It is not uncommon in this post-recession environment for job seekers to accept short-term employment, temporary jobs, and other types of contract work in their chosen field. When it comes to listing those jobs on a resume, however, many candidates fumble. They are not sure how to list short-term jobs in a way that won’t make them vulnerable to sloppy resume screeners or employers who may view temporary employment as a negative.
What is the best way to address short-term jobs, and how can you use your resume to clearly illustrate their relevance for the position you’re currently seeking?
- Never Omit
Many job seekers find themselves tempted to leave temporary work off of their resume, viewing it as a placeholder. Omitting contract work, however, leaves holes in your resume, and you never want to leave gaps in your work history when you were, in fact, working. - Include The Name of Your Recruiting Agency
This is especially important if you worked with a firm on more than one assignment. You may have completed a year’s worth (or more) of temporary jobs for a single recruiter. Reputable firms will be known in their niche, and a long history of successful short-term work for a single recruiting agency can work in your favor. - Include the length of each assignment
Showing employers a solid start and end date for each assignment that you accepted while working with a staffing agency shows that you have versatility and flexibility, and that you’re able to learn and adapt quickly to new situations. - Include relevant details
For each temporary job, be sure to list specific accomplishments. You can describe professional teams that you were included on, the goals of the projects you worked on, and specific ways in which you contributed to the success of each project. Documenting your accomplishments will show that you were committed to the organization, even though your tenure may have been brief. - Ask your recruiter for advice
Before finalizing your resume, seek the advice of your recruiter. They will be able to help you identify the most relevant details to include, and they can help you frame your experience in a way that will be seen as a positive when seeking a permanent, full-time position.
For job search guidance and advice on how to leverage your temporary experience to land a permanent position, contact The Prevalent Group today. We are a nationally recognized management and executive placement and recruitment company that works with experienced managers and executives in sales, marketing, engineering, technology and more. We look forward to working with you.