How to Write Impactful Resume Bullet Points in 2025

Should You Use Bullet Points In Your Resume?

Yes, you should absolutely use bullet points in your resume. Bullet points are essential if you want to create a resume that stands out and is easy to read.

The best place for bullet points is in your work experience section to highlight your achievements and responsibilities. They're also valuable in other sections where you have something noteworthy to discuss, like personal projects, or, if you have less experience, education, or volunteer work.

Some examples of what you can list in your resume bullet points, per section, are:

• Work experience (responsibilities, achievements, promotions, projects)
• Internships (field, theory you applied, responsibilities, skills gained)
• Education (relevant coursework, academic achievements)
• Extracurricular activities (leadership positions, notable projects)
• Volunteer work (responsibilities, outcomes, skills gained)
• Personal projects (goals, skills utilized, results)

Even with a wealth of experience, bullet points help organize information in a way that catches the hiring manager's eye and communicates your value quickly.

Why Bullet Points Are Great For Your Resume

Bullet points transform your resume from a wall of text into a document that hiring managers can easily scan.

Here are a few reasons why they're so effective:

• They enhance readability. Hiring managers spend an average of just six seconds skimming resumes before deciding if they should read them. Bullet points make your information easier to read, so the hiring manager is more likely to notice your achievements.
• They improve organization. A well-structured resume that uses bullet points strategically will have a clean, professional layout that naturally guides the reader to important information.
• They help track your own experiences. When you’re updating your resume for future positions, bullet points make it easier to identify which experiences you already mentioned and which to keep, modify, or remove for different job applications.
• They increase white space. Proper spacing between bullet points gives your resume room to breathe, so it’s less overwhelming and more reader-friendly.
• They prove your communication skills. Using bullet points can demonstrate your skill in presenting information clearly and efficiently. Employers value candidates who respect their time and only focus on the relevant things.

8 Steps to Write Impactful Bullet Points For Your Resume

Now that you understand why bullet points are so important, let's dive into how to make them stand out. These eight proven steps will help you take your resume bullet points to the next level!

#1. Start With an Action Verb

Every bullet point should start with a strong action verb to immediately show that you’re proactive. Action verbs show that you're results-oriented, not just a passive employee.

So, instead of writing "Was responsible for managing a team," try phrasing it like "Managed a team." Another example could be swapping "My duties included customer service" with "Resolved customer inquiries and improved satisfaction ratings."

Some strong action verbs to consider include:

• Leadership verbs. “Directed,” “coordinated,” “spearheaded,” “led,” and “established.”
• Achievement verbs. “Increased,” “generated,” “exceeded,” “improved,” and “reduced.”
• Analysis verbs. “Evaluated,” “researched,” “identified,” “analyzed,” and “assessed.”
• Communication verbs. “Negotiated,” “presented,” “collaborated,” “persuaded,” and “facilitated.”

This subtle shift in language can dramatically change how a hiring manager sees your potential value to their organization.

We also recommend varying action verbs throughout your resume so you avoid repetition and show off more of your skills. Different positions require different skills, so make sure to choose verbs that match the specific role you're targeting.

#2. Avoid Weak Words

On the one hand, strong action verbs can enhance your achievements. On the other hand, certain words and phrases can weaken your bullet points and make them sound less impressive.

Vague terms like "helped," "worked on," or "was responsible for" don't clearly show what you did or what you accomplished.

For example, instead of writing the generic "Helped with marketing campaigns," you can instead use "Developed marketing content that increased web traffic" to better reflect your contributions. Alternatively, "Worked on customer service tasks" doesn’t say a lot, but writing "Streamlined customer service processes, reducing response time from 24 to 4 hours" gets the point across perfectly.

Here are some words and phrases to avoid:

• Vague descriptors. “Helped,” “assisted with,” “worked on,” and “participated in.”
• Passive language. “Was responsible for,” “had duties including,” and “was tasked with.”
• Unnecessary fillers. “Very,” “really,” “actually,” “basically,” “just,” etc. 

