The question of how to display temp jobs on your resume is nothing new. In fact, our recruiting team sees all sorts of different ways to display contract roles – some good, some bad. We’re hoping to set the record straight today. Here’s the key to displaying all of your temporary roles on your resume, LinkedIn, and any applications that request your job experience.
If the staffing company (Parker, for example) is your employer, list them as your employer.
Let’s say you are one of our many Parker Associates that work at Nintendo of America (NOA) in their Contact Center. You may answer calls for Nintendo, troubleshoot on behalf of Nintendo, and work on the Nintendo of America campus, but you’re still an employee of Parker. Parker signs your pay checks, Parker handles your contract details (like start and end dates), and Parker manages your employment on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, when you list your time working at NOA, your resume should look similar to one of the following examples:
Contact Center Associate (Contract) at Nintendo of America June 2016 – Present
Parker Staffing Services
Contact Center Associate June 2016 – Present
Parker Staffing Services, on assignment at Nintendo of America
What if I want to display my contract experience on LinkedIn?
Good news! The same rules apply. To continue with our NOA example, here are two screenshots taken from LinkedIn profiles of Parker Associates that have worked at Nintendo of America.
We suggest something similar to the latter example. Be sure to include the logo of the staffing company and have it hyperlink to the staffing company’s LinkedIn page (versus the logo and hyperlink of the company you’re contracting for). This way, hiring managers have a clear visual not just of your employer, but of the fact that this is a contract role.
Why should I differentiate contract work from full time employment?
Well, first and foremost, it’s honest, and that’s the most important thing to be when highlighting your work history.
Second, in most scenarios contract engagements aren’t designed to last as long as fulltime employment. Let’s say you have two three-month temp jobs on your resume, but you don’t bother to clearly state that they are contracts. Most recruiters and hiring managers are going to assume that those were fulltime roles that you left after only three months on the job. This could send off some red flags. Did you hate the job and leave? Were you fired? Were you part of a layoff?
Don’t even give a recruiter or hiring manager the opportunity to raise those red flags. Instead of potentially shooting yourself in the foot, be clear about those temp jobs on your resume. The clearer you showcase your work history, the better the hiring manager and/or recruiter’s experience will be when they are considering you for opportunities. When in doubt, just remember: be clear, be concise, and be honest!
NEED MORE EXPERIENCE TO ADD TO YOUR RESUME?
No worries! We’ve got an array of administrative, HR, customer service, and executive assistant positions. If you’re looking for a new opportunity – fulltime or contract – we’d be happy to help you.
