You may wonder whether it’s advisable to include temporary consulting assignments on your resume or not. The answer is a resounding “yes.” Doing temporary work shows your initiative, tenacity and commitment to keeping your skills sharp and staying current with industry trends. In today’s economic environment, temporary work is more common than ever before – and recruiters view it as a positive means of enhancing your marketable qualifications.

So, highlight those temporary assignments on your resume – but do it the right way.

 
Use a Chronological Format

While there is much debate about which resume format is most effective, chronological listings best tell the story of your success as a temporary consultant. This format:

• Allows for additional lines of text for each job and provides a full picture of your work history in a well-organized fashion.
• Is easier to read. Keywords, which are critical as more and more employers scan resumes electronically, are quickly pinpointed.

 
List Your Staffing Agency as Your Employer

When you take on a consulting assignment, you’re working for your staffing agency, not the company to which you are assigned. So list your agency as your employer, then go on to describe your specific projects.

• List the name of your agency, followed by a blurb describing its specialty areas. Add the full dates of your employment with the agency, to the right of the agency name.
• Include each temporary job in a list underneath the information on your staffing agency. Include the assignment name and a brief business description.
• Highlight your achievements in each temp job. Add two or three accomplishments, such as skills you learned, tasks you completed, teams you led and recognitions you earned. Contact your staffing agency and see if the client provided any positive feedback on your performance.

 
It Looks Like This

Here’s an example of what the employment section of your resume might look like when describing your temporary employment:

Magellan Search and Staffing, Philadelphia, PA                           March 2011 – Present

Industry-leading full-service agency based in Philadelphia and serving the accounting, finance and IT industries nationwide.

ABC Solutions, Lansdowne, PA                                                       March 2011 – March 2012

Technical Design Coordinator

• Led process design team to develop and implement comprehensive system solutions and upgrade outdated hardware and processes.
• Utilized Six Sigma/SDLC concepts to complete project under budget and within designated time frame.

XYZ Innovations, Montgomery County, PA                                    March 2012 – Present

Technical Operations Lead

• Manage internal OLAs and external SLAs to ensure timely delivery and security of production in a 24/7/365 environment.
• Recognized with XYZ Team Innovator Award for development of on-call rotation system that improved response by team members working across multiple time zones. As a result, customer complaints decreased 23 percent over a three-month period.

 
Temporary consulting – and the way you portray your successful assignments on your resume – can be a key stepping stone to realizing your long-term career aspirations. If you are looking for temp jobs in Philadelphia PA, contact our team today.