Resume Writing9 min readUpdated November 2023
How to Write Resume Bullet Points (Google XYZ Formula)
The biggest mistake job seekers make is treating the work experience section like a job description, merely listing their daily duties (e.g., "Responsible for answering phones," "Managed social media"). Employers don't just want to know what you were supposed to do; they want to know how well you did it. To stand out, you need to transform your passive task lists into powerful, achievement-based bullet points. The most effective way to do this is by using the Google XYZ formula.
1. The Google XYZ Formula Explained
Google famously recommends that candidates write their resume bullet points using a specific formula: "Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z]."
- [X] is the achievement or the impact you made.
- [Y] is the metric or number that proves the scale of the impact.
- [Z] is the specific action, skill, or tool you used to make it happen.
This formula forces you to focus on results rather than responsibilities, making your experience far more compelling to recruiters.
2. Before and After Examples
Let's see the XYZ formula in action by transforming weak bullet points into strong ones.
Weak (Task-based): "Wrote code for the company website."
Strong (XYZ Formula): "Improved website loading speed by 30% [X & Y] by refactoring legacy JavaScript code and optimizing image assets [Z]."
Weak (Task-based): "Handled customer service complaints."
Strong (XYZ Formula): "Increased customer satisfaction scores from 75% to 92% [X & Y] by implementing a new ticketing escalation protocol in Zendesk [Z]."
Notice how the strong examples immediately show value and scale.
3. Start with Strong Action Verbs
Never start a bullet point with "Responsible for," "Helped with," or "Worked on." These are passive and weak. Instead, start every single bullet point with a strong, specific action verb.
Use words like: Spearheaded, Orchestrated, Engineered, Developed, Optimized, Negotiated, Maximized, Transformed, or Directed. Action verbs immediately command attention and position you as an active driver of results, rather than a passive participant.
4. The Importance of Quantifying (Adding Numbers)
Numbers are the most powerful tool on your resume. They provide context and scale that words simply cannot. You should aim to include a number, percentage, or dollar amount in at least half of your bullet points.
Think about: How much money did you save or generate? How many people did you manage or train? What was the percentage increase in efficiency? How large was the budget you handled? How many tickets did you resolve per week? Even rough estimates (e.g., "managed a portfolio of ~50 clients") are better than no numbers at all.
5. Tailoring Bullets to the Job Description
You shouldn't include every single thing you did at your past jobs. You only have limited space, so curate your bullet points to match what your target employer cares about.
Read the job description carefully. If they emphasize team leadership, move your bullet points about mentoring juniors or leading scrums to the very top of your experience entry. Make sure the keywords and skills they are asking for are clearly demonstrated in your XYZ achievements.