Odd Jobs on Resume

Should You List Odd Jobs on Resume

While not always necessary, listing odd jobs on your resume can provide a unique perspective to potential employers, showcasing adaptability, resourcefulness, and a strong work ethic. In some countries like the United States, where applicants often have extensive work histories, listing odd jobs can demonstrate a wide range of experiences that may not be apparent in traditional employment roles. However, it's essential to consider regional differences and industry standards when deciding whether or not to include these experiences on your resume.

Why to List Odd Jobs on Resume

• Demonstrate Versatility: Odd jobs can showcase a diverse range of skills that may not be apparent in traditional employment, such as problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and adaptability.
• Highlight Transferable Skills: Many odd jobs require a set of transferable skills that are valuable in various professional settings, such as communication, time management, and customer service.
• Show Resilience: Engaging in odd jobs often indicates an ability to find employment in challenging circumstances, showcasing resilience and adaptability.
• Stand Out from the Crowd: In a competitive job market, listing odd jobs can help you stand out from other applicants with similar traditional work experience, demonstrating your unique experiences and qualities.

Where to List Odd Jobs on Resume

• Experience Section: If the odd job is related to your target industry or career goal, it may be beneficial to list it in the Experience section, highlighting specific skills and achievements relevant to the position you're applying for.
• Skills Section: If the odd job doesn't directly relate to your target industry but showcases valuable transferable skills, consider listing it in the Skills section.
• Volunteer/Community Service Section: If the odd job was performed on a volunteer basis or as part of community service, this is an appropriate place to list these experiences.
• Education Section: If the odd job was a part-time job during your education that directly related to your major or field of study, it could be included in the Education section under Work Experience or Activities.

Examples of How to List Odd Jobs on Resume

Example 1 - Relevant Experience

This example demonstrates how to format this information effectively on your resume.

Seasonal Farmworker (Summer 2019)

• Harvested fruits and vegetables for a local farm, working independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrated physical strength, agility, and attention to detail in the field
• Utilized time management skills to ensure efficient harvesting and meet daily targets

What's Good: This example highlights relevant transferable skills that can be applied to many industries, such as physical labor, teamwork, and time management. It also demonstrates adaptability by working independently and under various conditions.

Example 2 - Transferable Skills

This example demonstrates how to format this information effectively on your resume.

Dog Walker (Summer 2021)

• Walked multiple dogs for a local pet care service, ensuring they were exercised daily
• Communicated effectively with clients regarding their pets' needs and behaviors
• Managed multiple tasks and time efficiently to complete walks on schedule

What's Good: This example showcases transferable skills like communication, time management, and multitasking, which are valuable in many professional settings. It also demonstrates empathy and a customer-focused attitude, which can be attractive qualities for employers.

What to Avoid While Listing Odd Jobs on Resume

• Providing Too Much Detail: Focus on the skills and experiences that are relevant to your target job and industry; avoid including unnecessary or irrelevant details.
• Using Informal Language: Ensure that the language used is professional and error-free, even for casual or odd jobs.
• Not Explaining Relevance: If an odd job seems unrelated to your target career, explain how it has developed valuable skills or qualities that are applicable in your desired field.
• Overemphasizing Odd Jobs: While odd jobs can add value to your resume, be cautious not to overemphasize them at the expense of more traditional employment experiences.

How to List Skills-based and Short-Term Projects on Resume

Best Practices:

• Highlight Relevant Skills: Even if the jobs were odd or temporary, focus on the skills you developed or used during these projects. This will help showcase your versatility and adaptability to potential employers.

Example: "Data Entry and Organizational Skills: Assisted a local event organizer in managing their database of attendees for a series of small-scale events. Ensured accurate data entry, maintained the database, and contributed to the smooth running of events."

• Quantify Achievements: If possible, include numbers or metrics to demonstrate the impact you made during these projects. This can help give employers a sense of your productivity and effectiveness.

Example: "Graphic Design for a Local Artist: Designed promotional flyers for a local artist's exhibition, resulting in an increase of 30% in attendance at the event."

• Use Action Verbs: Use action verbs to describe your roles and responsibilities, making your resume more dynamic and engaging.

Example: "Administered Social Media Accounts: Managed the social media presence for a local pet grooming service, increasing engagement by 20%."

• Provide Context: Briefly explain the context of each project to help employers understand your role and the nature of the work. This can also showcase your ability to adapt to different environments and tasks.

Example: "Pet Sitting for a Tech Startup: Provided pet care services for the pets of employees at a tech startup, ensuring a comfortable and stress-free environment during long working hours."

• Keep it Concise: Keep each bullet point brief but informative. You want to provide enough information to pique the employer's interest without overwhelming them with details.

Example 1: Skills-based and Short-Term Projects on Odd Jobs Resume

Project Title: Seasonal Retail Worker at Holiday Shoppe

Context: Worked as a seasonal retail employee during the holiday season, handling customer inquiries, managing inventory, and performing basic cashier duties.

