Work Experience Section - prose vs bullet points

[KBanana]

Is there a compiled list of firms that prefer the WE section to be written in prose and firms that prefer bullet points? If not, could we start one? Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

General rule. If you can’t format bullet points into the application form, use prose.

Just adding • to general text boxes to try and insert bullet points rarely works as you don’t get the general indentation formatting needed for bullet points to be used well.

 

[mg1]

General rule. If you can’t format bullet points into the application form, use prose.

Just adding • to general text boxes to try and insert bullet points rarely works as you don’t get the general indentation formatting needed for bullet points to be used well.

Hi - in your experience, does this impact an application much? I had a previous career where all applications were mostly CV/cover letter, so I am used to writing about my work experience in bullet points. I progressed to the next stage for a few firms so it doesn't seem to be a dealbreaker but just wondering if switching to prose would increase my chances.

 

[Jessica Booker]

If you log into TCLA forums on a laptop you get the option to format in bullet points (however, you don't get this option if accessing TCLA via your phone):

• So you get nice tidy bullet point
• Lists like this which mean
• They can be used really well

However, I don't think it works well when you are manually trying to add them in like this:

- I am going to make a very long bullet point that runs over two lines to show how it gets harder to read bullet points in when they are mannually added using dashes, asterix or manual bullet points to show my point.
- The bullet points get harder to read where they don't have the same identation and formatting on each line
- So visually it looks a lot messier.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi - in your experience, does this impact an application much? I had a previous career where all applications were mostly CV/cover letter, so I am used to writing about my work experience in bullet points. I progressed to the next stage for a few firms so it doesn't seem to be a dealbreaker but just wondering if switching to prose would increase my chances.

Its not necessarily a deal breaker - it depends on the firm and also the formatting you use when presenting it as bullet points.