So we are here with all the help you need regarding your lifeguard resume. You may be looking for a job in a hotel swimming pool or public swimming pool or beaches and such. In this article we will talk about all the sections on your resume along with how to describe various details of your profile on your resume.
We will also provide some extra tips to help you out and increase your chances of getting your job with the perfect lifeguard resume. Let's dive in!
Writing a lifeguard resume
You can write a great lifeguard resume with a resume builder however you do need to do some research and choose the right resume format. A good lifeguard resume sample would include the details such as first aid skills and lifeguard experience with exceptional performance.
Such samples are written with great effort. You can refer to lifeguard resume samples or lifeguard resume example however you will need to do some research so that you can personalize them well.
After the research and choosing the right format, you can also use lifeguard resume template or lifeguard resume sample.
First you need to research your role, job description, your job responsibilities, the industry and everything in between. This will help you learn about the current job market, how to impress the recruiter and how to write a lifeguard resume that will help you get the job you want.
After the research you need to choose the resume format. There are various resume formats such as functional, reverse chronological and combination. Depending on your experience and profile, you can choose your resume format.
Trivia
(Source: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes339092.htm)
Lifeguard resume header
- Your name: In a slightly larger fonts than the rest of the details
- Your contact number: Your accurate contact number where you are available in case the recruiter reaches out. Write the number with the area code.
- Your professional email ID: Mention your professional email ID that is formal and active, the one that you use regularly and actively.
- Your home address: Mentioning your home address is not mandatory however if you want you can mention it briefly along with your professional headshot. (Also up to you, not mandatory)
- Your links: If you are active on social media in professional capacity, you can mention the links for those as well. Although, mention them only if your profile is carefully curated, you are active on the platforms and you post on the platforms in professional capacity.
Lifeguard resume summary
During the research, you may have gone through many lifeguard resume examples, these examples showcase how the required skills are incorporated in the details, how the experience is described and how the professional resume format has the summary that showcase how dedicated you will be at the job duty.
The purpose of the summary is to provide a short highlight points of your lifeguard resume so that the reader can decide if your resume has what they are looking for. You need to grab the reader's attention and hold it with the compelling summary.
You should mention your role and write about 3 to 5 bullet points. You need to cover your total years of experience and a little background (worked as swimming instructor or lifeguard at a swimming pool or beach or a hotel swimming area and such).
You should also include the key achievements and relevant top skills in the summary. You need to reflect the impressive parts of your resume in the summary.
At last, you should mention what kind of opportunity you are looking for and how you will provide the best lifeguard services at your next job.
Lifeguard experience & work history
Your experience section should describe your work history in the reverse chronological order. You need to mention your role, your employer name and the employment period.
In addition to these details, you will describe your experience in the bullet points. You need to include every aspect of your job especially your outstanding performances and achievements.
Your lifeguard role is quite important and also involves high stakes which means you may have had remarkable incidents such as saving lives or averting serious incidents.
If you refer to lifeguard resume examples, you will notice how thorough the experience sections are. You may also include the aspects mentioned in the job description which will be the details that the recruiter is looking for.
You need to reflect your knowledge and skills of doing your job along with your experience, such as your first aid knowledge, your ability to avert accidents, your alertness during the job. You should also include as many numbers and action verbs as possible. This will reflect how effective you are as a lifeguard, at the lifeguard jobs.
Education section
There may not be particular degrees for lifeguard or coach or personal training roles however, there are many courses, programs and trainings that you may have acquired for the lifeguard position. If you want your resume to be a perfect resume rather than a generic resume, you need to ensure that every section has relevant and impactful information.
That means your education section should be efficient as well. You can mention your high school diploma and the education institute. Along with it however, you should mention your lifeguarding training, learning and such experiences as well.
Lifeguard skills
Your lifeguarding skills are important and you may have incorporated them in your lifeguarding experience and professional summary. The skills section is important as well because it is where you provide the list of your top strengths and areas where you excel the most.
Lifeguard skills include soft skills as well as particular hard skills necessary for the role of a lifeguard. These skills help you perform well. You should pick the skills mentioned in the job description as well.
- Enforcing rules (pool rules etc.)
