As holiday season approaches, many people start wondering if it’s appropriate to include temporary and seasonal work experience in their resume. This question can be relevant to you whether you’re a recent graduate, unemployed or a college student.
There is nothing wrong if you decide to take a freelance, temporary or seasonal job until you get full-time employment in your field. In fact, this is the best way to gain experience, close gaps in employment and earn extra cash. Keeping your resume fresh will not only help you to embark on temporary jobs but new careers as well.
You need to tailor your resume to meet the requirements of companies that are hiring seasonal employees. Below are the tips that will help you write a good resume for seasonal employment.
* Resume presentation - Never give out a folded or rumpled resume letter. Submit a clean copy that is presentable. You can print it out using white papers on a laser printer.
* Stick to the design - It’s important to maintain the standard design format when writing your resume. Use either 11 or 12 font, Times or Arial. Use bullet points to help you break up long paragraphs. Avoid using pictures or graphs.
* Indicate your work experience - You need to list all types of employment and experience that are relevant to the job you are applying for. And remember that any work experience can help you secure that seasonal job.
* Be specific - When you want to list the positions you have held in your previous seasonal work experience, be descriptive. A good example is the case of “customer service” where you can use this format: "customer relations and quality assurance." If you claim that you exceeded target in your department, you should be specific even with the numbers.
* Point out your skills - You need to tie your skills gain from your previous seasonal work and how these skills will help your future employer.
* Be positive - Avoid highlighting negative issues about your previous employers. You might have issues with your past jobs, but it’s important to mention positives things in your resume. Positive attitude will help you to snag that part-time position.
* Be honest - Avoid any temptation to inflate your set of skills or even embellish your working history. You should not risk your credibility. If you don’t have any formal work experience, you can include your volunteer work experience or summer jobs experience.
* Update your resume regularly - Plan to revisit your resume regularly. This will give you the chance to add any new information such as awards and training programs.
* Make sure your information is relevant - It is unnecessary to list some jobs that you held more than 14 years ago. Information related to your religion, family and political leanings should not have a place in your resume either. Avoid including outside interests.
* Make sure you read your resume - It’s very important to proof-read your resume and if possible get your trusted colleague to review it.
Landing a seasonal job is definitely an adventure, but it is not impossible. When looking for a temporary work it is important to include the experience you have in the field you are applying for. This is because most employers do not want to train candidates most of the time. The earlier you prepare your resume, the better for you, so that you can submit it once the jobs are advertised.
