The strongest resumes describe accomplishments rather than duties, and they do so with language that conveys impact. Action verbs such as led, developed, achieved, optimized, or streamlined should open each bullet point, instantly framing you as someone who takes initiative and delivers results. To make these claims credible, quantify achievements whenever possible by attaching numbers, percentages, or dollar amounts. Replacing "Improved sales" with "Increased sales by 30 percent over two quarters" provides concrete evidence of your contribution and helps your resume stand apart from generic lists of responsibilities.
A reliable way to build each bullet is the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. You begin by describing the context, clarify your specific responsibility, name the action you took, and close with the outcome you achieved. Following this pattern keeps bullets specific and results-oriented rather than vague. Each bullet should fit on one to two lines, use parallel grammatical structure, maintain consistent tense (past tense for previous roles and present tense for your current position), and focus on what you accomplished rather than what was expected of you.
Special structural situations also benefit from clear handling. Promotions within a single company can be presented by listing each promoted role separately with its inclusive dates, or by noting the promotion within the top title. Holding multiple job titles at one company can be handled by listing the company once with overall dates and using sub-bullets for each title, or by stacking separate entries together with an emphasis on growth. Freelance or self-employment should be treated as a job, using your name or company as the employer, listing key clients or projects, and quantifying your results, with the option to group short gigs under a single entry.