How to List Temp Placements on Your Resume
Kent R.
There is a lot of confusion about how to list temporary placements on a resume. Do you list the agency that placed you or the name of the company at which you worked (or both)? Do you have to mention that the work was temporary or project based?
Formatting temp experience is tricky enough. Add in the common sentiment that temporary or project based work needs to be downplayed in some way – that these kinds of employment somehow add less value – and things get very confusing.
The good news is that you don’t need to downplay this kind of work. In fact, you should make it as clear as possible and celebrate it. Showing that you are agile and can plug in to multiple corporate environments or thrive on a wide range of projects will make you an even more attractive candidate. Additionally, multiple placements are a very clear stamp of approval.
Having said all that, there is an added layer of complexity when you are essentially working for two parties at once. The goal is to list these experiences in a way that is uncluttered and that quickly communicates your story. There are two very straightforward approaches based on the length of your placements / projects.
1) If you have several short-term placements, I suggest first listing your agency with a full date range. This helps to eliminate the initial impression that you are a job hopper. Here is how that could look:
Agency Name – Location (Full Date Range)
Title, Company Name (Dates)
Short overview of your responsibilities...
• Achievement
• Achievement
Title, Company Name (Dates)
Short overview of your responsibilities...
• Achievement
• Achievement
2) If your placements are long-term, you may want to take a slightly more streamlined approach that highlights the company at which you worked (and less so the agency). Here is how that could look:
Title, Company Name (via Agency Name) (Dates)
Short overview of your responsibilities...
• Achievement
• Achievement
Regardless of how you list temporary placements or project based work on your resume, it is important that it be clear, easy to digest and – most importantly – that it makes it easy for the reader to focus on the quality of your accomplishments in each role.