What do you do if employers have concerns or biases about temporary and contract work on your resume?

To address employers' bias about earning more money with contract work and potentially being unhappy in a full-time role, it's essential to focus on your motivation, career goals, and commitment to the position you're applying for. Highlight your enthusiasm for the specific role and company, emphasizing how it aligns with your long-term career objectives. Use concrete examples and anecdotes to illustrate your dedication to your craft and your excitement about contributing to the company's success. Here's an example: "While contract work provided valuable experiences and skills, my ultimate goal has always been to find a fulfilling full-time role where I can contribute long-term and grow within a supportive team."

Emphasize skills and achievements from temporary roles. Provide context for each position's contribution to career development. Highlight any continuity or progression within temporary work. Address concerns during interviews, explaining reasons for seeking temporary roles. Showcase stability and reliability despite temporary status. Focus on skills and qualities that make you a strong candidate.

Consider showcasing the adaptability and resilience you've developed through contract work. Employers value candidates who can quickly integrate into new environments and teams. Mention specific instances where you successfully navigated different workplace cultures or rapidly adapted to new processes. This not only demonstrates your flexibility but also your ability to thrive in varied settings. Furthermore, emphasize your unique perspectives from working across multiple industries or projects. Your broad experience can be framed as an asset, providing fresh insights and innovative approaches that can benefit the company.

Quantify why or how this short-term project was difficult to achieve, difficult to attain, or had something particularly complex and challenging about it. How were you selected for your greatness? Example: "Selected as 1 of 5 contractors to advice SVP-level leaders on the impact of AI models on the financial markets."

Use action verbs and quantify your achievements, showing the tangible impact you made. For example, instead of simply stating you worked on a marketing campaign, detail how your efforts led to a 20% increase in customer engagement. This showcases not only your adaptability but also your effectiveness in diverse settings. Moreover, emphasize the breadth of your network and collaborations, which can be an asset in roles requiring stakeholder management or cross-functional teamwork. By presenting your contract experiences as opportunities that enhanced your professional growth and contributed to your industry knowledge, you can shift the focus from the nature of your employment to the value you bring as a candidate.

"Worked directly with the Chief Marketing Officer" or "Presented findings to Senior Team" or "Leveraged subject matter expertise in XX to serve on a 6-month pilot project for YY."

Demonstrate a strategic approach to your career trajectory. If you transitioned from a contract role in marketing to a temporary position in sales, highlight how the skills gained in each role complement the other and contribute to a well-rounded understanding of business operations. This addresses concerns about continuity and showcases your ability to leverage diverse experiences for professional growth. Also, if you've taken courses or certifications during employment gaps, list these in a dedicated section on your resume to emphasize commitment to continuous learning and development. A clear narrative that links your experiences can reassure employers that your career path, though unconventional, has been intentional and purposeful.

Use language that shows intentionality. "Recruited to lead a team of contractors to execute..." "Selected by senior management to engage in short-term..."

"While I was at my prior role for four years, after this dedicated tenure, I intentionally sought a few part-time roles so that I could care for my aging parents. Now, I'm excited and ready to return full-time to the workforce."

If you do, control the narrative and demonstrate self-awareness. In your cover letter, you might say, "My career journey included various temporary roles, each of which equipped me with unique skills and perspectives that are perfectly suited to the challenges and opportunities of this position." During an interview, prepare a concise explanation that highlights the positive outcomes of your contract work. For example, "Working in different environments honed my adaptability and collaboration skills, enabling me to integrate seamlessly into new teams and contribute effectively from day one." By proactively addressing potential concerns, you can reassure employers of your commitment and readiness for a long-term role.

"Successfully launched product in 6-month window and exceeded team's revenue projections." "Manager reference available upon request."

I’m not 100% sure. I try and explain the accomplishments and responsibilities. Often contract jobs require a lot more effort.