Tailoring your CV for temp and contract roles

Your recruitment agency needs an up-to-date CV to help you find the most suitable temp or contract job. Letting your consultant know about new skills, systems knowledge and qualifications you may have gained is essential and your CV should reflect this.

If you are in the process of rejuvenating your CV, focus more on technical skills, flexibility, availability and your ability to fit in with the existing team. Here are our top four suggestions.

1. Make sure your CV isn’t too ‘diverse’

Even if you’ve been a soup cook on a Vietnamese trawler remember that the skills probably aren’t transferable. You want to list work experience that is relevant to the jobs you’re applying for. Perhaps group similar placements under one heading, putting your best assignments first, but be sure to mention the date and length of assignment of each.

2. Emphasise your temp credentials

Adaptable, flexible, quick to learn; temps must consistently exhibit a judicious mix of technical and soft skills. Showcase yours in a career summary at the top of your CV so that employers are sold on you from the outset.

3. Make your CV stand out from the crowd

Don’t just list your job skills, describe what you’ve achieved from applying these skills in the workplace. List major accomplishments for each assignment, using the STAR technique as a template; describe the Situation, the Task required as a result, the Action you took and the Result of that action.

4. Let Google know who you are

Google, and other search engines uses complex algorithms to match search criteria with relevant content. If you’re going for an admin role, the relevant content will consist of something along the lines of ’40 wpm, Excel formulae, and good team player. Google behaves in much the same way as a seasoned HR manager. If your CV manages to get your USPs in the first paragraph, Google will find it. Resist the temptation to cheat. You could put ‘red hot admin assistant’ in your career summary and you would get more hits, but not the sort you’re after!

Why not use your newly updated CV to apply for Michael Page jobs today.