- Water rescue
- Safety in swimming areas
- Basic first aid
- Swimming techniques
- Handling emergency situations
- Skills for lifeguard positions
- Safety around swimming pool & pool area
- Alertness of a seasoned lifeguard
- Physical fitness
- Interpersonal skills
- Pool activities safety
- Checking swimmer identification
- Work skills
- Save lives
Lifeguard certification
Being lifeguard does not mean you can woke up one day and chose to be a lifeguard. Being a lifeguard means being responsible for lives and emergency situations. Such a high stake role comes with a lot of responsibility and scrutiny for the sake of human lives.
What this means is as a lifeguard you must have acquired some license or certificate or such. You need to be a certified lifeguard so that you can be hired in a professional capacity.
In case you were a swimming instructor and changed the career to become a lifeguard, you need transferable skills and some training as well (in addition to certification).
On your professional lifeguard resume, you need to mention your certification with some details of from where you acquired and may be some details of your training or what you learned in the process etc.
Extra sections
If you have any other relevant information that could be value addition for your role and candidacy, you should add that in extra sections on your resume. For example, you can add the language proficiencies, any relevant personal interests and courses you may be pursuing.
You can also add any lifeguarding achievements and awards or such, as a lifeguard you may have personal hobbies such as surfing or deep sea diving. If you have participated in any relevant competitions, you can mention those details as well.
All these extra details could help you stand out and increase your chances of getting the job you want or dream of.
Relevant keywords
Relevant keywords are nothing but the words that are directly related to your role, job description, job ad, industry and your responsibilities. The key words are that are very relevant and important for these aspects.
Using these keywords throughout your lifeguard resume is very important not just because it helps you reflect your knowledge and thorough nature, but also because it will help you beat the ATS or the applicant tracking systems.
The ATS is the software used by the hiring manager across the globe, industries and employers because it is an automated way to scanning and filtering the resumes. Recruiters often receive hundreds and thousands of resumes through the job application portal.
To shortlist and find the right job applicant and candidate, they need an automated software so that they don't have to give a lot of time and energy sorting through many resumes.
- Water safety
- Interpersonal skills
- Positive manner
- Water safety protocols
- Water sports
- Water rescue
- Pool rules
- Pool opening
- Ensure safety protocols
- Personal watercraft
- Swimming areas
- Swimmer identification
- Pool activities
- Pump room
- Outdoor pools
- Locker rooms
- Physical fitness
- Observant lifeguard
- Pool area
- Swim lessons
- Swimming area rules
- Swimming instructor
- Certified lifeguard
- Athletic training
- Swimming lessons
- Swimming pool
- First aid
- Lifeguard position
- Head lifeguard
apart from using keywords from above list, make sure you also pick keywords from the job description because they will be very inclusive and exactly what the recruiter is looking for.
Cover letter
The cover letters are not always mandatory however adding it to your job application is always a plus. Cover letter helps you convince the hiring managers that you are a worthy job candidate. You can address the letter to the hiring managers directly and appeal to them with the details of your profile.
In addition to the information of your professional lifeguard resume, your lifeguard cover letter content can describe your inspiration, your journey, your ambition, your passion and interest for the lifeguard job and career. You can take a bit of informal approach and talk about your interest in genuine manner which may be really effective on the hiring manager.
To get the hiring manager's attention, cover letter is your best chance which is also a good option to add more keywords and details in addition to your lifeguard resume.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you need to ensure that your professional lifeguard resume meets the standards and follows the guidelines that increase your chances of getting the job. Some of the key points to keep in mind are:
- Always follow the guidelines and proofread
- Write a compelling lifeguard resume summary
- Utilize professional resume templates
- Pick the skills and experience details from job description
Having read this article, you are now ready to write your own lifeguard resume. You should also refer to our resume examples and resume templates. Good luck with the job hunt!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which are the top skills for a lifeguard resume?
There are many skills necessary for a lifeguard resume as discussed in the article above. The top skills include:
- Swimming techniques
- Water rescue techniques
- First aid
- Observation and Alertness
- Enforcing rules
How long should my lifeguard resume be?
A professional resume should be 1 to 2 pages long and not more. Your lifeguard resume should have the right format so that your profile is presented properly without having to get rid of important information and parts of your lifeguard resume.
Do I need medical knowledge on my lifeguard resume?
You need the knowledge that will help you save lives in case of emergency situations such as a drowning incident. You do not need medical knowledge of a doctor however the medical knowledge necessary for some basic first aid and such is crucial. You need the medical knowledge mentioned on your lifeguard resume as well.
