Ready to write a “bullet plus”?
The bullet plus is: what you did plus
- HOW you performed your duties or,
- WHY the task was important or
- The IMPACT of the task within the organization
Examples:
- Basic bullet: Enhanced interpersonal skills
- Bullet plus: Enhanced interpersonal skills by facilitating cross-cultural conversations with Malawian teens and community members. (how)
- Basic bullet: Created real interest monitoring tool
- Bullet plus: Created real interest monitoring tool to study the effect of rate changes on foreign exchange levels (why)
- Basic bullet: Directed actors in productions
- Bullet plus: Directed 5-10 student actors and managed technical team in both short and full-length productions attracting audiences of 100+ (impact)
Want some help getting started?
- List 3 skills you want to highlight (e.g., writing, leadership, attention to detail).
- What are 2-3 experiences that demonstrate each skill (think broadly: classes, volunteer positions, internships, jobs)?
- What did you do in each of the experiences? How did you use the skill?
Start Each Bullet Point with an Resume Action Word:
Achieved Adapted Addressed Administered
Advised Analyzed Arranged Assembled
Assessed Assisted Attained Audited
Budgeted Calculated Classified Coached
Collected Communicated Compiled Composed
Computed Conducted Consolidated Constructed
Consulted Coordinated Counseled Created
Critiqued Defined Designed Detected
Determined Devised Diagnosed Directed
Discovered Displayed Earned Edited
Eliminated Enforced Established Estimated
Evaluated Examined Expanded Explained
Experimented Financed Formulated Gathered
Generated Grossed Guided Handled
Hypothesized Identified Illustrated Implemented
Improved Increased Influenced Initiated
Inspected Installed Instituted Instructed
Interpreted Interviewed Invented Investigated
Lectured Managed Marketed Mediated
Modeled Monitored Motivated Negotiated
Obtained Operated Ordered Organized
Oversaw Performed Persuaded Photographed
Planned Prepared Presented Printed
Processed Produced Projected Promoted
Proofread Provided Publicized Purchased
Received Recommended Reconciled Recorded
Recruited Reduced Referred Refined
Rehabilitated Repaired Reported Represented
Researched Resolved Responded Restored
Retrieved Reviewed Scheduled Selected
Solved Sorted Studied Summarized
Supervised Supplied Surveyed Tested
Trained Transcribed Translated Traveled
Tutored Upgraded Utilized Wrote