It’s that time again, graduation season. As the joys of finishing school fades away, the thoughts of successfully landing a job start to surface. Not too long ago I was visiting the campus’ career center, asking professors to do me the honor of being my reference, and having my resume reviewed by my peers that graduated before me. This was all in an attempt to ensure that my resume was polished enough to make its way to someone’s desk. But how do I ensure that the reader will get passed my experience section before tossing it in the trash?
There are many great articles and books in circulation that cover best practices and tips on how to construct the “perfect” resume. One that would catch and hold the reader’s attention. In my search, I found some of the advice and tips to be palatable, and others not so much. Among those I liked was one that stood out the most to me, and that was Writing Strong Bullet Points.
Considering the competitive nature of the job market, I personally believe that employers are no longer interested in our responsibilities; they’re looking for results. For an employer to spot those results, they have to be able to easily grasp and understand the Context, Action and Result (C.A.R). For the employer to catch that, you have to tell your story.
RESPONSIBILITIES VS. RESULTS
| Responsibilities | Results |
|---|---|
| Was responsible for collecting membership dues. | Increased collection of membership dues by 40% over a two month period, despite a reduction in membership. |
| Updated company website. | Updated company website to reflect current information and implemented online donation system that increased donations by 5%. |
As you can see, the results provide more “color” to the individual’s responsibility. This “color” can easily be expounded on during a face to face interview. Below are three steps I found, on the University of Utah’s careers page, that can be used to convert one’s responsibilities to results.
3 Steps to Writing Strong Bullet Points
- Start with a strong, specific verb that speaks to the strength or skill you want to highlight.
- Provide specifics so the employer can visualize the setting – include answers to who, what, how many.
- The most important piece is to show how what you did had an impact – focus on the result and share how it was positive for the organization or individuals you worked with. Quantify your results when possible.
| Step 1: Action Verb |
Step 2: Who/What/How Many? |
Step 3: Why/Result/Goal/Purpose/Benefit? |
|---|---|---|
| Designed and implemented | a training program for sales staff of 35 | which clarified procedures and increased competency |
| Organized | numerous social, educational and service projects |
aimed at providing opportunities for psychology students to become acquainted with their field
|
| Planned and implemented | five programs per semester to assist transfer students | learn about university resources |
I’ll be the first to say that coming up with the information to write strong bullet points isn’t easy. It requires some thought, self-awareness, introspection, and in most cases, a dash of imagination. Nonetheless, it’s worth mentioning that everything we do with our lives boils down to cause and effect. Every role/position that we held either paved the way for bigger things to happen or made someone’s life much easier. Writing strong bullet points is just a way of telling that story in a way that will capture and hold a reader’s attention.
If you get stuck, check out this simple worksheet from the University of Utah. It provides some more detail on how to write strong bullet points.
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