Correctional Officer Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Correctional Officer resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Correctional officers are the folks who make sure that prisons, jails, and other detention facilities run smoothly. They’re responsible for the safety and well-being of inmates and staff alike, so they need to be calm under pressure and able to think on their feet.
Correctional officers are often tasked with maintaining order in highly stressful environments where violence and drug use are common. They also have to follow strict rules and regulations when interacting with inmates, which means they need to be highly disciplined and follow directions carefully.
If you’re looking for a job where your hard work will be appreciated, correctional officer might be the perfect role for you. Here are tips and an example to help you write a correctional officer resume that hiring managers will love.
How to Write a Correctional Officer Resume
Here’s how to write a correctional officer resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most important part of your resume because they’re the first thing recruiters will see. And since they’re so important, it’s crucial that you use them to your advantage.
The best way to do that is to use them to describe your experience and qualifications. So rather than saying you “provided security for inmates at a correctional facility,” you could say you “provided security for 1,000+ inmates at a maximum security correctional facility, ensuring all inmates remained safe and secure at all times.”
The second bullet point is much stronger because it provides specific details about what you did and the results of your work.
Related: What Is a Correctional Officer? How to Become One
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you apply for a job as a correctional officer, your resume is likely to be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. The ATS will search for specific terms related to the duties of a correctional officer, like “inmate management” or “crowd control.” If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right keywords, your application might not make it past the initial screening process.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of common correctional officer keywords as a starting point:
- Correctional Services
- Correctional Safety
- Law Enforcement
- Correctional Treatment
- Criminal Justice
- Emergency Management
- Crime Prevention
- Public Safety
- Firearms Handling
- Corrections
- Patrol
- Security
- Criminal Investigations
- Police
- Criminal Law
- Physical Security
- Interrogation
- Investigation
- U.S. National Incident Management System (NIMS)
- Patrol Officer
- Government
- Police Work
- Interpersonal Skills
- Customer Service
- Teamwork
- Time Management
- Risk Assessment
- Critical Thinking
- Supervisory Skills
- Leadership
Related: How Much Does a Correctional Officer Make?
Remember The Basics
As you draft your resume, there are a few basic rules to keep in mind.
Create Scannable Sections
There are a few things you can do to make your resume easier to read. First, try to left-align all of your text and use a standard font throughout. You should also use bullets rather than paragraphs to list your experiences, and keep your bullets to 2 lines or less. Additionally, use bolding and italics to emphasize important information, but avoid using all-caps or too much formatting variation. Finally, try to leave some white space on the page to make the document less overwhelming.
Be Concise
There is no set length for a resume but in general, it is best to keep it concise and to the point. A one page resume is ideal for recent graduates and those with less than five to eight years of professional experience. If you have more experience than that, a two-page resume is appropriate. When trimming down a resume, remove any irrelevant information, filler words and unnecessary details.
Proofread
While it is important to have a well-written and error-free resume, do not plagiarize any of the text from the examples above. By copying and pasting someone else’s work, you run the risk of being caught and potentially losing the chance at the job you’re applying for. Instead, take the time to write your own resume, and make sure to proofread it thoroughly.
Consider Including a Summary
Resume summaries can be a great way to put your past experience and future goals in context. They don’t need to be terribly long—just two or three sentences detailing who you are, what you do, what your best trait or skill is, and what you’re looking to do next. When executed well, summaries can help to paint a fuller picture of what you bring to the table, and can make you stand out from the competition.
If you’re looking to update your resume, consider adding a summary statement. This will give potential employers a snapshot of your skills and experience, and will help to show how your qualifications match up with the role you’re hoping to land.
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