By Jaymie Pompeo
Contributor, Career Services
Creating resume bullet points for past work experience can be quite the mission. We all know listing job duties will not impress anyone. Only the job function is mentioned, which doesn’t provide any insight into who you are. Accomplishments, on the other hand, explain how well you execute the task. Not only do they provide a glimpse of your successes, but they demonstrate the potential you have as a future employee.
So, how do you cram a success story into a bullet point? My biggest advice is to break the process into the following steps:
Research your target job/industry. Read through the job description and extract the key characteristics being sought after. For example, let’s say you find a job posting for an HR Administrator role that mentions the ideal candidate will add value by:
- Assisting with the design, development, and implementation of learning solutions.
- Researching and interpreting company policies and procedures guided by industry standards.
Make a list of your accomplishments. You may need to jog your memory on this, but now think about the results you’ve achieved in the past and how it relates to the target job. To go with our example, a preliminary accomplishment list may include:
- Designed and administered the company’s first HRMS system.
- Conducted quarterly HR department trainings.
Use quantifiers and/or qualifiers. To strengthen your accomplishment, add in specifics to differentiate yourself from the average employee. Quantifiers help describe with numbers, percentages, dollar amounts, and frequency (daily, weekly, monthly), whereas qualifiers use descriptive words to add more meaning. Going along with our example, our accomplishments could be tweaked as:
- Quantifier: Implemented the company’s first HRMS system, reducing the processing time for new hires by 50 percent.
- Qualifier: Researched and developed core curriculum, and presented quarterly department training to cover federal and state employment laws, FLSA/ADA polices, and background check procedures.
Add the outcome. Take it one step further by adding the end result. It helps clarify the purpose of your action, which finally creates an impactful bullet point:
- Implemented the company’s first HRMS system to restructure record organization, reducing the processing time for new hires by 50%.
- Researched and developed a core training curriculum to enhance professional development by presenting quarterly department training to cover federal and state employment laws, FLSA/ADA polices, and background check procedures.
Whether you are an entry-level worker or an accomplished executive, you have a list of accomplishments to reveal! Take the time to craft accomplishments into your bullet points and show employers that you are the most qualified candidate for the job.
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