Security Guard Resume Example

When you apply for a security guards position, writing a resume is a big and important step on this journey. Get it wrong and you’ll fail to drive the recruiter’s attention and lose your chance to land a job.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, pegs the average security guard’s salary at $31,470 per year and $15.13 per hour.

If you are wondering how to succeed in your job search, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, the experts from SkillHub with experience in the resume writing business will walk you through the process of writing a job-winning security guard resume sample step by step.

Read executive resume writing service blog to find a perfect sample resume for security guard and lots of handy tips!

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Best Format for a Security Guard Resume

One thing to remember is that your security job resume is the biggest part of your job application that determines 90% of the success.

Why?

Because it’s the first thing that potential employers and recruiters will see, which means that it is exactly what will help them shape their first impression of you as a potential employee.

Therefore, if you want to land an interview, you have to ensure that your resume is flawless. And the first thing to start with is the security guard resume format.

Our pros recommend choosing a classic reverse-chronological format. It will give you enough space to showcase all your knowledge, experiences, and skills for security guard resume. But, at the same time, since this format implies putting your most recent jobs and achievements first, it will also help you engage the recruiter and make a good impression.

Additional formatting tips include:

  • Add consistently formatted headings to divide your resume into sections and make it more readable.
  • Use clear and readable fonts.
  • Leave enough white space to make it look good.
  • Save it as a PDF.

Continue reading and you will find a well-organized resume sample security guard to see how it should be formatted.

Security Guard Resume Templates

It’s wise to use a resume template for security guard. It will help you ensure that you don’t miss anything important and will help you craft a winning resume faster and easier.

Here is a sample security guard resume template you can use to get started:

  1. Name
  2. Contact details
  3. Resume summary or objective
  4. Education
  5. Work experience
  6. Skills
  7. Additional sections
  8. LinkedIn Profile

This is a basic organization that will help you provide the recruiting firms with all the necessary info, without going over the limits or missing something important.

Now, let’s move on to handy tips that will help you get more interviews.

Security Guard Resume Objective or Resume Summary

Hiring managers are too busy to read all applications from cover to cover. Instead, they quickly scan each resume to see if it meets the job’s requirements. And your task is to make them want to recruit you straight away.

There are two ways to make your resume attention-grabbing:

  • Security guard resume summary - it’s a short overview of your career and professional accomplishments. It’s best used when you’ve got many years of it.
  • Security guard resume objective - it’s a statement of why you want the job. It should show your skills and passion and can be used with no experience.

Security Guard Resume Summary [Examples]

❌ Wrong:

A highly skilled security guard with experience in monitoring security cameras and resolving conflicts. Looking to leverage my skills at [company name].

✅ Right:

A certified armed security guard with over 6 years of experience in ensuring safety compliance during public events and property patrol service. Ensured 0% material loss in 3 years at the previous workplace and reduced safety incidents by 60%. Possess proven skills to ensure a high level of security at [company name].

As you can see, among these two security guard resume samples, the last one is more specific and attention-grabbing. Also, note how it uses numbers to emphasize accomplishments.

Security guard Resume Objective [Examples]

❌ Wrong:

Dedicated college graduate looking to work as a security guard at [company name]. Have great problem-solving skills and attention to detail. Willing to undergo on-site training.

✅ Right:

Hard-working, entry-level security specialist with strong customer service and conflict resolution skills. Provided security services on a voluntary basis during two charitable events, where I ensured full compliance with safety regulations and zero incidents. Looking to gain more experience at [company name].

In this case, the second example of a security guard resume objective emphasizes relevant volunteering experience to make up for the lack of work experience and highlight skills acquired through it.

How many mistakes are acceptable on a resume? Are you at risk?

Security Guard: Job Description, Duties, and Experience Section

Before you jump straight to writing your resume, it will never harm to read a security guard job description.

Often, job seekers skip this stage and this is the biggest mistake you can make because a job description hides everything a hiring manager will be looking for in the “ideal applicant” inside of it. So, if you read it, you will know what to focus on when writing your security guard resume.

Typically, security officer job duties include:

  • Property patrolling
  • Surveillance equipment monitoring
  • Inspecting building, venues, and access points
  • Permitting or restricting entry
  • Ensuring compliance with safety regulations
  • Prevent damage and loss
  • Solving conflicts

That’s are some of the main tasks you’ll have to perform on a security guard job. You should organize your resume in such a way so that it highlights your ability to handle these tasks.

Now, let’s see how to use it in your experience section.

Security Guard Resume Examples [Experience]

The experience section is an important part of every security guard resume example. This is the part that employers look at the most and, if you use it right, it can help you land a job.

To make them want to employ you, list your experiences in a reverse-chronological order, where your most recent job goes first.

For each entry, specify:

  • Job title
  • Company
  • Years of work

To drive even more attention and make it truly memorable, complement your experience sections with bullet points that highlight your key skills and achievements. Check out our sample security guard resume experience sections to see how it’s done.

A Resume for Security Guard With No Experience

Have no employment history to show yet? That’s not too big of a deal. you can easily find an example of a resume security guard with no experience. And to make your own all you need is to show that you are a perfect fit even without actual experience.

If you had some jobs in the past (though irrelevant), find transferable skills that can come in handy at your future job. Also, emphasize your education and special training. 

