How to list temp agency work on a resume

For a temporary assignment through a staffing agency, name both the agency that employed you and the client where you worked. Label the role as temporary and use the dates of that assignment. You can list assignments separately or group them under the agency, provided each role, client, and date range stays clear.

First confirm the arrangement. An agency may employ you for an assignment or simply recruit you for a job where the client hires you directly. Check your employment and assignment records or ask the agency if you are unsure. A recruiter introducing you to an employer does not by itself make the job temporary.

Make the agency and client relationship explicit

A straightforward separate entry puts the agency on the employer line, your actual role with a temporary label beneath it, and the client in the description. A client-first heading can also work if it says “through [agency name]” beside the client. Keep both names visible rather than leaving the reader to guess who employed you.

Use your real title and an accurate label. Temporary agency work is not automatically self-employment. If you operated your own business or served clients independently, the freelance work guide addresses that different relationship.

If you cannot name the client, confirm what description you may share, such as “regional office-supply distributor.” Do not include private customer details or internal records to prove the assignment happened.

Give each assignment its own dates and evidence

Daniela Cho and the following work history are fictional. Prairie Linden Staffing employed her for two assignments in Winnipeg, MB. She was an Inventory Clerk at Oakmere Office Supply from March through May 2026, then an Administrative Assistant at Birch Quay Equipment from July through September 2026. She had no assignment in June, and neither assignment is current.

When Daniela applies for administrative work, separate entries put the more recent office assignment first:

The repeated agency name is intentional. Each entry identifies the client and the work Daniela did there. The service-request log stays with the office assignment, and the later title does not extend back to March. These entries also leave June outside either assignment. If a gap between assignments needs context, the employment gap guide covers when and how to explain it.

For more detail on choosing evidence within an entry, use the resume bullet guide. A short assignment can show a concrete contribution without an invented savings figure or a claim that you managed the client's team.

The administrative assistant resume example shows how office duties can support a complete resume. Keep your own agency relationship and assignment dates when adapting its approach.

Group assignments when the shorter version stays clear

Grouping can help when several assignments through one agency would repeat the same heading and similar work. Separate entries are useful when assignments need different titles, dates, or bullets. There is no fixed number of assignments that forces either format.

Daniela could also use the agency name above two dated assignment lines:

If you add an overall agency date range, distinguish continuous employment from intermittent assignments. Being registered with an agency between jobs does not establish that you worked throughout that period. Keep assignment dates even when an agency employment period is longer. Use “Present” only for a relationship or assignment that is actually current, and make clear which one it describes.

Choose relevant assignments for a focused resume, but follow an application form's instructions if it asks for a complete history or separate employer and worksite details. Keep a fuller record of assignments so you can answer those questions accurately.

Show a direct hire as a separate change

If a client later hires you directly, make the transition visible. A simple approach is an agency assignment entry followed by a direct-employment entry under the client, each with its own dates. If you use one combined heading instead, state when the agency assignment ended and direct employment began.

Do not describe a temp-to-hire opportunity as a completed hire before it happens. If an agency recruited you for direct employment from the start, list the company that hired you. You do not need a temporary label just because a recruiter was involved.

Enter the details and check the final page

In Better Resume, use Add experience for each separate assignment to follow the first two excerpts. Put the agency in Employer, the actual role and temporary label in Job title, and the city and province or state in Location. Enter the assignment's own start and end dates, and leave Currently work here unchecked once an assignment has ended. Name the client in Description (Optional) before the bullets. Use Preview to check how the entries read together.