Question: Should I Include Recent Temp Work on a Resume?

[liberalpragmatist]

Background: Mid-20s, graduated from college a few years, preparing for grad school in a couple of years... worked in research the past couple of years, working on and then coordinating a psychiatric epidemiology study that unfortunately didn't get funded this year. So I'm a looking at other jobs in research and/or health policy. Government, corporate, non-profit, academic, so a pretty wide range. Looking to move too - currently Midwest-based, I'd like to go out to the E. Coast.

However, having gotten a reference from a friend, I've been working the past month temping in a local government office just doing clerical-type work.

My question is: should I include my current temp work on my resume? I want to show that I'm actively employed, but it also doesn't have much relevance to the kinds of jobs I'm applying to, and in terms of job responsibilities, it's well below what I've been doing. So if I do include it, how should I represent it? There are only so many ways to say "answers phones," "enters voter registration data," "makes copies," etc.

One possibility I'm tying with is separating out my more recent (and relevant) employment in one section ("Relevant Experience"), and perhaps putting my current temp work along with a few other random odd-jobs from college in a separate section ("Other Employment"). Alternately, I might just include a line at the end in what is currently "other information" where I list some skills, other experiences, etc.

Advice would be much appreciated!

LP

[XemaSab]

1. How robust is your resume

and how big is your employment gap?

For example, I lost my last "full time" job 3.5 years ago, but I have had several short-term jobs since then. In my case, I will totally put "clerk at the census" because it shows I wasn't doing NOTHING, and it shows that I am eager to work. Capisce?

[liberalpragmatist]

2. Not very long

Employment ended Dec. 31, so just January through now.

[hippywife]

3. You really should

cover any gap, no matter how small.

[seabeyond]

4. shows willingness to work, you flexibility in skills... i say, yes. nt

[givemebackmycountry]

5. As a hiring manager I say absolutley... List all of your work.

Just don't use the word "temp".

You were a contractor, doing contract work, for specific periods of time.
I just hired a guy who had three years of contract work on his resume.

"I did what I had to do" was what he said when I asked him about his 12 different positions.
It's not uncommon.
Remember, a job is a job.
Short term or long term.

[pitohui]

6. you've been doing this for a month? i vote no, they'll lowball you

it reeks of desperation that you've temping for a month and already feel a need to put it on the resume, even though you're still in your twenties

why would you list the temp job, unless you want to get a lower-than-expected salary offer from some bottom feeder?

there is nothing wrong w. letting them believe that you are willing to be selective, IF your skills are worth it, if y'ou are desperate and feel a gap of a couple, few months is a huge gap in your twenties, you are just begging to be exploited and you will be exploited

why put yourself on the track of being lowballed now, at an age where you can still afford to take risk? i say keep the phone answering jobs to yourself, if they think you have rich family/connections and can be choosey, you're going to get better offers than if they think you're a desperate serf

[Skittles]

7. YES

shows you kept yourself in the game