While searching for an executive level job, have you spent time working temporary positions? You may feel a bit apprehensive about including this type of opportunity on your executive resume. However, you’d probably be surprised if you found out how many employers are used to seeing temp jobs, even on executive resumes.

As many executives know, some temp jobs can be as challenging and rewarding as full time occupations, especially on the executive level. So as you write your resume, don’t feel that your temp positions deserve anything less that the treatment you would give a permanent position. And most importantly, don’t exclude them. Instead, learn how to add them on. Here are a few steps to consider:

Follow the Standard Resume Format

You may be tempted to use different resume format since you’re adding material that is not considered standard on your resume. This can be a mistake, as you’ll want to keep your executive resume as normal and standardized as possible. This means making your temp job entry the same as the other employment history entries on your resume.

How, then, can you show that the temp position was different in some way from your other positions? Well, since a temporary position isn’t exactly the same, you would simply add “temporary” at the end of your job title. For instance, if you were filling in as the Executive Communications Director then you would simply write “Executive Communications Director, Temporary” on your resume. This is the only reference to your position being temporary that is necessary. If your potential employer has more questions, you can answer them in the interview.

Make Sure to Add to Regular Job Section

Again, you want your temporary position to have the same feel as the other jobs on your resume. When you’re adding in all of your positions chronologically, ideally you’ll want to have any temporary positions in their obvious place. In other words, don’t create a separate “temporary” section. The truth is you fulfilled the duties of any real employee in the same position. So why should you treat it as anything less?

Listing Your Agencies

If you were hired on a temporary basis through an agency, you do want to list the agency on your resume. If you had only one assignment through the agency then it’s a good idea to combine the assignment and agency into a single entry. In other words, you would list the job you worked for and your title then list the agency you worked for in the job description.

On the other hand, if you had multiple assignments through an agency then you want to list the agency in the place where you would normally list the company. If you want to list more than one of assignments you had with the agency, the will be listed as bullet points under the company. If you only want to list a single assignment, however, you’d want to put the agency’s name in the “company name” part of the listing, then detail your exact duties and name the business that had employed you temporarily under the “job description” section.

So now do you feel more comfortable with adding a temporary position to your resume? If so then there’s no better time than now to get started.

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