Staffmark Blog 4 Tips When You Have Temp Work to Include on Your Resume

Contract work can be great for your career! It provides opportunities to gain new experiences within new industries, learn new skills, and boost your resume. Now about that resume – how exactly should you list contract work? Here are four resume tips! 1. Don’t skip it. Some candidates worry about including temporary work because they don’t want to look like a job hopper. Temporary and part-time work is very common today – and isn’t frowned upon. If your assignments helped you sharpen valuable skills, then it only makes sense to include them. Plus, if you don’t list temp work, you’ll have gaps in employment which could be viewed as a red flag. 2. List work in chronological order. This will give potential employers the full picture of your work history and the flow of your career. 3. Include both the staffing agency and the client. Add the staffing agency as the employer and then list the company you were assigned to for the duration of the contract. Also include the dates of employment and your temp job title. When moving to a different job, if you have to do an employment verification, it’s difficult to confirm employment without both company names. You’ll save yourself and future employers’ time by including both. 4. Highlight your achievements. Similar to the other work experience on your resume, include 2-3 accomplishments for each job. Even short-term work can offer valuable skills that you can apply to future jobs. (If you have trouble thinking of accomplishments, reach out to your recruiter and ask about positive feedback received.) Focus on your achievements rather than responsibilities, and quantify your impact whenever possible. You only have a few seconds to grab a potential employer’s attention. Follow these tips to allow all of your work experience and skills to shine.