Do your bullet points hit the target with pin-point accuracy?

Growing up I never expected how important a tiny dot on a paper would end up being. ● Bullet points on a resume can be rather intimidating, but I promise there is a simple fix! I read recently that the only group of people who get more advice than job seekers are pregnant mothers. This leads me to believe that within this mass of advice, some of it is bound to be incorrect and/or contradicting. How then does one approach this problem as a job seeker; the perpetually ominous "resume bullet point"?

During a lecture in my Organizational Strategy course this semester my professor posed an interesting analogy. The class was studying how organizations can survey the external and internal environments to help plan strategy. Specifically, how organizations can survey the consumers they serve to gauge those consumers' perceptions of their organization's brand and product. Dr. Martinez posed to the class, "imagine yourself as firm and the industry you compete in is the labor market. How would consumers (prospective employers) see you as a brand?”

This question really got the gears turning; what would a potential employer think of Kazmierowski Inc.? How do I convey what products and services I provide and the values I stand for? For many of us competing in the labor market (I can assume most of us are competing in the labor market and are not secretly millionaires of inheritance, right?) the first impression we convey to prospective employers is our resume. The living document of an individual's personal brand, arguably one of the most important pieces of literature one will write in their career.

The answer to reducing the pressure around a seemingly harmless dot on a paper, I have found, is a formula. The thing most of us sighed in anguish about as the professor introduced it and everyone would cross their fingers for a "formula sheet" to be allowed on the exam day.

Engaged in "X" activity, producing "Y" result, in "Z" time-frame.

Let's look at a personal example of mine and I will leave it to the audience to decipher what looks better. These are bullet points I have had in the past for my Account Executive position selling advertisement space for Illinois State University's school newspaper:

·         Perform needs assessment with clients and collaborate with assigned artist to design and propose appropriate advertisements

·         Participate in weekly team based sales competitions determined by an accumulated points system

 

Although there are good action words such as: collaboration with clients and co-workers, there is no indication to weather there was success or failure at these activities. If a consumer read this about a company would they be willing to spend money on their product or service?

 

·         Sold over $1600 of newspaper advertising space within the first three weeks of employment, surpassing personal August quota by 17%. This contributed to earning both personal and team based incentive bonuses of $50

Note that the "Z" time-frame comes before the result here. The formula is interchangeable, just make sure all the parts are there. My suggestion for those who do not have hard data from a past job, try to incorporate as many parts of the formula as possible WITHOUT lying. An astonishing percentage of individuals have blatant lies on their resume, do not fall into this category! I trust this article has been both informative and entertaining, check back for more career advice in the near future!

Best regards,

Kevin M. Kazmierowski

Senior Marketing Major

Illinois State University