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How To List Temporary Jobs On Your Resume: Complete Guide
January 7, 2026
Every contract role, short-term project, and temp assignment teaches you something and moves your career forward. The key is knowing how to present temporary jobs on your resume so hiring managers see what you gained, not just where you worked.
This guide will show you exactly how to format temporary positions, avoid common mistakes, and make your diverse experience work for you—whether you've held one contract role or a dozen.
Should You Include Temp Jobs on Your Resume?
Yes. Absolutely. Temporary positions are real work experience, and leaving them off creates unexplained gaps that raise more questions than they answer.
The goal isn't to hide your temporary work—it's to present it strategically so hiring managers see a versatile professional who delivers results across different environments.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Format Temporary Work
There's no single "right" way to format temporary work. The best approach depends on your specific situation. Here's how to choose:
Step 1: Evaluate Your Temporary Work History
First, look at what you're actually working with:
- How many temporary positions have you held?
- How long did each last?
- Were they through the same staffing agency or different ones?
- How distinct were the roles and responsibilities?
Your answers will determine which formatting method works best.
Step 2: Choose Your Formatting Method
Select from the three methods below based on your work pattern:
Method 1: List Each Position Separately
Best for: Longer-term contract positions (3+ months) with distinct responsibilities at different companies.
Format:
Job Title (via Kelly)
Company Name | City, State | Month Year – Month Year
- Achievement-focused bullet point
- Quantified result demonstrating impact
Example:
Administrative Coordinator (via Kelly)
ABC Company | Atlanta, GA | March 2024 – September 2024
- Streamlined office workflows, reducing processing time by 30%
- Managed executive calendars and coordinated 50+ client meetings
- Implemented new filing system adopted by 15-person team
Method 2: Group Under Staffing Agency
Best for: Multiple short-term assignments (under 3 months each) through the same agency. Prevents resume crowding.
Format:
Various Contract Positions via Kelly
City, State | Month Year – Month Year
- Assignment 1: Job Title | Company Name (Duration) – Key achievement
- Assignment 2: Job Title | Company Name (Duration) – Key achievement
Method 3: Create a Dedicated Section
Best for: Extensive temporary work alongside permanent positions when you need to organize both clearly.
Add a separate section titled "Contract & Project Work" or "Consulting Experience" below your main work experience. Use Method 1 or Method 2 formatting within that section.
Step 3: Write Achievement-Focused Bullet Points
Whichever method you choose, your bullet points make or break the impact. Focus on:
- Quantified results: Numbers, percentages, dollar amounts
- Specific skills: Software, tools, methodologies you used
- Problems solved: What challenge did you address?
- Impact delivered: How did the organization benefit?
“What job seekers forget is that hiring managers don't review individual applications in a bubble," Anderson says. "They compare them to other people with similar backgrounds and employment histories, applying to the exact same job.”
— Jonathan Anderson, Senior Vice President of Professional Development at Softworld, a Kelly company
ATS Resume Formatting: Make Your Temp Work Searchable
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are the digital gatekeepers that filter resumes before a human ever sees them. Here's how to make sure your temporary experience gets through:
- Use standard section headings like "Work Experience" or "Professional Experience"—not creative titles that ATS might not recognize
- Include keywords from the job description naturally throughout your bullet points
- Write out acronyms at least once (e.g., "Customer Relationship Management (CRM)")
- Use simple formatting —avoid tables, text boxes, headers/footers, and graphics that ATS can't parse
- List specific technical skills including software, tools, and platforms you've used
Pro tip: If your official title was generic (like "Administrative Associate") but you did specialized work, you can clarify: "Administrative Associate – Project Coordination" or "Administrative Associate (Contract)."
If you work through a staffing agency, you've got a built-in advantage: recruiters who placed you can vouch for your work and coach you on positioning. That's the kind of advocacy algorithms can't provide.
For more on making your resume stand out in applicant tracking systems, see What is an ATS-Friendly Resume—And Does It Matter?
Before & After: Real Resume Example
Here's the difference between a forgettable temporary work entry and one that makes hiring managers take notice:
❌ BEFORE (Generic and Forgettable):
Data Entry Clerk
2024-2025
- Entered data and answered phones
What's wrong: No company name, vague dates, generic duties instead of accomplishments, no indication of scope or impact.