Pro Tip: If you are applying for your first job ever, you can use volunteering activities to fill the experiences section. Volunteering always looks great on resumes, so it can give you some extra points.

Entry Level Security Guard Resume Sample [No Experience]

❌ Wrong

Security Guard Work Experience: None

Other Work Experience:

  • Bartender, 2011-2013
  • Shop assistant, 2009-2010

✅ Right

Security Guard Experience

2009-2013

  • As a shop assistant, monitored compliance with safety regulations in the shopping room and reduced shoplifting cases by 20%.
  • As a bartender, helped ensure the security of visitors during night shifts.
  • Volunteered as a security guard during two charitable events where ensured zero incidents.

What’s the difference? See how in the second of the two security guard resume examples we’ve transformed seemingly irrelevant experiences into the relevant ones that show that you have everything needed to succeed in security guards jobs.

How to Put Education on Your Security Guard Resume

Generally, the security guard education requirements aren’t that high. According to stats, it’s enough to have a high school diploma to land a job. But, don’t let this make you think like your resume for security guards doesn’t need an education section. After all, it is one more opportunity to stand out.

Here is what to specify in this section:

  • School/College name
  • Location
  • Years in school
  • Major (and minors)
  • Extra points with achievements

List your entries in reverse-chronological order and make sure that your extra points align with the requirements stated for the job you are looking to occupy.

Security Guard Resume Examples [Education]

❌ Wrong

Rochester High School, Rochester, IL

2007-2010

Look carefully at this example. Yes, it specifies some core details. But, it doesn’t provide any additional value, so it’s something you don’t want to have on your security guard resume.

✅ Right

Rochester High School, Rochester, IL

2007-2010

  • Sidekicker in Junior and Senior years
  • An active member of the student body
  • Volunteered to assist teachers to supervise security during Homecoming dance

Now, this example shows how you can make the same education entry more relevant to a security guard job by emphasizing your physical fitness, leadership skills, and volunteering experience in the security field.

Security Guard Resume Skills

How to identify the key security guard resume skills to include on your resume? And how to list them right?

Here is how to do it in 5 simple steps:

  1. Read the job description and highlight the core skills a particular employer is looking for.
  2. Make a list of all your relevant and transferable skills.
  3. Check the job description again and compare it against your list.
  4. Define which of your skills match the employer’s needs and list them in a bullet point list in a separate Skills section on your resume.

Pro Tip: Don’t make your list of skills too huge. Instead, identify a few strongest skills and mention them on your resume. Also, mix soft and hard skills.

In our security guard resume samples, you can see how the skills are listed on a security guard resume the right way. Be sure to check them out before you write your own!

Security guard Resume Examples [Skills]

If you are not yet sure what skills to mention on your resume, we can help you get on the right track. Here is a list of the security guard resume skills employers are looking for most often:

  • Property patrolling
  • Critical thinking
  • Clean driver’s license
  • Judgment
  • CPR and first aid
  • Surveillance equipment
  • Surveillance cameras monitoring
  • Equipment maintenance
  • Active learning
  • Compassion
  • An eye for detail
  • Honesty
  • Communication
  • Listening
  • Safety compliance
  • Thorough knowledge of criminal justice
  • Persuasion
  • Problem-solving
  • Coordination
  • Negotiation
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Physically fit
  • Dependability
  • Perceptiveness
  • Customer service
  • Firearms
  • Decision making
  • Psychology
  • Self-motivated
  • Adaptability
  • Conflict resolution
  • Writing reports

Add Extra Sections to Your Security Guard Resume

When applying for any kind of job, you will most likely face huge competition and security guard positions are not an exception. Thus, it is natural to wonder how to make your sample of security guard resume stand out and be memorable.

The answer is - add extra resume sections!

Employers are looking to hire humans, so they will appreciate learning a bit more about you. The additional sections you may add can include:

  • Hobbies and interests
  • Special training
  • Additional activities
  • Certifications
  • Courses
  • Awards

The main thing is to ensure that all additional entries bring real value and somehow relate to the job you are applying for.

Security guard Resume Examples [Other Sections]

❌ Wrong

Additional Activities:

  • Long walks in the park
  • Listening to music 

That’s what you shouldn’t do with your security guard resume. This additional section has nothing to do with security responsibilities. Neither it provides any valuable information about you as a potential employee.

✅ Right

Other Accomplishments:

  • Completed First Aid courses and received a certificate
  • Possess 100% clean driver’s license
  • Speak Spanish and German fluently

These entries may look like they’ve got nothing to do with the job, but, in fact, all of these can be beneficial when you are in a security guard role, so they are worth adding to your resume for security guard jobs.

The Bottom Line

Now, you have all the knowledge and tools you need to create your own, job-winning resume for a security guard position.

Let’s once more look at the key takeaways on how to write a resume for security guard job:

  • Always start with studying the job offer. Highlight the key requirements and needs of each employer and tailor your resume to meet them.
  • When writing your experience section, add bullet points with achievements and quantify them where possible.
  • Always add an education section to your resume.
  • Let professional resume editing service to edit your resume.
  • List some of your most relevant soft and hard skills (but not too many of them) in bullet points.
  • Use extra sections to impress recruiters and employers.
  • Read cv creation service blog to broaden your opportunities
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