5 Tips for Writing Engaging Resume Bullets
Bullet points are a major component of every jobseeker’s resume, regardless of where you are in your job search, whether you are an entry-level or senior management candidate. Not only do bullets visually break up and condense information, but they also strategically highlight your accomplishments. However, they should be used tastefully. Too many or too few bullets can decrease the readability of your document.
Another serious consideration beyond the number of bullets you use in your resume is how you formulate your bullets. It’s easy to fall into the trap of simply listing a job responsibility in each bullet, which is ineffective and can be incredibly boring for your reader! Potential employers need to know what you did that was different from all the other [servers, administrative professionals, managers, technicians, engineers] in the company.
If your resume bullets are reading like a job description, here are some things to focus on to make your bullet points more engaging:
1. Accomplishments & Achievements.
Consider starting each position with a short paragraph covering day-to-day activities and responsibilities. With that information out of the way, you can use bullet points to cover your accomplishments, achievements, awards, one-time projects, or above-and-beyond contributions.
2. Future-Focused Writing.
A couple of phrases that seem to pop up in resumes often are “experienced in…” and “the ability to…” Unfortunately, these can send the wrong message. The first doesn’t provide any time frame—maybe you gained the experience 20+ years ago! The latter implies that you haven’t done it yet, but you could do it if you had the chance—not a strong statement for a resume.
Instead of “Experience managing full-scale operations,” say “Manage full-scale operations.”
Instead of “Ability to listen, problem-solve, and provide top-tier customer service,” say “Listen, problem-solve, and provide top-tier customer service.”
3. Conciseness.
We know that resumes have a special type of grammar. The language is made more concise by implying the pronoun “I,” using sentence fragments instead of full sentences, and omitting pronouns, articles, and determiners. Another consideration is that most resume readers do not want to read extra words. Try to convey your message using as few words as possible. For example, instead of “Oversaw the execution of…” say “Executed…”
4. Start with business impact.
Your resume is a marketing document that presents your value to potential employers. Ultimately, it’s about how you can impact their business, so start your resume bullet points with the impact you’ve had on your previous employers’ business. For example, instead of “Created savings strategies for customers that elevated company reputation,” say “Elevated company reputation through innovative savings strategies for customers.
5. Quantifiable.
Further to the above point, quantify things wherever possible. Using numbers to show impact and make your statements more believable by creating a context for your reader. For example, instead of “Hired equipment operators, millwrights, and labourers,” say “Hired 300+ equipment operators in 3 months.”
Click here to contact me and get help constructing your resume bullet points to be concise, engaging, and impactful.