Your goal is to use language that demonstrates your specific contributions and impact. Instead of saying you were just involved in a project, explain exactly what you did and what the results were.

Hiring managers want to see what value you'll bring to their company, and powerful language creates a more compelling picture of who you are as a candidate.

A good trick to apply here is to read your bullet points and ask yourself, "Could anyone with my job title claim this same thing?" If the answer is yes, then try to revise it to make it more specific to your unique contributions.

#3. Focus on Accomplishments

The best way to prove your potential to employers is by showing them what you’ve already done.

So, your resume bullets should highlight achievements rather than just listing job duties. Anyone can list basic responsibilities, but your specific achievements are what can make you stand out from other candidates.

For example, the sentence "Managed all social media accounts" shows proactivity, but it’s not really an achievement. It’s just a day-to-day task most other candidates probably had at some point. Instead, talk about what you achieved within that responsibility, like how you "Grew Instagram following."

Here are a few things to keep in mind when listing your achievements:

• Emphasize results. Show the concrete positive outcome of your actions, not just the actions themselves.
• Highlight recognition. Include any awards, promotions, or praise you received for your work.
• Showcase improvements. If applicable, describe how you made processes better, faster, or more efficient.
• Demonstrate growth. Point out any increases in revenue, customers, or other key metrics.

Focusing on achievements proves that you didn't just occupy a position; you excelled in it. Employers are much more interested in what you accomplished than in what your job title was.

#4. Quantify Your Data

Numbers speak louder than words. Quantifying your achievements with concrete data transforms vague claims into tangible evidence of what you’re talking about.

For example, instead of saying "Increased sales significantly," say, "Increased quarterly sales by 27%, exceeding targets by $43,000." The second example clearly shows the timeframe, scale, and result of what you did.

Here are a few examples of ways you can incorporate numbers into your bullet points:

• Percentage. "Reduced customer complaints by 32%" shows measurable improvement.
• Budget. "Generated $150,000 in new business" demonstrates tangible value for the company.
• Timeframe. "Completed project 2 weeks ahead of schedule" illustrates your time management skills and efficiency.
• Scale. "Trained 75+ new employees" indicates the scope of your responsibility.
• Ranking. "Ranked in the top 5% of sales representatives nationwide" proves that sales excellence is recognized.

While not every achievement can be quantified, include numbers that give hiring managers a clear picture of your performance whenever possible. Quantified achievements are always more memorable, and they show employers what you can bring to a new position.

If you don't have exact figures, don’t panic. You can still estimate the amounts with phrases like "approximately," "more than," or "up to." Just be prepared to go into more detail during your job interviews.

#5. Remove Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns like "I," "me," or "my" don't belong in your resume bullets. Removing these pronouns creates a more professional, concise tone and helps you focus on your achievements and skills.

For example, instead of saying "I managed a team of 6 salespeople," simply write "Managed a team of 6 salespeople."

It might seem odd at first (or grammatically incorrect), but it’s just the standard resume convention. It’s sometimes known as "resume speak" – it’s a shorthand style that cuts straight to your accomplishments and value. The hiring manager already knows the resume is about you, so there's no need to repeatedly state it.

The absence of personal pronouns also has a subtle psychological effect. It presents your achievements as objective facts rather than subjective claims. This can make you appear more authoritative and credible to hiring managers. Plus, it makes your writing more impactful and direct.

Just be consistent. If you remove pronouns from some bullets but not others, your resume will look sloppy and unprofessional. Double-check to make sure all personal pronouns have been eliminated.

This also goes for third-person pronouns. Submitting a resume where you’re talking about yourself as if you have a personal assistant is just weird.

#6. Cut the Fluff

Unnecessary information and filler phrases just dilute the impact of your resume bullets. Hiring managers need to quickly grasp your value, so you need to get to the point immediately.

