How to Write a Resume Bullet

Action-oriented statements of your work accomplishments should use concrete language and could include:

• What - what task (transferable job skill) did you perform?
• Why - why did you perform this task? How did it make your office or company better?
• How - specifically how did you perform this task? What equipment, tool, software program, or method did you use to accomplish this task?
• Result - what was the positive result of you performing this task?
• Adjectives - spice it up with descriptors; sell yourself…go for it!

Example #1:

What: Created a brochure.
What and How: Created a marketing brochure, using Pagemaker software.
What and Why: Created a marketing brochure to generate customer interest in the company's new line of fall clothing.
What, Why, and Result: Created a marketing brochure to generate customer interest in the company's new line of fall clothing. Highly praised by Director of Marketing.
Adding Adjectives: Created a colorful and eye-catching marketing brochure to generate customer interest in the company's new line of fall clothing.

FINAL RESULT:

Marketing Assistant, Jan 2004 - present
Acme Marketing Company, Hayward, CA

• Created a colorful and eye-catching marketing brochure, using Pagemaker software, to generate customer interest in the company's new line of fall clothing. Highly praised by Director of Marketing

Example #2:

What: Answered 50-60 telephone calls per day.
What and How: Answered 50-60 telephone calls per day using multi-line phone system.
What and Why: Answered 50-60 calls per day to assist patients with the scheduling of future/routine medical appointments, verify patient insurance information, and obtain insurance authorization.
What, Why, and Result: Answered 50-60 calls per day to assist patients with the scheduling of future/routine medical appointments, verify patient insurance information, and obtain insurance authorization. Decreased appointment backlog by over 70% in a 2-month period.
Adding Adjectives/Adverbs: Answered 50-60 calls per day in a fast-paced medical office. Courteously assisted patients with the scheduling of future/routine medical appointments, quickly verified patient insurance information, and obtained insurance authorization in a timely manner.

FINAL RESULT:

Medical Receptionist, Jun 2004 - present
Office of Robert Feelgoode, MD, San Leandro, CA

• Answered 50-60 calls per day in a fast-paced medical office using multi-line phone system
• Courteously assisted patients with the scheduling of appointments
• Quickly verified patient insurance information, obtained insurance authorization in a timely manner
• Decreased appointment backlog by over 70% in a 2-month period.

Example #3:

What: Coordinated bake sales.
What and How: Coordinated bake sales by arranging for organization members to solicit donations of baked goods.
What and Why: Coordinated bake sales to raise funds for our organization to buy books for underprivileged school children.
What, Why, and Result: Coordinated bake sales to raise funds for our organization to buy books for underprivileged school children. Raised over $350 during the 2003 - 2004 academic year.
Adding Adjectives/Adverbs: Coordinated bake sales to raise desperately needed funds for our community-minded organization to buy books for underprivileged school children.

FINAL RESULT:

Chair, Fundraising Committee, Oct 2003 - Jun 2004
Golden Key International Honor Society, California State University, East Bay

• Coordinated bake sales to raise funds to buy books for underprivileged school children.
• Persuaded members to solicit donations of baked goods. Raised over $350 during the academic year.

Back