Resume Formatting Questions Answered: Bullets, Tense, Length and More

Resume Formatting Questions Answered: Bullets, Tense, Length and More

Small formatting choices make your resume easier or harder to read. Here are quick answers to the questions job seekers ask most.

How many bullet points per job?

• Current or most recent role: 4 to 6 bullets.
• Previous relevant roles: 3 to 4 bullets.
• Older or less relevant roles: 1 to 2 bullets, or just the title and dates.

Put the most relevant bullet first. Each bullet should be one or two lines. See our guide to resume bullet points with measurable results.

Should my resume be in past or present tense?

• Current job: present tense for ongoing tasks ("Manage a team of five").
• Past jobs: past tense ("Managed a team of five").
• Finished achievements in your current job: past tense ("Launched a new onboarding process").

Be consistent within each role.

One page or two pages?

• One page: students, graduates and people with under about 5 years of experience.
• Two pages: experienced professionals with a lot of relevant experience.
• More than two: usually only for academic CVs or some senior roles.

If you go to two pages, make sure the second page is worth reading. Never shrink the font below 10 pt to fit. See our guide to the best fonts for a resume.

What is reverse chronological order?

It means listing your most recent job first, then going backwards. It's the most common resume format and the easiest for recruiters and applicant tracking systems to read.

Should I write in first person?

Leave out "I" and start bullets with action verbs: "Led", "Built", "Reduced". Your summary can be written without "I" too.

How should I write dates?

Use month and year consistently, like "03/2024 to present" or "March 2024 to Present". Pick one style and use it everywhere.

Should I use columns, icons or skill bars?

Keep it simple. A single-column layout is safest for applicant tracking systems. Read 7 resume mistakes that get you auto-rejected by ATS.

Should I include references?

No need. "References available on request" is assumed. Provide references when an employer asks.

How should I name my resume file?

"Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdf" or "Firstname-Lastname-Resume-Role.pdf".

Frequently asked questions

Can I mix tenses in one bullet?

Avoid it. Keep each bullet in one tense.

Should I include my full address?

City and country are enough for most applications today.

Does every bullet need a number?

No, but aim for most of them. Results make your resume stronger.

Let the builder handle formatting

The free JobStacky Resume Builder gives you clean, ATS-friendly formatting automatically.