âś“ AFTER (Specific and Impressive):
Data Entry Specialist (via Kelly)
ABC Company | Detroit, MI | January 2024 – December 2024
- Processed 500+ orders weekly with 99.8% accuracy during high-volume production periods
- Identified and resolved recurring data entry errors, reducing quality issues by 35%
- Selected as primary backup for customer inquiry escalations due to strong communication skills
What's different: Clear company context, precise dates, quantified achievements, specific skills demonstrated, and evidence the candidate was valued enough to take on additional responsibility.
4 Common Mistakes to Avoid
You've got valuable experience—don't undermine it with these errors:
- Hiding your temporary status. Don't try to make temp work look like permanent employment. Hiring managers will find out, and it looks deceptive. Own your experience—it's an asset.
- Using generic descriptions. "Responsible for data entry" tells hiring managers nothing. What data? How much? How accurately? What was the result?
- Skipping recent temp work. If you're currently in a contract role or recently finished one, include it. Recent gaps are more concerning than temporary work.
- Forgetting soft skills. Temporary workers develop exceptional adaptability, communication, and quick-learning abilities. Make sure your bullet points reflect these transferable strengths.
How to Address Gaps from Temporary Work
If you list your temporary positions correctly, there shouldn't be gaps to explain. But if transitions between assignments created brief periods without work, here are your options:
- Use years only (not months) for older positions where small gaps don't matter
- Show continuous engagement: "Available for ongoing contract opportunities through Kelly"
- Note skill development: "Between assignments: Completed Google Analytics Certification"
The key is showing you were actively engaged in your career, even during transitions.
Take the Next Step
Your temporary work experience is valuable—now you know how to present it that way. With the right formatting and achievement-focused content, your resume will show hiring managers what you've really accomplished.
Ready to turn your contract experience into your next role? Connect with a Kelly recruiter who can help you position your temporary work and find opportunities where your adaptability is exactly what they're looking for.
FAQs
Won't listing multiple temp jobs make me look like a job hopper?
Hiring managers know the difference between someone who can't commit and someone who's been building experience across multiple environments. Succeeding at three different companies in two years actually proves something valuable: you can walk into unfamiliar situations, figure out how things work, build relationships fast, and deliver without a six-month ramp-up period. That adaptability is exactly what employers want—especially when they're hiring for roles that require quick learning or cross-functional collaboration.
Should I list the staffing agency or the company where I actually worked?
Both, ideally. The staffing agency is technically your employer of record, so list them first—then include the company where you were placed. This matters for two practical reasons: background checks and employment verification get complicated if you only list one, and hiring managers want context about the actual work environment. Format it like this: "Administrative Coordinator (via Kelly | ABC Company"
How far back should I include temporary positions?
Stick to the last 10-15 years of relevant experience. If an older temp role directly relates to the job you're applying for, include it. Otherwise, focus your resume real estate on recent, relevant work. Hiring managers care most about what you've done lately and whether those skills transfer to what they need now.
What is my temp assignment only lasted a few weeks?
Short assignments don't need individual entries unless they're directly relevant to the role you want. If you had several brief stints through the same agency, group them together under the agency name with a summary of the types of work you did. This keeps your resume clean without hiding experience. Very short assignments that aren't relevant to your target role? It's fine to leave them off entirely—your resume is a highlight reel, not a comprehensive employment record.
Do I have to label positions as "temporary" or "contract"?
Yes—and it's actually in your interest to do so. Labeling temp work clearly prevents any confusion about why you left after a few months. It also signals to hiring managers that you understand professional norms around transparency. Pick one term ("temporary," "temp," or "contract") and use it consistently throughout your resume.
Can I use supervisors from temp jobs as references?
Absolutely. A supervisor who watched you deliver results in their organization can speak to your abilities just as credibly as one from a permanent role—sometimes more so, because they saw you perform without the safety net of extensive onboarding. If you worked through a staffing agency, your recruiter can also serve as a reference and often has direct feedback from the clients where you were placed.
What if I have gaps between temporary assignments?
Brief gaps between assignments are normal and rarely raise concerns if your temp work is formatted clearly. If longer gaps exist, you have options: use years instead of months for older positions where small gaps won't show, note professional development activities ("Between assignments: Completed Google Analytics certification"), or simply be prepared to address it in an interview. The key is showing you stayed engaged in your career, even during transitions.
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