CONSTRUCTING EFFECTIVE EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTIONS
Every position requires skills which are transferable to work after college. Effective bullet point descriptions
contain references to these skills or describe examples of projects you completed that produced tangible,
positive results and accomplishments for an employer. Below is a diagram of two effective bullet-writing
strategies. Each bullet point may contain three important elements: an action verb, skill, and tasks that evidence
the skill OR an action verb, project, and result produced from the project (accomplishment).
Seminole FSU Eatery, Tallahassee, FL August 2017 - November 2018
Server
y Provided quality customer service while managing dining experience for up to 30 customers at once.
(Action Verb) (Skill) (Tasks that Evidence Skill)
y Created new order-taking system decreasing guest wait-times by an average of 2 minutes.
(Action Verb) (Project) (Result)
In the space below, try writing your own bullet-point in each of the two formats:
y -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Action Verb Skill Tasks
y -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Action Verb Project Result
4. Experience
Your contact with specific employers such as
internships, co-ops, part-time jobs, volunteer work,
summer jobs, special projects, leadership, or military
experience.
• Emphasize skills relevant to the position/field for
which you are applying and list them first.
• Use examples of skills found in the job description of
the position for which you are seeking.
• List position titles, names of organizations, locations
(city and state), start and end dates, duties, and
accomplishments.
• Focus on accomplishments and results versus duties
in your position descriptions (e.g., reduced costs,
increased performance, led team, etc.); include
promotions and recognitions.
• Use numbers to describe your accomplishments
(e.g., value of transactions, number of people
impacted, etc.).
• Use industry keywords and phrases from the
job description that describe your strengths and
competencies.
• Highlight technical skills, foreign languages, and
other skills that are relevant to the job for which you
are applying.
Employers are interested in the degree of responsibility
you held and the skills you demonstrated. Outline your
duties in a way that emphasizes your job experience and
at the same time relates it to your professional objective.
For example:
Crew Supervisor, Seminole Cafe
Tallahassee, FL, January 2018 - Present
• Manage operations and lead a team of 10 service
employees in providing efficient services to guests
• Compile and track inventory data to effectively
maintain an effective stock of products
• Interview, hire, and train new employees
Always start with positive action words to identify and
document your skills and accomplishments from your
past experiences. Use the list on the next page to help
you select positive action words for your résumé.
5. Review
• Proofread your résumé for spelling and grammar
errors.
• Have a Career Advisor or Career Liaison critique
your résumé. You can visit The Career Center for
drop-in career advising Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. -
4:30 p.m. or identify and locate your Career Liaison’s
office and advising hours at career.fsu.edu/hours.