Lifeguard Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Lifeguard resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
A lifeguard is responsible for monitoring an area of a swimming pool, beach, or other aquatic space for swimmers in distress, enforcing rules and regulations, and providing safety tips to patrons. Lifeguards are also responsible for rescuing swimmers who get into trouble in the water.
If you love being outdoors, working with people, and want a job that offers plenty of opportunities for growth and advancement, then lifeguarding might be the perfect career for you. Here are some tips and an example resume to help you write a lifeguard resume that hiring managers will love.
How to Write a Lifeguard Resume
Here’s how to write a lifeguard resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most effective way to showcase your experience and qualifications. But rather than simply listing your responsibilities, you can use them to tell a story about how you contributed to the organization.
For example, rather than saying you “provided first aid as needed,” you could say that you “provided first aid to 10 swimmers suffering from jellyfish stings during busy summer weekend, helping to reduce wait time for paramedics by more than half.”
The second bullet point paints a much clearer picture of what happened and the impact of your actions. And it provides a quantifiable result (reduced wait time).
Related: What Is a Lifeguard? How to Become One
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
Most summer lifeguard jobs are applied online. When you apply, the employer will likely use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to screen resumes. This system looks for certain keywords related to the job opening. If your resume doesn’t have enough of the right keywords, your application might not make it past the initial screening process.
One way to make sure your resume contains the right keywords is to read through the job posting and take note of the terms that are used most frequently. Then, strategically add them into your resume where they’re relevant. Here are some common lifeguard keywords to get you started:
- Lifeguarding
- First Aid
- Public Safety
- Rescue
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Emergency Management
- Emergency Services
- Swimming
- Life Support
- CPR Training
- Firefighting
- Coaching
- Customer Service
- Teamwork
- Microsoft Access
- Personal Development
- Time Management
- Communication
- Leadership
- Team Leadership
- Athletic Training
- Swim Instruction
- Athletics
- Community Outreach
- Lifeguards
- Instructor-led Training
- Healthcare
- Emergency Medicine
- Team Building
- Research
Related: How Much Does a Lifeguard Make?
Remember The Basics
As you write your resume, it’s important to keep a few basic rules in mind.
Make Sure Your Resume Is Easy to Scan
There are a few things you can do to make your resume more readable and easier to scan, such as using a standard font type and size, left-aligning your text, and using bullets instead of paragraphs. You should also try to keep your bullets to 2 lines or less, and use digits for numbers. Finally, leave some white space on the page to make the document less overwhelming.
Be Concise
There is no set standard for how long your resume should be. However, it’s important to tailor your resume to the specific role you’re applying for, and to focus on the most relevant information. When in doubt, it’s best to keep your resume brief and to the point.
Proofread
Proofreading your resume is important to ensure that it looks its best. There are several things to watch for when proofreading, including spelling mistakes, punctuation mistakes, and grammatical mistakes. It is also important to be aware of commonly confused words, so that you do not accidentally use the wrong one. Having friends or family members proofread your resume for you can be helpful, as they may catch mistakes that you missed.
Use a Summary
A resume summary statement is an excellent way to introduce yourself to potential employers and to showcase the skills and experiences that make you the perfect candidate for the job. Summaries can be used to explain your past experience and to highlight your future goals, and when done well, can help to paint a fuller picture of who you are and what you have to offer. If you’re looking to use a resume summary statement in your own job search, be sure to play up your relevant soft skills, mention your most highly transferable experiences, clearly state your intentions, and keep it brief and to the point.
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