A reader writes:
Do you have any thoughts on how to list temporary work on a resume? I’ve been reading Ask a Manager for about a year now, and I can’t even tell you how much it’s helped me in my transition from college student/intern to professional. I always really appreciate that your thoughtful, honest advice, so I’d really like to know what you think.
I graduated in spring 2009, but have yet to find a permanent job in my chosen field. I’m still looking, but I’ve also been working through a temp agency to fill the gap. My question is: How do you, as a manager, like to see temporary work listed on a resume? Is there any way I can use it to my advantage?
I’m concerned that 1) it reflects badly on me that I have yet to find permanent employment 2) I don’t want to crowd out my more relevant internship experience by listing a number of less relevant, although more recent, temp jobs.
I know you’re really busy, so I understand if you don’t have time to reply. However, I just want to say again how much I appreciate your blog. It should be required reading for every young professional!
It should, shouldn’t it?
There are a couple of different ways to list temp work on a resume, which I’ll get to in a minute. But first let me address your concern that it reflects poorly on you that you haven’t found permanent employment yet: It does not. The job market has been horrible for a while now. Recent grads, in particular, are having a tremendously tough time. For most of them, it’s not their fault. As I’ve written before, for a lot of people right now, it’s not about them; it’s about math. Any hiring manager who doesn’t recognize that is an ass.
Okay, so back to how to list temp work. It depends on how long-term your assignments are. If you’ve had some relatively long-term assignments (more than a couple of weeks in one place), I’d list it like this:
Acme Architecture (via Temps Inc.) — August – October 2009
If your assignments have been more short-term, then I’d list the temp company itself as the employer, followed by a list of bullet points of the types of responsibilities you’ve had at various companies through them. Like with anything on your resume, make sure you really sell what you’ve been doing during that time.
Good luck!
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Great response. As a recruiter, I'd like to add that I would MUCH rather see a year or more of temp work on your resume, or even a year or more of volunteer work on your resume, than to see nothing. It shows me that you have taken the initiative to DO something besides just looking for permanent work, you are taking responsibility to earn money and/or gain some kind of experience (even if it's not related to your chosen field) and that you are humble enough to do what you need to do until you have the opportunity to get where you want to get!!
What about if you temped in a position for a few months, and then were hired on for that same position (with the same responsibilities)? I had that happen with my current job. I'm about to move on to something else, and I'm wondering how to put it on my resume so my start date doesn't seem sketchy when they check references for new jobs.
Kristin, if you were hired on for the same position you were temping in, with no break in between, I think it's reasonable to simply list the company you were doing the work for (rather than the temp company) for the whole period.
If you really wanted to be a stickler, you could list it this way:
Acme Architecture- Aug. 2008 – present
(first 2 months through Temps Inc.)
Kristin, you can also list it as a promotion. Promoted from temporary to full-time employee after two months.
Ask a Manager, I neglected to put the temp service that I worked for on my resume. I put only the name of the contracting company. Will this hurt me for a job I’ve gotten an offer for? I was at the contracting jobs so long It seemed like I was their employee, but for references I’ve had to tell my potential employer the temp service contacts. I had to do this after receiving an offer, will this over site make them question my veracity?
Technically, you should put the name of the temp agency too. It’s fine to list both, but don’t leave the temp agency off, or it can be seen as misleading.
Let’s say that I was originally with a temp agency in a position. After my temp contract was up, the company that I was temping for decided to have a group of temps hired under the same temp agency go through a subcontract instead of hiring on as an employee. I was wondering if this would look fine.
Verification Specialist August 2009 – present
Ceridian Corporation (via the Bowen Group)
Verification Specialist April 23, 2009 – August 2009
Ceridian Corporation (via Kelly Services)
I performed primarily the same duties. I am wanting to know if I can consolidate these two into one to save some space.
Yes! List them this way:
Verification Specialist April 2009 – present
Ceridian Corporation (via the Bowen Group and Kelly Services)
Hi,
I think this was a great article and very useful for me. Thanks a million!!
who do you put down as your supervisor?
Should it be the recruiter?
The person who actually supervised your work, so the on-site manager.
I temped for 18 months (back when the economy was good and I could afford to be picky) and I listed the supervisors at the company sites to speak to my work.
I also listed my agent at the temp agency because she was able to speak to my overall feedback metrics and dependability across the board. If I had to choose, though, it definitely would have been the on-site supervisors.
How would you list the following situation on a resume?
