How to Use Resume Bullet Points (Tips + Examples)

Bullet points comprise the bulk of your resume, so it’s essential you know how to make them impactful.

Your bullet points aren’t just a list of tasks you’ve completed — they’re a showcase of your skills, accomplishments, and the impact you’ve made.

Keep reading to learn how to craft effective bullet points when writing your resume.

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1. Use the STAR method

You might have heard of the STAR method in the context of job interviews, but it’s also effective for writing impactful resume bullets.

By following this method, your resume bullet points will demonstrate your achievements in a clear, engaging, and result-oriented manner.

Here’s an example of how to write a STAR method resume:

Increased customer satisfaction by 18% (Result) by implementing a feedback system (Action) during a company-wide effort to improve service quality (Task) in response to low survey scores across the department (Situation)

2. Start with action verbs

Action verbs are words that make you come across as someone who takes initiative instead of just following instructions.

Starting your bullet points with action verbs like the ones below instead of passive phrases like “responsible for” or “tasked with” will make your resume more impactful:

3. Focus on your top achievements

Many job seekers believe the more information they can fit on their resume, the better. However, it’s actually better to keep your resume concise and focused.

22% of hiring managers spend less than one minute scanning each resume, making it important to prioritize your more relevant achievements.

Focus on emphasizing accomplishments that show why you’re a good fit for your target role and company, and omit information from other, less relevant jobs.

For example, if you were applying for an HR role, one of your resume bullets might look something like this:

• Streamlined onboarding processes, reducing employee training time by 12% and increasing team productivity

4. Highlight keywords from the job description

Not sure what you should include in your resume bullet points? Check the job description for clues.

Write down resume keywords that describe the employer’s ideal candidate, such as:

• Personality traits
• Skills
• Experience
• Certifications
• Degrees

Once you have a list of keywords, incorporate those that apply to you and your background into your bullet points. This helps align your resume with the job description and make your qualifications more compelling.

5. Quantify your accomplishments

Whenever possible, add specific metrics to your resume bullet points. Quantifying your achievements helps employers understand the scale of the impact you’ve made through your work.

For example, instead of saying that you managed the sales team, mention how many team members you managed and how much sales increased under your leadership. The more specific you are, the easier it is for employers to imagine what you can contribute to their team.

Additionally, including hard numbers in your resume bullet points shows that you’re goal-oriented and used to tracking your progress.

Resume bullet point examples

Here are more examples of resume bullet points for different types of roles:

Frequently asked questions about resume bullet points

Here are answers to some of the most common questions job seekers have about resume bullets:

How many bullet points should you list per job on your resume?

You should list between three to five bullet points per job on your resume, unless you’re making a master resume. This should be enough to showcase your most relevant work experience while keeping your resume within the recommended length of one page.

Do you put periods after bullet points on a resume?

No, you don’t put periods after bullet points on a resume because resume bullet points aren’t typically written as complete sentences.

However, if you do use complete sentences on your resume, you should add periods.

How long should resume bullet points be?

Resume bullet points should be 1-2 lines long. A 3-line bullet point isn’t going to cost you the job, but keeping your bullets concise will ensure your resume is easy to skim.

A good rule of thumb is to highlight one career highlight in each bullet point of your resume to keep it organized.

Should I use bullet points in my resume?

Yes, you should use bullet points in your resume. Well-written bullet points make your achievements stand out on the page. The only time you should use paragraphs is when you write resume summaries.