Including temp jobs in CV

sickofusernames

Hi, need some help if possible on how to rearrange my CV without making it look unprofessional.

My main last role for 11 years was telecomms but due to not being able to find a job I've been doing temporary driving jobs for various companies via an agency. Would I put that as additional info, in a cover note where applicable or include it as normal at the top of my work experience?

Any help appreciated, cheers, Stu

LittleVoice

Because the CV may be read ahead of the letter, include some reference to your recent work experience - otherwise there will be an unexplained gap from your last telecomms job.

To show steadiness in what you have done since then, mention the job as being for the one agency rather than the different clients of that company.

However, instead of providing a chronological CV (where the most recent job appears near the start and you work backwards), you may find a functional CV is better if you want to revert to your earlier career.

xxhayley_hxx

Hello Stu!

I'll make up dates for & job title for purposes of example
For your CV, lay it out like this:

DATES......................EMPLOYMENT

Mar 09 - Present.........Various temporary assignments for (name of recruitment agency) including Sales Advisor, Debt Collector etc

Nov 98 - Feb 09..........Telecomms
................................Account Manager

..............................* Communication with customers
..............................* Cold calling
..............................* Blablablabla


Under Telecomms, pack out this bit full of all your experience, that way the employer will be drawn to looking at this experience. You aren't hiding anything, you're just making your CV look less job hoppy.

Btw - I would not reverse your CV, it's highly annoying to read this way.

Hope this helps
Hayley (Recruitment Consultant)

BYALPHAINDIA

This is one thing I have never understood about Rec Agencies.

Some people sail thru just having the 1 job, But many others mainly thru no fault of their own maybe due to the 'Economic climate' have to jump from ship to ship.

The agencies should take the candidate/temp as they present themself.

What's done is done, I'm sure some of the consultants are 'Overated' Rec Consultants who have sometimes also had a 'Chequered' employment history?

I could count just a few many years ago.

Employing someone should be done on 'Aptitude' just like testing that Trainee pilot's undertake as part of their interviewing procedure.

At least if they had done more jobs they had more experience in the working environment.

Evilm

A Next Step advisor told me to put a sentance at the top of my work experience saying "all gaps in employment dates below are due to Temp jobs or jobseeking. These temp jobs included: (blah blah blah)".

Then I just put my most recent experience as a temp job as if doing a chronological CV and leave the rest out. (I've done a lot of temp work in between perm roles since starting work).

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

xxhayley_hxx wrote: »

Hello Stu!

I'll make up dates for & job title for purposes of example
For your CV, lay it out like this:

DATES......................EMPLOYMENT

Mar 09 - Present.........Various temporary assignments for (name of recruitment agency) including Sales Advisor, Debt Collector etc

Nov 98 - Feb 09..........Telecomms
................................Account Manager

..............................* Communication with customers
..............................* Cold calling
..............................* Blablablabla


Under Telecomms, pack out this bit full of all your experience, that way the employer will be drawn to looking at this experience. You aren't hiding anything, you're just making your CV look less job hoppy.

Btw - I would not reverse your CV, it's highly annoying to read this way.

Hope this helps
Hayley (Recruitment Consultant)

I personally think this is the best advice (HPayley beat me to it!)

This is what I have done in the past, no need to put EVERY agency down but at least there would be no gaps and it looks a lot neater