more of them work for companies which is a much better channel for them to learn practical skills and to earn more money."

Zhu earns 600 yuan ($72) and at weekends she also works as an editor for a website that brings in another 600 yuan ($72). "I am proud to be economically independent now."

Last month Zhu bought herself a mobile phone and a laptop. "They save me a lot of time."

Compared with the college students, Chen Huiquan, an executive secretary in a joint venture, seems much busier.

"My time is separated into only two parts - work and sleep, without any time for relaxation. Apart from a regular job, I work as a part-time secretary for another two companies," said Chen.

"I work till 10 o'clock in the evening every day," said Chen. "The up-side is my income is doubled."

But Chen said she had to agree with her boss that she would hand over 15 per cent of the income from her part-time to the company. Not too long ago, companies would not permit workers to moonlight. But now most bosses are not too worried if their employees work part-time elsewhere.