The Problem
We work hard. We take pride in our work. But when the time comes to move on to the next step in our careers, we often struggle to articulate the great work we’ve done in the past… especially on our resume.
The problem is...
Not being able to sell ourselves can cost us... big.
It can result in unsuccessful job applications, missed promotions, and in a worst-case scenario, it can even start to affect our vision of ourselves as a professional.
Which is terrible because we should all see ourselves as amazing! Because we are! We just aren’t all the greatest at explaining that to people… yet.
Over the past 10 years, as a hiring manager, a recruiter, and a Certified Resume Strategist, I’ve evaluated 1,000’s of resumes and by far, the number one problem in resumes is people underselling themselves.
My Story
When I was completing grad school in 2014, I was determined to earn a U.S. work visa and start my professional journey in the States (no small task for an entry-level university administrator).
Over the course of 8 months, I applied to 116 jobs…
116!
Each application, I tweaked and experimented with my resume to find new ways to sell my accomplishments in a way that would make me irresistible to hiring managers.
Of course, I became discouraged (even on the borderline of depressed) when I was continuously turned away as soon as I told the employer I needed to be sponsored for a work visa. But I figured I would just have to get to that undeniable status so that they couldn’t say no.
I used all that rejection as motivation and I continued to fine tune how I presented my skills in my resume.
Thanks to the tactics I developed in my resume, my interview rate increased from landing 1 interview per every 10 applications to about 1 per 3 applications!
Unfortunately, that just meant I was getting rejected for visa reasons even more often!
In one instance, I had a job offer at a university in Georgia, I arranged a place to stay and even booked my moving van…
but then…
I got a call the night before I moved saying they had changed their minds about giving me the visa…
Womp womp!
What’s nice is…
When I decided to start job searching back home in Toronto, I was offered interviews for the first 3 jobs I applied to and then I was offered (and accepted) the first position I interviewed for!
All thanks to my accomplishment-focused resume bullet writing technique that I’m going to share with you right now!
How to Write "Eye-Popping" Resume Bullet Points
When we write a resume bullet point, we want to leave no question in the hiring manager’s mind that we did a great job completing an important task.
We want to be undeniable.
And lucky for us, it’s not that hard to do :)
The three things you need to include to turn your boring-old bullet point into an undeniable, accomplishment-focused bullet point are:
1. Start with an action verb!
Every bullet point should include one or more action verb. Usually, the best way to include an action verb is the very first line of the bullet point to start off strong.
Common action verbs I use are: Coordinated, Facilitated, Planned, Implemented, Assessed, Evaluated, Managed, Designed, Created, Prevented, Supervised, Trained, Delegated, Supported, Conducted, Performed, Delivered, Spearheaded, Led, Oversaw.
These, and many more, are great ways to kick off each bullet point to make it clear what your role was in completing the task. It also says to the employer, “Hey! Look how action-oriented I am!”
2. Include Specific / Quantifiable Detail
This is our chance to really shine. Including detail (whether it’s numbers or just specifics… or both) will transform nothing bullet points into “Wow!” moments for the hiring manager.
When I was a recruiter, I LOVED seeing bullet points with details like this :)
Let me give you an example to show you the difference:
No Specific / Quantifiable Detail:
Led the organization’s social media strategy to generate brand awareness.
With Specific / Quantifiable Detail:
Led the organization’s overall social media strategy, creating content and spearheading community management for 4 awareness campaigns on Facebook and Instagram to generate brand awareness.
Here are some prompting questions to help you add Specific / Quantifiable Detail to Your Bullets:
What steps were involved in this task or accomplishment?
Who were you collaborating with?
What software / tools / equipment were you using?
How many ________? (Sales, customers, attendees, events… etc.)
3. Include a Result
Yes, it’s important to tell the hiring manager what we were doing, but adding a result is what really takes the bullet point over the top!
Results show hiring managers how big or effective each accomplishment was.
This step is the difference between being memorable... and being forgotten.
A result can be quantified (ideally), but sometimes we don’t have numbers so a general result is okay as well. Here are a couple examples of bullet points with the results in italics.
Planned and coordinated a large-scale recruitment event, managing event logistics and supervising a team of 40+ volunteers, contributing to 120 new member registrations.
Implemented a protocol to ensure invoice accuracy on all accounts payable. Trained and managed team on new protocol resulting in a 20% reduction in lost funds.
And if you don’t have any numbers, you can still include a general result like:
Designed weekly interactive lesson plans for a class of 25 eighth-grade students to cover essential subjects including math, science, and history, maintaining high student engagement throughout the learning process.
YOU CAN DO THIS!
I know standing out in a crowd can seem daunting, especially considering how many hundreds of people apply to every online job posting, but now that you’ve read this, you have the tools to make sure your resume stands out among the stack.
Just keep these three simple tips in mind as you create your resume and you’ll be walking into your next great job in no time!