Bullet Points:

• Demonstrated excellent customer service skills by handling a high volume of customers during peak periods with patience and professionalism.
• Utilized organizational skills to manage and maintain an orderly workspace, ensuring a positive shopping experience for customers.
• Developed strong problem-solving abilities by addressing common retail issues such as returns and refunds.
• Enhanced numerical skills through accurate cash handling and reconciliation of daily sales reports.

Example 2: Skills-based and Short-Term Projects in Odd Jobs Context

Project Title: Freelance Photographer for Local Artists

Context: Worked as a freelance photographer, specializing in portrait photography for local artists who needed professional images for their portfolios or promotional materials.

Bullet Points:

• Showcased creativity and technical skills to capture high-quality portraits of artists in various settings.
• Employed excellent interpersonal skills to build rapport with clients, ensuring a comfortable and productive photo session.
• Edited and post-processed images using photo editing software, enhancing the final product for client use.
• Expanded professional network by collaborating with other local artists and creatives.

How to List Volunteer Work and Internships on Resume

Best Practices for Listing 'Volunteer Work and Internships' on a Resume that Includes 'Odd Jobs'

• Highlight Relevant Skills: Regardless of the nature of the volunteer work or internship, make sure to highlight any skills gained that are relevant to the odd jobs you're applying for. This could include teamwork, problem-solving, or technical skills.

  Example: "Assisted in running a local community theater (volunteer work) where I honed my organizational and leadership skills by managing schedules, coordinating with performers, and overseeing production aspects."

• Specify Duties and Achievements: Clearly define the duties you performed and any significant achievements during your tenure. This will give potential employers a clear understanding of what you contributed.

  Example: "Completed a 6-month internship at a local start-up where I was responsible for data entry, customer service, and social media management. Achieved a 98% accuracy rate in data entry tasks."

• Quantify Your Impact: If possible, provide quantifiable measures of your contributions to show the scale of your impact. This could be the number of people you served, the amount of money raised, or the time saved.

  Example: "Ran a weekly food bank (volunteer work) for 2 years, serving an average of 150 families per week."

• Tailor Your Description: Adapt your description to fit the job you're applying for. Emphasize skills and experiences that are most relevant to the odd jobs you're interested in.

  Example: "Worked as a volunteer wildlife photographer, capturing and editing high-quality images of local fauna for use in educational materials." [This would be more applicable for a graphic design or photography position.]

• Keep It Concise: Be mindful of length. Keep your descriptions brief but impactful. Aim to fit each volunteer work/internship experience into 2-3 lines at most.

Example 1: Volunteer Work and Internships on Odd Jobs Resume

Volunteering as a Community Gardener (Gardening Club) | City Park, Anytown [Month, Year – Present]

• Developed greenhouse management skills
• Coordinated with local schools for educational workshops
• Collaborated with the city's horticulturist to maintain a sustainable ecosystem

Example 2: Volunteer Work and Internships in Odd Jobs Context

Internship: Graphic Design Assistant (Local Newspaper) | Anytown [Month, Year]

• Assisted in creating layouts for newspaper pages using Adobe InDesign
• Collaborated with reporters to select appropriate images and headlines
• Learned basic HTML/CSS coding for online versions of the newspaper

By following these best practices, you can effectively list your volunteer work and internships on a resume that includes 'odd jobs', making it more attractive to potential employers.

How to List Freelance Projects and Consultancies on Resume

Best Practices:

• Highlight Relevant Skills: Emphasize the skills you've used in your freelance projects or consultancies that are also relevant to the job you're applying for. This helps the recruiter understand how your odd jobs experiences align with their requirements.

For example, if you were a graphic designer doing freelance work and now you're applying for a UX/UI Designer position, highlight how your freelance projects involved user interface design elements.

• Quantify Your Achievements: Whenever possible, provide numerical data to demonstrate the impact of your work. This could include the number of clients served, the scope of projects completed, or any other measurable outcomes.

In our previous example, you might mention that you've successfully delivered 20+ UX/UI design projects for various clients as a freelancer.

• Use Action Verbs: Start each bullet point with a strong action verb to make your responsibilities clear and impactful. This could include verbs like designed, managed, consulted, analyzed, etc.

Instead of saying "Did graphic design for clients," you could say "Managed graphic design projects for multiple clients."

• Focus on Results: Instead of simply listing tasks, focus on the results you achieved through your freelance projects or consultancies. This helps show the value you can bring to a potential employer.

Rather than stating "Completed 10 freelance graphic design projects," you could say "Completed 10 freelance graphic design projects, resulting in increased brand visibility and customer satisfaction for clients."

• Organize Chronologically: Arrange your freelance projects or consultancies in reverse chronological order, as this allows recruiters to easily see your most recent experiences first.

