How Many Bullet Points Per Job Should I List on a Resume?

How many bullet points per job should you list on a resume? It’s a common question—and an important one.

Bullet points may not sound exciting, but they’re essential for organizing your work history in a way that highlights the most crucial information. They create a clear hierarchy, making it easy for hiring managers to scan through your skills and qualifications quickly, helping them move closer to choosing you for the interview stage.

Below you'll learn how many bullet points per job on resume you should actually include, and some best practices for writing resume bullet points that are relevant, concise, and impactful.

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How many bullet points per job should you list on a resume?‍

When it comes to how many bullet points per job you should list on a resume, for each position listed, aim to include 3-5 bullet points as a general rule.

Rather than lengthy paragraphs, 3-5 bullet points per job strikes a balance between showcasing your most important accomplishments and keeping your resume concise.

The exact number should depend on the relevance of each point to the role you're applying for—more significant achievements should take priority. If you're pressed for space, focus on the most recent or impactful results that related to the job description.

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How many bullet points per job on a resume for recent roles‍

For recent positions that are highly relevant to the job you’re applying for, aim for 4-5 bullet points per job. This allows you to showcase key accomplishments and responsibilities that best demonstrate your fit for the role.

How many resume bullet points per job for older roles‍

For roles over 10 years old or those less relevant to your current job search, 1-3 bullet points should be enough. Focus on high-impact achievements or transferable skills that support your qualifications without overcrowding your resume.

How many bullet points per job in a resume for short-term roles

For internships or short-term roles, 2-3 bullet points work well. Emphasize relevant skills or contributions that align with your target role, highlighting how these experiences add value to your career story.

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How to structure resume bullet points

When do you know to add more bullet points or incorporate fewer bullet points? How many bullet points do you use per resume section? Structuring each bullet point with only the most necessary and compelling information will help hiring managers connect your experience with the job description.

As you structure your resume bullet list, follow these tips:

• Keep the number of bullet points between three and five per section, or 15 total on your resume
• Limit each bullet point to one line as often as possible
• List bullet points based on your most impressive and relevant information
• Instead of listing your job duties, structure your bullets to focus on specific accomplishments and key skills

Let’s say you have your sights set on a nonprofit executive director role and are using your experience as a chief operating officer to campaign for the opportunity. In this situation, your bullet points would like something like this:

• Managed a $72 million budget resulting in successful financial planning and forecasting.
• Increased grant application acceptance rate by 11%, resulting in additional funding for critical programs and initiatives.
• Increased productivity and successful project completion within established timelines to 97% through the successful leadership and management of 23 direct reports.

Notice how the first bullet point communicates the biggest responsibility related to your job duties, followed by information that is relevant to senior or leadership positions that look for metrics in addition to your relevant experience.

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Create your bullet points with AI

Teal's Resume Bullet Point Generator automatically creates bullets that lead with action verbs, emphasize metrics, and maximize your career successes.

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Resume sections that need bullet points

Bullet points are an effective way to keep your resume concise and easy to read. However, not all sections on a resume require bullet points.

Your work experience and skills section are best presented with bullet points. Incorporating bullet points in these sections helps make the information easily scannable and highlights the most important achievements, responsibilities, and hard and soft skills.

Bullet points, however, may not be necessary for every listing. Read on to learn the best way to use bullet points for unique resume sections. 

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Professional Summary

A professional summary on a resume provides a brief overview of your skills, experiences, and career goals in a concise and compelling way. It’s typically the first section of the resume that a recruiter or hiring manager will read, so it needs to make a strong impression.

Your resume's summary should be tailored to the specific job and industry you're targeting—highlighting the most relevant skills and experiences for the position.

The use of bullet points is appropriate in this section when listing key achievements or skills. But it’s important to avoid using too many bullet points in the summary as this can make it look cluttered and difficult to read.

To best structure your summary with bullet points, use these tips:

• Keep it brief: Your professional summary should be no more than a few sentences and definitely no more than three or four bullet points. This is not the place to detail your entire work history or every achievement.
• Use keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords from the job description into your bullet points to ensure your resume is optimized for applicant tracking systems (ATS) and the language resonates with the reader.
• Highlight your unique selling points: Use bullet points to highlight what differentiates you from other candidates. What key strengths and accomplishments make you the best fit for the job?

