How to Include Staffing Agency Positions on Your Resume

How to Include Staffing Agency Positions on Your Resume

Temporary work can be a great way to keep money rolling in when you're between jobs. You may even rely on temp work for an extended period of time, finding it's a great fit for your life.

But when it's time to update your resume, listing those temp jobs can be tricky. Resumes are typically designed to include long-term work, directly for a company. If part of your experience has been through a staffing agency, here are some tips for including it on your resume.

Listing Your Employer and Dates

During your time with a staffing agency, you'll no doubt work with multiple companies. But if the work was sourced through a staffing agency, the agency was your employer. The staffing agency should be listed as your employer, along with the date range of the temp work.

Listing Your Job Title

If all your work for the staffing agency was in the same general occupation, this part will be easy. Simply list the job role with the word "Temp" in parentheses next to it. Example: Customer Support Representative (Temp). If you worked different roles, you may have to group the work separately. You can list them as separate jobs, with date ranges for each but the same employer, if you can't fit the work under the same umbrella.

Listing Your Duties

This is where employers will gather the bulk of what they need from your resume. In the paragraph beneath your dates, employer, and job title, include the work you performed. If you can use specific numbers, this is always a hit. "Provided phone support to more than 2,000 customers per day," for example. Your description should also express the experience you gained in the position, particularly as it relates to the type of work you'll be using your resume to land in the future.

Listing Your References

If your temp work is your most recent job experience, having solid, reliable references will be a big help. As soon as possible, reach out to the staffing agency and ask if you can use your contact there as a reference. You may also want to get their permission to use one of their clients as a reference, particularly if you know you made a good impression. It's always best to get permission from the staffing agency versus going around them to directly request this from the client.

Express Pros helps connect employers with the temporary and permanent employees they need. If you're looking for work, we have offices around the country. Give us a call at (615) 441-8898 for a free consultation to see how we can help you.