For example, instead of "Responsible for successfully implementing a new customer relationship management system that improved efficiency," keep it simple. Say you "implemented a new CRM system, improving team efficiency by 35%."

Some common fluff examples include:

• Obvious statements. "Duties included..." or "Responsible for..."
• Adverbs and adjectives. "Successfully," "effectively," "very," or "extremely." Use data metrics to prove how big or successful something is, not adverbs or adjectives.
• Empty phrases. "In order to," "for the purpose of," or "in regards to" can just be shortened down to “to.”
• Redundant information. Repeating the same achievements five times in different words isn’t going to impress the hiring manager.
• Generalizations. "Various projects" or "multiple responsibilities" don’t tell the reader anything.

You need to create lean, powerful bullet points that deliver maximum impact with minimum words. Consider reading them out loud to see if it sounds natural and if every word you’re using is important.

#7. Keep It Short

Long-winded bullet points defeat the very purpose of using bullet points in your resume at all.

A block of text, including a bullet point the size of a paragraph, will overwhelm hiring managers and just bury your key achievements where they can’t immediately find them. There’s no need for you to go into extensive detail.

A sentence like "Collaborated with cross-functional team members from various departments, including marketing, sales, and product development, to successfully implement a new customer feedback system that helped improve overall customer satisfaction and retention rates over several quarters" does not belong on your resume.

In fact, if you want to elaborate on a specific achievement, you should just save it for your cover letter. Instead, try shortening it to "Collaborated with marketing, sales, and product teams to implement a customer feedback system that improved satisfaction by 28%."

Here are some tips to keep your bullet points concise:

• Aim for one or two lines per bullet point, which should be no more than 20 words.
• Your most impressive bullets should be listed first.
• Use up to six bullets for your newest position or more relevant roles.
• Limit yourself to three or four bullet points for older or less relevant positions.
• Each bullet point should focus on a single achievement or responsibility.
• Consider slightly varying your bullet points by length to improve your resume’s visual flow.

Your resume isn't supposed to detail your complete work history. It just needs to make the hiring manager interested enough to get you an interview where you can explain the details.

#8. Tailor to the Job

Generic, one-size-fits-all bullet points won't maximize your chances of landing a job interview. Your resume bullets should be tailored for each position to show employers that you understand their specific needs and that you have exactly what they're looking for.

For example, if a job ad emphasizes customer service skills, you can transform a bullet point that only briefly mentions that you "Handled customer interactions" into an achievement like "Resolved 40+ daily customer inquiries with 98% satisfaction rate."

Here are some things to consider when tailoring your bullet points:

• Study the job description for relevant keywords, required skills, and company values
• Mirror the tone or language used in the posting.
• Adjust emphasis based on job requirements, such as highlighting management experience for leadership roles and technical skills for specialist positions.
• Incorporate industry-specific terminology that demonstrates your insider knowledge.

Taking the time to tailor your resume shows that you've taken the time to understand what the employer actually wants, and you aren't just sending out the same resume to dozens of companies. It also helps your resume pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) that screen for relevant keywords.

We recommend creating a "master resume" where you can keep all your achievements and then just select and customize the most relevant bullets for each application instead of starting from scratch each time.

Key Takeaways

And that's a wrap on writing impactful resume bullets!

Before you go, let's recap the most important points we've covered:

• Bullet points are essential for an effective resume because they improve readability, create visual organization, and help hiring managers quickly identify your skills.
• Strong action verbs and quantifiable achievements form the backbone of impressive bullet points. They show you're proactive and results-oriented while providing concrete evidence of your capabilities.
• Make sure to keep things brief. Remove personal pronouns, eliminate fluff, and keep your bullets to one or two lines to ensure your most impressive achievements don't get lost on the page.
• Tailor your bullets to match each job description to demonstrate your understanding of the role and help your resume pass through any ATS.
• All the tips we’ve covered so far apply to any stage of your career - whether you're highlighting work experience, education, extracurricular activities, or volunteering, these principles will help you create a compelling, interview-winning resume.