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Work History

Your work history section is the best place to use bullet points on your resume. It's the meat of your entire career and what hiring managers look to when determining if you can carry out the job.

When organizing work experience on your resume, use ChatGPT resume prompts and keep these tips in mind:

• Only include information that's relevant to the job you are applying to
• Review the job description for keywords you can incorporate into your bullet points
• Use metrics, examples, and accomplishments

You see, there is such a thing as too many bullet points on a resume, so if you’re having trouble cutting down, always compare the points you have to the job listing. 

Which bullet points match the role best? 

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Education

The education section on a resume gives insight into your academic background—which can be relevant to certain positions.

This section typically includes the name of the degree, institution, and graduation date. Including any relevant academic honors, research, or coursework can give you a boost and help you stand out to hiring managers (especially if you’re creating a resume with little to no job experience).

Not sure if you should incorporate bullet points into your education section? Below are some examples to see if it’s the right fit for you:

• Relevant coursework: Data Structures, Algorithms, Software Development, Database Systems, Operating Systems
• Completed capstone project on developing a web application using React and Node.js
• Participated in an internship program at Google, contributing to the development of a mobile app and gaining experience in agile methodology and software testing
• Presented research paper on the impact of social media on mental health at a student conference

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Skills

The skills section on your resume demonstrates you have the right capabilities and proficiencies to perform the job successfully. Potential employers look for specific skills that match the requirements of the job. A well-crafted skills section can help you stand out from other applicants.

In your bullet points, it’s important to use industry-specific keywords to ensure your skills resonate with potential employers. If you need help deciding which keywords to use, the free Teal Job Application Tracker highlights the top hard skills, soft skills, and other key language from any job you save. Sign up for Teal today to see for yourself! 

When structuring bullet points for your skills section, it’s best to:

• Feature skills that help you stand out (any skills that need a specific certification, for example)
• Connect your skills to the job you are applying to
• Include a mix of hard and soft skills

A strong skills section can make a positive first impression, increasing the chances of landing an interview and, ultimately, the job.

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Resume bullet point examples

Now that you understand more about resume bullets, let's take a look at some examples.

Resume bullets in a professional resume summary

Highly skilled AI Ethics Specialist with 4 years of experience in developing and implementing ethical frameworks for AI-driven products and services with a proven track record in:

• Increasing customer trust by 25%
• Reducing potential ethical issues by 50% 
• Aligning ethical considerations with business objectives. 

In addition, I have exceptional skills in collaborating with cross-functional teams, educating stakeholders, and identifying and addressing potential ethical issues in AI systems.

Resume bullets in work history

Marketing Manager | Chromatic Dynamics | 2/2023 - Present

• Executed tasks effectively and efficiently, resulting in a 15% increase in departmental productivity
• Demonstrated strong ability to do quality work for the usual projects that an individual would be assigned at this level
• Developed and executed brand strategies, resulting in a 10% increase in brand recognition and customer loyalty

Resume bullets in Skills and Competencies

• Cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Disaster recovery planning
• Cloud deployment automation
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
• Cloud security and compliance (HIPAA)
• Database management and optimization
• Performance monitoring and optimization
• Technical support and guidance
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Synchronous communication 
• Asynchronous communication 
• Version control (Git, SVN)
• Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban)

Resume bullets in Education

• Bachelor of Science, Marketing | Arizona State University
• Completed relevant coursework in Digital Marketing, including courses on Data Analytics, Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and Web Design.
• Completed capstone project focused on developing a comprehensive digital marketing strategy for local small business. Conducted market research, developed a content marketing plan, and executed a social media campaign resulting in a 20% increase in website traffic and a 15% increase in sales 

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How many bullets per job on a resume? Let Teal help you decide

When it comes to how many bullet points per job on your resume, the exact number depends on the role you're targeting and your relevant experience.

Teal’s AI Resume Builder can generate as many bullet points as you need for every position, helping you easily choose the ones that highlight your most relevant accomplishments. Plus, Teal helps you incorporate the right keywords to optimize your resume—and your chances of getting noticed.

Ready to refine your resume? Sign up for Teal for free today to start writing and tailoring your bullet points—fast.