Writing Skill Statements

AKA the bullet point statements that give depth to your experiences.

Writing Skill Statements

Elaborate on Your Experiences

Your resume contains a lot of information, and some of the most important parts are descriptions of your work, internship, leadership, study abroad and volunteer experiences. Learn to craft strong skill statements to highlight the impact of your skills.

Accomplishments

Accomplishment statements, AKA skill statements, AKA bullet points, are the bullet points under each experience on your resume that highlight your impact—showcasing your results, contributions, and growth from internships, student organizations, community engagement, campus leadership, on-campus jobs, research, athletics, military service, or coursework at St. Thomas.

Rather than simply listing tasks or responsibilities, strong accomplishment statements show how you made a difference. Employers want to know not just what you did, but what you changed, improved, strengthened, or solved—and how those contributions align with St. Thomas values like leadership, purposeful work, service, and the common good.

It’s all about those skills!

You’ll start by writing about transferable skills, like communication skills, teamwork, problem-solving, customer service and more.

As you gain more experience, you’ll include industry-specific skills and highlight the knowledge you have that is particular to the field you’re seeking employment in.

Why bullet points?

To put it simply: bullet points are easier to read! Putting paragraphs on your resume often makes it harder for someone to get the quick facts about your experiences.

With bullet points, you can break up the description of your work into multiple short statements, starting each with an action verb to grab the reader’s attention.

A Simple Guide

Below is a process you can use to transform an overly simple bullet point statement into a more impressive one!

  • Starting bullet point: I made phone calls.
  • First: Remove any personal pronouns, like “I.” Example: Made phone calls.
  • Ask yourself: What skill(s) did you learn/demonstrate by performing this duty? Example: Learned communication skills.
  • Change the structure: Make it a statement, add an action verb at the beginning: “Learned communication skills by making phone calls.”
  • Choose a stronger verb: Choose a stronger descriptor for your skill: “Developed strong communication skills.”

Integrate Some Details

Clarify

Ask yourself the 5 “W’s” and an H (Who, what, where, why, when, and how): Who was I talking to? What was I talking about? Why was I doing this?

Answer: Talking to St. Thomas Alumni, during a fundraising drive for student scholarships.

Quantify

Where possible, give a sense of the scope of your experience in numbers! How many individuals were involved? How much time did the event span?

Answer: Consistently communicated with over twenty-five alumni every evening.

Result

Where possible, highlight the outcome and result to demonstrate impact. Why was this important? Did you receive an award/commendation?

Answer: Helped raise over $1 million in scholarship funds from September to May.

Questions to Spark Strong Skill Statements

When writing your resume, reflect on your experiences and ask yourself:

Impact & Improvement

  • Did I improve something—make it faster, clearer, stronger, or more inclusive?
  • Did I do more with limited time, funding, or resources?
  • Did I reduce costs, save time, or streamline a process?
  • Did I increase participation, engagement, membership, or attendance?

Leadership & Initiative

  • Did I lead, train, mentor, coach, or support others?
  • Did I take initiative without being asked?
  • Did I launch, design, or improve a program, project, or event?
  • Did I navigate uncertainty, adapt to change, or solve a complex problem?

Collaboration & Communication

  • Did I work with people across different backgrounds or viewpoints to achieve a goal?
  • Did I strengthen team culture, communication, or sense of belonging?
  • Did I explain complex ideas clearly to others—through presenting, writing, or teaching?

Balance & Commitment

  • Did I manage coursework while juggling jobs, leadership roles, athletics, or service?
  • Did I dedicate significant time or effort to achieve something meaningful under pressure?

Recognition & Contribution

  • Was I recognized with awards, scholarships, or strong performance feedback?
  • Did my work support others, improve my community, or contribute to the common good?

Reflect Deeper

Ask yourself:

  • What am I most proud of from my time at St. Thomas?
  • How would others describe my contributions or strengths?
  • How did my work make a team, program, or community better?
  • What results, outcomes, or measurable impact can I point to?

The Final Draft – Transformed Bullet Point:

  • Developed strong communication skills speaking to over twenty St. Thomas Alumni per evening as part of a fundraising scholarship drive that raised over $1 million in funds during the academic year.

Next Steps

  • Begin drafting bullet statements
  • Stop by the Career Development Center to have your writing reviewed!