A Resume Bullet Point: Is It Good For High-Paying Jobs?

When you’re trying to land those high-paying jobs, should you consider using resume bullet points? Your resume is your first impression to potential employers and recruiters, and it plays a pivotal role in whether you manage to land that dream job or not. 

Crafting an effective resume is an art, and one of the most debated aspects of resume writing is the use of the resume bullet point. Should you use them? How many bullet points per job should you include? What’s the secret to making your resume stand out and secure an in-demand role?

We’re going to take a look at when you should be using bullet points, and we’ll share a fool-proof formula for optimizing your resume with bullet points.

March 2, 2024 by Kazu Fujimoto

What Are Resume Bullet Points?

A resume bullet point, or several bullet points will allow you to provide a concise, easily readable overview of your skillset.

• They’re clear.
• They’re easy to read quickly.
• They offer a structured overview of the information.

Did you notice how simple that section was to read, and how quickly your eyes land on that information? Resume bullet points have the same impact on recruiters.

Should You Use Resume Bullet Points Or Paragraphs?

You might even be wondering if you should even use bullet points on a resume.

Typically it’s advised to use a combination of short paragraphs and bullet points in your resume. You need to be able to show off your skills in a succinct manner, but also need to be able to evidence your writing and general communication skills.

A common worry that applicants have is that using bullet points will make them look lazy, but this is simply not the case. In fact, using carefully crafted bullet points in your resume can show off your communication skills and evidence your excellent understanding of the advertised role.

How Many Bullet Points Per Job On A Resume?

In most cases, you should be aiming to use 3-6 bullet points per job. If you are only using one or two, it might be better to use sentences. If you need to use more than 6, it’s probably best to focus on optimizing a few and making sure they really sell your skillset.

Check out the answer to the age old question: Do You Put Periods After Bullet Points on Resume?

How To Write Resume Bullet Points

There are a number of areas in which you can use resume bullet points. They help you to keep information relevant, clear and easy-to-read. 

Some areas are perfectly suited to resume bullet points, whilst others might take a bit of time to get the information to work effectively in a bullet point format.

Resume Profile

Your profile provides recruiters with a very brief overview of who you are. It should always be to-the-point and avoid long passages of text. Bullet points are the perfect solution for sharing necessary and interesting information.

Bullet Points For Work Experience

It’s incredibly important to make sure the work experience section of your resume is clear. 

Resume bullet points make it simple to list your experience accurately and highlight your progression in past roles.

It makes it easy for recruiters to identify your suitable experiences and recognise your suitability for the role.

When listing your work experience, you should always try to do it in reverse chronological order (beginning with your most recent role.) This shows recruiters where you are now and immediately highlights that you are ready for the advertised role. You don’t want the first bullet point to highlight roles that aren’t as relevant.

Education and Qualifications

There’s no need to write long paragraphs for your education and qualifications section. Recruiters and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) need to be able to quickly browse for relevant qualifications and certifications. 

Use bullet points to easily and accurately show off your hard-earned qualifications and prove your suitability for the role.

Most Important: Resume Bullet Points For Skills

It’s easy to use bullet points for the smaller, more objective sections but it’s more important to use them to highlight your skills.

This can be the section that takes the longest to perfect, as there are a number of questions that need answering.

• What keywords are used in the job description that need to be included?
• Which are my most important skills to list first?
• How can I evidence the impact of my skill set on the wider business?
• Am I using the bullet point formula to perfect each point I am making? 

The Resume Bullet Point Formula For Securing A High Paying Role

When you craft your resume, and begin to integrate bullet points, it’s important that you are using them in the right way.

So, what’s the magic formula? There is a resume bullet point blueprint that spells out your achievements and immediately grabs employers’ attention. 

“Action word X, using Y, resulting in Z, for A Application”

Let’s break it down.

• X – Action Word: Your action words highlight the specific task you accomplished. It’s what sets the stage for your result. 

• Y – Technical Skills/Software: These are the tools in your professional toolbox. They match your job and show you’re ready to hit the ground running.

• Z – Measurable Results: Employers want to see the impact you’ve made. Use numbers and metrics to clearly quantify your accomplishments.

• A – Industry/Application: Highlight the bigger picture. How does your work fit into the industry or sector? Think strategically.

What might this look like in practice? Let’s look at how an engineering applicant might approach this resume bullet point formula.

“Design application front end (X) using React framework (Y), resulting in supporting 100M users monthly (Z), for medical device sale applications. (A)”

Many applicants don’t spend enough time and energy crafting the perfect bullet points to emphasize their excellent skill set. If you need help creating a resume that stands out, you can speak to an advisor who can analyze and rewrite your resume to make sure your excellent credentials are immediately clear.

Need Some Help To Perfect Your Resume?

Need assistance with resume writing, crafting a compelling cover letter, or practicing mock interviews? 

Get some help to supercharge your application journey and secure your dream job.