I worked as a temp (through Manpower) for Company A from Jan-May 2008 (in Dept. A). Then I worked as a temp (through Manpower) for Company A from July-Aug. 2008 (in Dept. B). Then I worked for Company A from Sept. 2008-July 2009 (in Dept. A). Then I went back to school in a different state from Company A. I then worked as a temp (through Manpower) for Company A for Dec. 2009-Jan. 2010 (in Dept. A). I then worked as a temp (through Manpower) for Company A for May-July 2011 (in Dept. A). I then recently started as a remote employee for Company A in Sept. 2011- present (in Dept. A). I have been specicially requested by Dept. A every time I have worked there so that I contact Manpower to set up the temp work at Company A (except when I worked for Dept. B).
One resume consultant said that I should list the actual job with Company A separately and list the others as “seasonal” work, as below:
Company A, Des Moines, Iowa
~Project Assistant II (through Manpower)- seasonally Jan. 2008-Present
~Senior Administration Specialist- Sept. 2008-July 2009
But I was worried that the word “seasonally” might be misleading, especially now that I am working as a remote employee during the year. I had “occasionally” before that, but the resume consultant said they didn’t like that word because it sounded too whimsical.
Is there a better way to list this on a resume without it getting overwhelming to the person looking at the resume? Is this not too misleading as is? Any help you can give would be much appreciated. Thanks!
“Seasonally” or “sporadically” seem to make the most sense. I wouldn’t say “occasionally” since that sounds like a lot less than what it was.
Thanks!
Hi,
I have been working for a company through a temp agency for the past 6 months. As promised, the company is now giving me the oppurtunity to hire into the position. Company policy states they still have to post the position again which means I need to apply and go through the process again even though I have been doing the job for the past 6 months. My question is, in what ways should I update my resume?
Do it just how you’d do it if you were sending the resume someplace else!
Current I have been challenged by creating an clear and concise resume. What has been my major concern is listing my temporary work. My assignments have ranged from one month to four months. Overall my full-time work are only about four positions. Should I separate my full-time and temporary work on my resume? Should there be a specific Temporary section and Full-Time section.
I have been temping at the same company for two years in different departments. When I send out my resume I don’t get many responses except from agencies. I no longer want to temp. I always get asked the question am I looking for permanent work both from recruiters at agancies as well as permanent jobs. I have worked in finance for the past 6 years and have moved around quite alto in that field. Many of the companies I worked for merged or downsized and I lost my job. I have not been on a job for more than 3 years. Does that also make my resume look bad and what do I do in that instance?
I have worked at a company for a year under a contact. At first it was for 3 months and then it ended up for a year. I left in wonderful terms. They where going to hire me but end up letting me go because they cut 75 people from the company. In my resume and when I apply to different company in there site I would put the company’s name and the temp agents to.
1st question is this right to do?
Company’s name (via temp agent)
For job tile Recruiting Coordinator (Contract).
Last week I had a phone interview they called the supervisors at the company sites I worked for but she doesn’t work there anymore. They ended up talking to HR in the company and was told that I didn’t work there. Since I got the interview by a friend that works at the company I applied for. The interviewer saw that there was a name of a temp agent company there and called them.
My 2nd question is in my resume and in the company’s website I apply to. Should I leave the company sites name I worked for or the temp agent I worked for because I am afraid that this is happening to other jobs I apply for.
Yep, that’s the right way to do it.
Do i use both of the names of the company and phone numbers to
Such a useful article, thank you for posting!
Currently I’m working for a number of temping agencies in various positions, each on a relatively short-term basis. I was wondering how I would go about posting this?
I’m updating my resume and I’m trying to figure the best way to put that I worked for a temp company for an extended period of time (14 months) doing the same exact work as did when I got fully hired at the company I was temping for. I never temped at a different company or in a different position. I’m looking currently and I’m wondering how to put it on my resume so my start date doesn’t seem like I didn’t work for a year but I do want it to show the temp work so it doesn’t look funny on any prequalification or background checks that the companies I’m applying to may do
I’m also looking to update my resume, and was wondering how best to fit what little temp work I’ve been given on it. I’ve only been with the temp agency (Randstad) since March 2012, and have currently only been given two assignments so far. One was at RONA Home & Garden for three days, and then at Canadian Tire for one month.
In both cases the work I did consisted of preparing for the new season, things such as: merchandising, loading/unloading trucks, moving pallets, heavy lifting, stocking product, etc.
According to your article, I would be better off using Randstad as the employer and listing the various tasks I’ve performed, but what I’d like to know is if I should include the sites I’ve worked at (and if I should include the short time frames for both) and how it should be organized if I do.
Thanks in advance!
i’d like to ask since during my whole working life I’ve worked a few temp jobs, but what my problem is I cannot remember what co they were that the temp agency sent me too. How do I put that on my resume? I only took long term assignments as I needed to have $$ coming in consistently.
I’d appreciate any feedback.
Thanks
Your best bet is to contact the temp company and see if they can tell you. But in the future, track that information!