Do Temp Jobs Look Bad on a Resume?
October 13, 2020 | Career Blog
Temp work is a great way to earn extra money, develop new skills, or find work that fits within a complicated schedule. While some advisors may recommend pursuing full-time jobs on your career path instead, there is a great opportunity to make use of temporary work experience.
Temp jobs do not look bad on a resume if you can tell a great story about how you have benefited from this experience. After all, temporary staffing agencies such as Allegiance Staffing work hard to connect individuals such as yourself with employers all the time to help them grow in their careers. But, how do you convince a potential full-time employer that you’re ready to commit to their company?
It comes down to how you include the information on your resume and then communicate this valuable experience in a job interview. Keep reading for more details!
Common Reasons to Consider Temping
Sure, to some employers, temp work on your resume may give them the wrong impression. Employers may worry that you get bored easily, don’t make long-term commitments, lack certain skills, or don’t mesh well with others. Don’t buy into those assumptions. Instead, improve your resume by addressing misconceptions head-on. Specifically, include a clear, concise explanation of why you pursued temp work during your career.
Some great reasons to include on your resume include:
- A way to earn extra money during college or summer break
- The need to make money in between jobs to support your family and cover bills while you searched for an opportunity that truly aligns with your future goals
- A side hustle that you worked in addition to your full-time job
- The opportunity to explore and gain experience in various roles as you worked to determine your career path
If one of those situations sounds like you, then including that information on your resume is perfectly respectable. Be prepared for your interviewer to ask you to expand on your temp work experience, as they will want to see how your situation has changed and why you wish to commit to their company.
How to List Temporary Work on Your Resume
In addition to being ready to explain your reasoning for taking temp jobs, it’s also important that you are thoughtful about the way you list temp work on your resume. The most important things to include on your resume include:
- What you took from those experiences
- How those experiences enhanced your soft skills and other capabilities
- How specific jobs or roles boosted your skill set and aided you in your career path
Consider these tips for what to include on your resume:
– Your employer. If you were sent on a work placement by a recruitment agency, make sure you list them as your employer and not the organization that you provided services for. Include the start and end dates that you worked with them. This is the company you worked for and committed to, and it should be listed as such.
– Your roles. Under the recruitment agency, give a brief explanation of the industry they focus on and areas of specialization. Then, include the roles you took while you worked for them. Name the companies you provided services for, the main duties you performed, the skills you acquired, and the dates of employment with that specific company.
– What You Achieved. This will stand out to your interviewer and show them that you took something of value from your time in temporary work. Make sure to gear those achievements towards the type of work you are currently applying for — to show your potential employer why you’re a good fit for the position.
– List The Most Recent Job First. When listing temporary work on your resume, make sure you start with your most recent position and go from there. Even if you worked in some jobs longer than others, it’s important to include all of them to avoid as many gaps as possible.
– Don’t Apologize. As you write about your experience and achievements within your temp work, do it with pride. Everything you say should highlight what was valuable about your time outside of permanent employment.
Need Assistance Finding Temp or Permanent Work?
So, do temp jobs look bad on a resume? Definitely not, especially if you are following the guidelines above! Whether you wish to continue with temp work or pursue more permanent opportunities as part of a full-time career, we are here to help. We place talent such as yourself in excellent companies covering a wide span of industries. Through our conversations, we can help you identify the path that makes the most sense for you at this stage of your career.
In addition to helping you come up with a plan, we also provide:
- Resume consultation and guidance
- Interview advice and preparation
- An opportunity to start a career with little to no current experience
- Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and short/long term disability.
- A referral incentive program (Build Grow Share) to reward you for referring us to your friends
Interested in finding out more? Reach out to us today! We are here to help.