It is important to know that how you present your experience and skills on your resume can really impact how impactful your resume can be. Bullet points are one of the best ways to let your readers know your qualifications. Bullet points break down complex information and make it easier for hiring managers to read and understand. But writing bullet points for your resume is an art, and getting it right can help you land an interview.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the basics of writing strong and effective bullet points for your resume. At the end of this article, you’ll know how to write bullet points that will make your skills, accomplishments, and contributions shine through in the best possible way.
Know the Purpose of Bullet Points on a Resume
Resumes feature bullet points to make sure that information is presented concisely and manageable to read. Generally, they are used to define job responsibilities, outcomes, skills, and qualifications. One of the great things about bullet points is that it makes it simple for the hiring manager to get an overview of your resume quickly and easily because they are capable of highlighting specific achievements and skills.
Often, hiring managers don’t have time to read lengthy paragraphs and rely on the unmistakable key information they see through well written bullet points. And, bullet points add visual appeal and also makes your resume easy to navigate.
Start Each Bullet Point with Action Verbs
The first of the most important tips for writing effective bullet points is to start each one with a strong action verb. Using action verbs includes energy and strives and turns your resume into a more dynamic and engaging resume. Instead of using weak phrases like ‘Responsible for’, ‘Tasked with’, action verbs prove that you took action, achieved results and contributed to the success of your team and organisation.
Examples of Strong Action Verbs:
- Managed
- Led
- Created
- Developed
- Implemented
- Optimized
- Increased
- Reduced
- Streamlined
- Improved
For instance:
• Before: “Have a team of 10 employees and are responsible for managing them.”
• After: “Led a team of 10 employees and increased productivity by 20%.
It just sounds a lot more direct and impactful in the second bullet point. It simply highlights what you did and the result you had and the level of responsibility you carried.
Achievements, Not Just Responsibilities
One of the most common mistakes job seekers make when writing bullet points is only listing their job duties. It’s important to outline what you did, but employers are more interested in how well you did it and the impact of your contributions. When you want your resume to shine, concentrate on what you achieved instead of what you were given to do.
How to Focus on Achievements:
• Quantify Results: If you are able, utilize numbers, percentages or other data that reveal how well you achieved something. It helps to show your impact more clearly.
• Highlight Improvements: Demonstrate how you influenced improvements in efficiency, productivity, or revenue, or customer satisfaction.
• Include Awards or Recognition: If you did get any awards or recognition for your work, then include that in your bullet points.
Examples:
• Before: Answered calls and resolved complaints, performed customer service tasks.
• After: “Resolved 95% of customer complaints with a 95% satisfaction rate and reduced repeat inquiries by 30%.”
The second bullet point not only tells you what to do but also what you should achieve, making it easier to understand your success.
Quantify Your Success Using Numbers and Metrics
Numbers are great for employers because they make your achievements concrete and measurable. When you include numbers, it gives context to your accomplishments so a potential employer can know exactly how big you were.
Examples:
• Before: “The idea was to boost sales performance by working better together as a team.”
• After: Increased team collaboration and implementation of new CRM system boosted sales by 25%.
Specific numbers, like “25%,” give the hiring manager something he can easily understand. Measurable results make you stand out from other applicants who may not have used quantifiable results.
Customize Your Bullet Points to the Job Description
Tailoring bullet points to the job you’re applying for is one of the best ways to write relevant and effective bullet points. The first step is to take a look at the job description and match your bullet points to the skills and qualifications that went along with it.
Say you have a title that emphasizes ‘project management’ and ‘team leadership,’ make sure you underline bullet points that include that experience in it. Make certain your resume can pass the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which are used to find specific keywords in a job description.
How to Tailor Bullet Points:
• Match Keywords: Introduce the topics of the job description in your resume so that your resume can reach the job description.
• Focus on Relevant Skills: Develop the perfect resume with clearly stated skills and experience, based on the position you’re applying for. If the job requires leadership experience, key these in your bullet points.
Keep Your Bullet Points Short
You want your bullet points to be informative, but brief. Since hiring managers don’t have time to read long, drawn out descriptions, keep your bullet points concise and to the point. Don’t use unnecessary words and jargon, and keep your message as short as possible.
Example:
• Before: Tasks were to be overseen, completed in a timely and efficient manner and employed by a team of 10.
• After: I monitored the task completion and supervised a team of 10 employees.
It is much more concise, yet still as clear, the second version.
Begin with the one that impresses the most.
If you have several accomplishments in a job role, begin each bullet point with the most impressive or most relevant accomplishment. It makes the reader grab the attention and makes sure that your most important achievements are highlighted.
For example, if you had a key achievement of leading a successful project, put that bullet point first and then other important but secondary achievements.
Befor: “Developed new marketing strategies.” or “Brought the company’s largest product launch.”
After: “Led the company’s largest product launch, which increased revenue by 40 per cent.” or “Improved customer engagement by 15% with developed new marketing strategies.”
This helps grab the reader’s attention and ensures that your most significant accomplishments are highlighted.
Use Parallel Structure
To make your resume more readable and professional, use parallel structure in your bullet points. This means ensuring that each bullet point begins with an action verb and follows a similar grammatical pattern. Consistency in structure makes your resume more visually appealing and easier to scan.
Example:
Before: “Managed a team of five.”
“Increased team productivity.”
“Led successful sales campaigns.”
After: “Managed a team of five.”
“Increased team productivity by 20%.”
“Led successful sales campaigns, generating $500K in new business.”
By maintaining a consistent structure, your resume becomes more professional and easy to navigate.
Limit the Number of Bullet Points per Job
While you want to showcase your achievements, it’s important to keep your resume concise. Limit the number of bullet points for each job to 4-6 at most. Focus on your most impactful achievements and prioritize quality over quantity.
Example:
Before:
- “Responsible for answering customer calls.”
- “Managed customer service team.”
- “Handled customer complaints.”
- “Processed refunds and returns.”
- “Monitored customer satisfaction.”
- “Prepared customer reports.”
After:
- “Managed a customer service team of 10, improving response times by 15%.”
- “Handled customer complaints, achieving a 95% satisfaction rate.”
This will help hiring managers see your impact more clearly, by narrowing down to your key contributions.
To make a good impression on hiring managers, writing effective bullet points on your resume is a must. If you use action verbs, quantify your achievements, tailor your points to the job description, and keep your bullet points short, you can have a resume that sets you apart from the crowd. Your resume is your marketing document, and bullet points are your way of showing what value you can bring to a potential employer.
John Smith
Introducing John Smith: Your Expert Resume Writer, Cover Letter Specialist, and Career Coach. Meet John Smith, your dedicated partner in crafting the perfect resume, compelling cover letter, and charting your career path to success. With a passion for helping individuals reach their professional aspirations, John brings a wealth of expertise to the table as a resume writer, cover letter specialist, and career coach.
