Masterclass: Writing Impactful Bullet Points That Get You Hired
Your bullet points are the meat of your resume. The skills section may get you found, and the summary may set the hook, but the experience bullets are where the heavy lifting happens. They must convince a recruiter that you didn't just occupy a seat—you owned it.
Most people write resumes that read like job descriptions: "Responsible for X," "Handled Y," "Managed Z." This is boring. It tells the recruiter what you were supposed to do, not what you actually did.
In this masterclass, we will transform your resume from a list of duties into a portfolio of impacts.
The Google XYZ Formula
Laszlo Bock, former SVP of People Operations at Google, popularized a formula that has become the gold standard for tech resumes. It's simple, scalable, and ruthlessly effective:
Most people write "Did Z". Better candidates write "Did Z to achieve X". The best candidates connect the entire chain.
Case Study: The Software Engineer
Weak (The "Doer")
"Wrote code for the new app feature using React."
Analysis: Zero context. Zero impact. Did the code work? Did anyone use it?
Strong (The "Achiever")
"Reduced app load time by 30% (X) as measured by Core Web Vitals (Y), by refactoring legacy React components and implementing lazy loading (Z)."
Analysis: Specific metrics. Clear methodology. Undeniable value.
Case Study: The Marketing Manager
Weak
"Responsible for managing social media accounts and running ads."
Strong
"Generated 15,000 leads (X) at a $4 CPA (Y) by optimizing Facebook Ad targeting and A/B testing creative assets (Z)."
Power Verbs: Start Strong
Never start a bullet point with "Responsible for," "Helped," or "Worked on." These are passive. They imply you were just there. Start every bullet with a power verb that conveys ownership.
The "Weak Words" Blacklist (Avoid These!)
Use These Instead:
Quantify Everything (Even if you can't)
Numbers draw the eye. In a wall of text, digits pop out. They provide concrete proof of your competence. "Managed a budget" is vague; it could be $500 or $5M. "Managed a $500k annual marketing budget" defines the scope of your responsibility instantly.
But what if I don't have numbers?
You almost certainly do. You just aren't looking for them. Use Estimation and Frequency.
- Did you send emails? How many per week? (e.g., "Managed correspondence for 50+ clients weekly")
- Did you train people? How many? (e.g., "Onboarded 12 new hires over 6 months")
- Did you save time? How much? (e.g., "Saved ~5 hours of manual data entry per week by implementing Python scripts")
Focus on Business Value
Finally, always pivot towards the business value. Employers hire for one of three reasons: to Make Money, to Save Money, or to Save Time. Frame your bullets to clearly address one of these three goals. Don't just list your duties; sell your ROI.