Example 1: Freelance Projects and Consultancies on Odd Jobs Resume

Graphic Design Consultant (Freelance) | January 2020 - Present

• Managed graphic design projects for multiple clients, resulting in increased brand visibility and customer satisfaction.
• Delivered 20+ UX/UI design projects for various clients, showcasing adaptability to diverse project requirements.
• Quantified my work by providing measurable outcomes, such as improved click-through rates or conversion rates.

Example 2: Freelance Projects and Consultancies in Odd Jobs Context

Social Media Consultant (Freelance) | August 2018 - December 2019

• Developed and implemented social media strategies for small businesses, leading to increased online presence and customer engagement.
• Analyzed client social media analytics to optimize content strategy and improve performance metrics.
• Provided monthly reports detailing key performance indicators (KPIs) and actionable insights, demonstrating the impact of my consultancy services.

How to List Part-time Gigs and Side Hustles on Resume

Listing part-time gigs and side hustles on a resume can be a great way to showcase versatility, adaptability, and resourcefulness. Here are some best practices:

• Highlight Relevant Skills: Focus on the skills gained from your odd jobs that are transferable to your desired profession. For example, if you worked as a dog walker, emphasize organizational skills and pet care experience.

Example 1: Part-time Gigs and Side Hustles on Odd jobs Resume

• Dog Walker (Part-time) - Company XYZ, City, State

  • Demonstrated excellent organizational skills by managing schedules for multiple clients
  • Provided pet care services to various pets, enhancing my knowledge and understanding of animal behavior

• Quantify Achievements: Whenever possible, provide numbers or specific examples to quantify your achievements. This can help to make your accomplishments more tangible and impressive to potential employers.

Example 2: Part-time Gigs and Side Hustles in Odd jobs Context

• Freelance Graphic Designer (Part-time) - Online Platform, City, State

  • Designed logos, brochures, and social media graphics for over 20 clients, increasing my portfolio's diversity and depth

• Create a Dedicated Section: Consider creating a separate section on your resume specifically for part-time gigs and side hustles. This can help ensure they are given appropriate attention without overwhelming the main sections of your resume.

• Tailor to the Job Description: Always tailor your odd job experiences to the job you're applying for, emphasizing how those experiences align with the skills and qualifications listed in the job description.

• Use Consistent Formatting: Maintain consistent formatting throughout your resume, using bullet points, proper capitalization, and a clear structure to make it easy for recruiters to scan and understand your experience.

Remember, odd jobs can be valuable additions to any resume as they demonstrate initiative, adaptability, and a diverse skill set. By following these best practices, you can effectively showcase your part-time gigs and side hustles on your resume.

How to List Temporary or Seasonal Work on Resume

Best Practices for Listing 'Temporary or Seasonal Work' under the 'Odd Jobs' Subcategory

• Highlight Relevant Skills: Even though the work is temporary, it may still provide opportunities to demonstrate valuable skills that are applicable to your target job. Emphasize these skills in your bullet points. For example:

  • "Assisted customers, managed cash transactions, and performed inventory checks at a seasonal retail store (Summer 2021). Developed strong communication and organizational skills."

• Quantify Achievements: If possible, include numerical data to show the impact you made in your temporary role. This could be sales figures, number of customers served, or any other measurable metric:

  • "Completed over 100 lawn care projects as a seasonal landscaper (Spring-Summer 2022), effectively maintaining customer satisfaction and ensuring project deadlines were met."

• Demonstrate Flexibility: Temporary work often requires adaptability, reliability, and the ability to work under varying conditions. Highlight these qualities in your bullet points:

  • "Worked as a part-time delivery driver for a local grocery store during peak holiday seasons (2019-2020). Demonstrated flexibility by working extended hours and adaptability by navigating changing routes."

• Provide Context: Briefly explain the nature of the job or the organization to help hiring managers understand your role. This can be especially important for odd jobs that may not immediately connect with the position you are applying for:

  • "Took on an odd job as a carnival worker (Summer 2018), selling tickets, operating rides, and maintaining attractions. Gained experience in teamwork, customer service, and problem-solving."

Example 1: Temporary or Seasonal Work on Odd Jobs Resume

• Seasonal Retail Associate – [Retail Store Name], [City, State] (Summer 2021)
  • Assisted customers and managed cash transactions
  • Performed inventory checks to maintain stock levels
  • Worked collaboratively with a team of associates to ensure store efficiency
  • Developed strong communication and organizational skills

Example 2: Temporary or Seasonal Work in Odd Jobs Context

• Part-time Delivery Driver – [Grocery Store Name], [City, State] (2019-2020)
  • Completed deliveries to customers during peak holiday seasons
  • Managed and prioritized delivery routes efficiently
  • Maintained the cleanliness and organization of delivery vehicles
  • Demonstrated flexibility by working extended hours and adapting to changing routes