Resume One-Liners
By definition, a one-liner is a witty joke that is, well, one line long. But when you talk about resumes, one-liners are no joke. They are the crux of the resume and answer the "so what" question.
Every resume has a "work experience" section. In this section, an applicant claims to have done a particular job/task or have demonstrated a specific skill. When writing a resume, it is important to keep the recruiter or hiring manager in mind. The answers to the "so what" questions are the relevant points that address the recruiter's needs or the hiring manager.
So What?
Let's assume I claim that I built relationships with customers in my previous job as a customer service agent. For anyone who reads this claim, the follow-up question is, "so what?"
• So what is the significance of this task?
• So what are the implications or effects of this task?'
• So what does this claim mean?
Answering the "so what" question provides the reason for the recruiter or hiring manager to continue to scan your resume and believe you are the right candidate for the role.
Anatomy of a One-Liner
The point of a one-liner is to succinctly convey relevant information geared towards the job advertisement's specific requirements. Remember the acronym KISS, that is, Keep It Simple, Silly! Usually, the information takes the form of a bulleted list, but it can also be a short paragraph.
There are a few elements that it is essential to keep in mind when constructing your one-liners:
• A bullet point introduces the one-liner. Ensure that the same bullet point format is used throughout the resume.
• An action verb always starts a one-liner because verbs communicate energy. Deciding what action verb shout start a one-liner depends on the skill the one-liner is intended to show and the accomplishment that the one-liner is meant to highlight.
• Quantifying the object of a one-line, in this case, work schedules, provides 'anchors' that can easily be understood by a prospective employer. There are different ways to quantify. For example:
- How many employees did you manage daily?
- How many customers did you serve daily?
- Roughly how many articles did you write, review, or publish every month?
- On average, how much money did you generate or save for your previous employer every month?
• It is important for every one-liner to state how your actions contributed to your previous employer's outcomes or goals. Doing so allows the prospective employer to see how valuable you will be to achieving their goals.
Past or Present Tense?
If using a chronological-style resume, the action verb is in the past tense for any previous job. This is also the case with a functional-style resume. However, if the bullet point is about an achievement or a task undertaken in a current position, use the verb's present tense.
Strategies for creating one-liners
There are three strategies a person can use to create these one-liners.
Strategy 1
One way to write one-liners is to ask yourself three questions for each job that appears on your resume.
1. What were your responsibilities?
2. What did you achieve?
3. How did you do it?
The answers to these questions create the basis for a one-liner. For example, let's say the answers to the questions are as follows:
1. I am responsible for improving sales for the department
2. I increased traffic by 10%
3. I used SEO best practices
Putting it together, you get:
"I am responsible for improving sales for the department and did so by increasing traffic by 10% using SEO best practices."
Now, there is no way this can be used in a resume, as is written above. It is too wordy! The first part of the solution is to start the one-liner with a verb. Doing so eliminates the unnecessary 'I' because who else are you talking about in your resume.
Now you have:
"Responsible for improving sales for the department by increasing traffic by 10% using SEO best practices."
The one-liner is still too long. Everyone is responsible for something at work. So start the one-liner with an action verb, such as "improved" or "increased":
"Increased traffic by 10% using SEO best practices, improving overall sales for the department."
Now, there is a better one-liner. It is focused on your achievements. It details how you achieved what you did and lastly what your responsibilities were at a past job.
Strategy 2
Another way to start writing a one-liner is to jot down your tasks and accomplishments for your previous and current employments. Once you have a list of tasks and achievements then, quantify them and try to think how you benefited those employers.
| What did I do? | How many? How often? Any savings? How much money? | What were the benefits to my employer? |
| I sold vehicles at a car dealership. | 3 cars a week | Increased sales by 10% year over year. |
| I reviewed articles for a local newspaper | 10 articles a day | Improved the quality of published material |
| I generated industrial leads | 50 leads a week | Amounted to $3500 in revenue |
Once you have thought through what you did and your accomplishments, the next step is to put it together. Do not forget to drop the "I" and start the one-liner with an action verb.
Strategy 3
Lastly, you can create one-liners by first looking at the job description. What are the essential skills required, and how does it relate to my previous experience? By asking this targeted question early on, you eliminate the possibility of including non-relevant information in the resume from the start. Below are a few examples.
| Job Description | One-liner |
| Strong communication skills and an ability to build relationships with people | Wrote 15 online news articles and managed the comment section to ensure comments meet company standards. |
| Ability to work in a team-oriented environment | Teamed with [insert company name] to produce a white paper on education standards in Norway's remote communities. |
| Strong analytical and problem-solving skills | Analyzed client medical records and revised program plans to target current needs. |