Knowing How Many Bullet Points per Job on Resume: The Ideal for Your Job Search Goals

Just as you tend to keep a list of things you need to do in a day through a checklist, or of the items you need to buy from a quick grocery run using bullet points, these helpful dots are also found in resumes among other job search tools.

Now, you might be asking: Should resumes have bullet points? Putting it simply, yes! However, its value and best techniques must also be kept in mind to execute this tip well.

Hence, this guide outlines the most crucial factors you need to know, mainly how many bullet points per job on resume are ideal for your job search needs and goals. Read on!

The Value of Using Resume Bullet Points

In ensuring a good resume layout that has details that are appropriate for the job you’re after, it’s vital to know how to write resume bullet points. Those who will read your resume, such as recruiters and hiring managers, will find it easier to pinpoint and notice your top skills, experiences, and feats. Besides, they often spend less than 10 seconds scanning through resumes, so texts organized in bullet points can help them digest pieces of details more properly.

Smartly using resume bullet points to condense and highlight the most notable details of your career lets you gain a competitive edge among other job seekers vying for the same role. Apart from that, you can also use bullet points in the other parts of your job search tool, like in your Skills section, Resume Summary, and other additional information you want to highlight. Largely, bullet points are your best friend if you aim to organize details and make them easy to read.

On the other hand, bullet points are also considered a good tool in the aesthetic part of your resume. While this tool is used in listing items, it also helps break up long blocks of texts, further improving the readability of the entire document.

Tips in Writing Resume Bullet Points

How many bullet points on resume, you might ask. To better guide you, we grouped the key tips and tricks you must follow into 5 main factors.

1. When should I use resume bullet points?

Using resume bullet points applies to any type of resume format you can use based on your job level, career status, and job search goals. Whether you’re using a chronological, functional, or hybrid format; writing your experiences, skills, and any other details using bullet points will help you ensure a well-crafted resume.

2. Where do I use bullet points in my resume?

Here are some of the top uses of bullet points on a resume.

1. Resume Profile – If you’re looking to put a brief list of your key skills, feats, and top work history, writing them using bullet points may be your best bet.
2. Work Experience – Bullet points on a resume are often found in this section. Under each job on a resume, describe your role using key points in bullets. It’s best if you can shed light on what you have achieved and how you have helped the business succeed in a certain aspect. With that, putting key numbers can help back up your points.
3. Education – Most helpful for those who are fairly new to the job market such as fresh grads and students, using bullet points to list the top skills, feats, and awards achieved during school days is a great technique. Some things you can think of putting here include your GPA, honors, and coursework.
4. Skills – This is one of the parts of your resume that you shouldn’t leave out. Since you don’t really need to explain each skill you have in detail, listing them using bullets will do. That said, try to list at least 5-10 of your top skills (hard, soft, and technical ones) that are needed for the job you’re aiming for.
5. Other Sections – Based on the type of job or field, you might have to write some other sections to strengthen the quality of your resume. These may include volunteer work, projects, and publications. In this case, make use of bullet points to easily list them.

3. How many bullet points per job on resume should I include?

As a rule of thumb, the most common number of bullet points on resume may vary based on your career level, job status, and your overall job search goals. Nevertheless, there are still some benchmarks you must know so that you’re well-guided on the average industry standards.

Four to six bullet points—that is the best answer to how many bullet points per job on resume you should include. Given that, your most recent or current role can exceed up to a maximum of 10. Lastly, older roles you held can make do with 1-2 bullet points each.

4. How do I write each bullet point?

• Make sure to start by using an action verb to help readers learn the impact of your skill or experience.
• Don’t forget to put numbers or data that further prove your skills and feats, so that such metrics are known to recruiters to gauge how fit you are for the job.
• Make it a habit to put the best skill or experience you want to highlight, then follow through with the rest of the other points you must include.
• Filter the skillsets and work history you’ll write in your resume. Review the job description and only list your top feats that help present your background as the best fit for the job opening.
• As much as you can, use direct, active, and engaging language.

Bonus expert tip: Apart from knowing how many bullet points per job on resume to include, be consistent in how you format your bullet points. If you write complete sentences, it’s just right to put a period after them. On the other hand, periods aren’t needed if you’ve only listed phrases, fragments, or words.

5. How do I choose between paragraphs and bullet points?

While the former is best to detail your experiences and skills to recruiters, might as well leave the long part to the interview. Instead, opt to use bullet points to filter the most crucial details you’d like to share about your background.

Examples of Bullet Points on Resume

Here are some resume bullet point examples inspired by the sample resumes we’ve created for some of our clients:

Crafting a Well-Written Resume and Beyond

Now that you know how many bullet points per job on resume you must include, it’s time to put them into action. Make sure to follow the foolproof tips and tricks outlined in this quick guide as you write your resume toward landing your dream job.

If you’re having a hard time crafting a strong one, there are experts like our team who can help you with just that. Check out our resume writing services and see how we can take your job search tools to new heights.

For more guides like this, browse our wide range of career advice and job search tips!