The Benefits of Listing Gig Jobs on Your Resume
Whether you were in between jobs or needed a flexible schedule for a while, a temporary or a gig job may have helped you out at the right time. It may have provided a way for you to work around your kids' schedules or served as a placeholder after you graduated from college and started your search for the job of your dreams. It could also have been your side hustle as you climbed the corporate ladder in your main job, offering an additional income stream or a way to monetize a hobby.
That’s all great, but should you include temporary jobs on your resume? Yes, absolutely! Just because they’re temp or freelance jobs doesn't mean they’re not real work, and they may showcase valuable skills that could significantly enhance your chances of employment.
Let’s examine the benefits of listing such jobs and look at how you can use the skills you’ve acquired through them to land a permanent job. If you need help crafting your resume, consider our professional services.
Desirable skills
Working as an independent contractor, whether full-time or part-time, teaches you skills you can’t learn in other environments. When you're essentially working for yourself, you take on a lot of responsibilities. You determine your own success or failure. It takes strict discipline and self-regulation to succeed as a self-employed individual, and listing gig jobs on your resume is a great way to communicate these qualities to a potential employer.
Don't discount the value temporary work can add to your hiring appeal. Whether you picked up some freelance jobs, worked as an Instacart shopper, or dipped your toes into Airbnb rentals to earn a living, you likely learned some skills that you can put to good use in your next permanent position.
Here are some of the skills your temporary jobs may contribute to your resume:
- Time management
- Self-discipline
- Customer service
- Exceeding targets
- Money management
Benefits of including temp jobs on your resume
It's just as important to include your accomplishments from a temp job on your resume as it is to include those from a traditional job. They showcase your skills, talents, and expertise to an employer in the exact same way. The key is positioning the skills and lessons you learned from working a gig job in a way that will carry them over to the position you're seeking, perhaps even giving you an edge over other candidates. The best way to do this is to include specific examples of your achievements and successes, explaining how you delivered quality work to your clients.
Make sure you’re specific (if possible) when you highlight your achievements, which may include:
- Going above and beyond to troubleshoot a problem for a client;
- Earning bonuses for exceeding targets;
- Training a corporate team;
- Managing or coaching other independent contractors;
- Receiving awards;
- Earning excellent reviews and ratings from customers.
Other benefits
Including your temporary jobs on your resume also fills in any gaps in your employment history, which can spare you the discomfort of having to discuss those gaps during your interview.
A good rule of thumb is to refer to your temporary work using the word “independent.” For example, “Independent Contractor” for freelance work or “Independent Rep” for personal shopping services. This covers your bases in case you come face to face with a hiring manager who looks down on freelance work.
Remember: The fact that you took control of your circumstances and were determined to do whatever was necessary to earn an income speaks volumes to a hiring manager. It shows qualities they look for in a candidate, notably ambition, discipline, and independence.
Before you write off that gig job as unsuitable for your resume, consider all the ways in which it could add value to it. When done correctly, including your temporary work is more likely to impress a hiring manager than give them cause to judge you. If you need help crafting a resume that gets the attention of recruiters, check out our resume services!
