Summary: Contract & full-time jobs on resume

[Anne Chenette <anne -at- WAVEFRONT -dot- COM>]

Well, it took a month (I've been busy hunting for work...), but
here's my summary of the VERY helpful responses to my question
about how to combine permanent and contract work on a resume.
Thanks to all who sent advice and tips and sample resumes!

Here's my original question (from 7 Aug 1997):

> I'm just starting out as a freelance contract writer, after 14 years
> in the tech writing biz.  And, oh, I'm just FULL of questions.
> Here's one for those who have mixed permanent and contract work.
>
> How do you describe your contract jobs on your resume?  Do you
> give equal weight to permanent and contract jobs?  Do you handle
> short and long contracts differently?  What if you have lots of
> one type and few of another?
>
> Does anyone have a sample resume they would be willing to share?
> Or the URL of a web resume?

Here's the helpful information I received:

- Give equal weight to permanent and contract positions, regardless of
  duration.

- Stress the project and skills used, not the length or "permanence" of
  the position.

- Don't include dates/durations for contract jobs.

- Clearly distinguish between contract and permanent jobs, lest an employer
  think you can't hold down a job.

- List the name of the client first, followed by the contract agency
  (clarifying contract status).

- Trim your resume occasionally, keeping only recent jobs (the definition
  of "recent" can vary).

Several people recommended a functional resume format, with a short work
history section at the end.  One advised putting preferred/relevant work
first. But another person pointed out that a chronological job listing
makes it easier for potential employers to see your career development.

One person mentioned that a skills table (or sheet) helps agencies and
job shops who don't use scanners or databases.  Another suggested ordering
your resume around skills, not previous positions.

Some people separate contract and permanent work; one suggested using two
sections, "selected consulting experience" (no dates) and "employment
history" (with dates).  But all give equal weight to contract and full-
time work.

And tips included the useful reminder to tailor a resume for the position.
In my case, however, I've been preparing resumes for agencies, so they
need to stay general (and long).  It was reassuring to hear from one
person who uses a 5-page resume for agencies, with a tailored, 2-page
resume for individual clients.

                                Gratefully,
                                  Anne

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Anne Chenette, Technical Writer and Web Developer
anne -at- wavefront -dot- com
http://www.wavefront.com/~anne/

The Web Server Handbook: http://www.prenhall.com/~palmer/
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