Security Guard Resume Guide + Tips + Example
by Kellie Hanna, Propel your career with an effective security guard resume. Our guide can help you create a professional resume for a security guard to showcase your training, communication skills and security knowledge to present you as a desirable candidate.
Start by editing this sample of a security guard resume or explore our 40+ resume templates to find the best one for you.
More Resume examples for the next step in your safety security career
Security guard resume example (text version)
Sebastian Reed
Minneapolis, MN 55409
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com
Professional Summary
Skilled security guard offering over two years of experience in security. Highly experienced in safety risk analysis, de-escalating conflicts and controlling behaviors. Background includes monitoring entrances, facility grounds and closed-circuit feeds. Leverages excellent listening and service skills in emergency response and evaluation procedures.
Skills
- Report writing
- Surveillance skills
- Crime prevention
- Security guard license
- Theft prevention training
- Physical stamina
- Problem-solving
- Strong communication
Work History
April 2018 – Current
Bright Sky Group – Minneapolis,MN
Security Guard
- Respond quickly to emergency situations, typically within two minutes of the alarm sounding to assess and deflect issues.
- Complete full building and grounds patrols every hour to spot and investigate concerns.
- Write reports of daily activities and irregularities such as property damage, theft, guest or employee accidents and unusual occurrences, reducing safety threats by 85%.
September 2017 – March 2018
Secure Entertainment LLC – Minneapolis, MN
Bouncer
- Secured premises and personnel by patrolling the property and monitoring surveillance equipment such as cameras.
- Maintained composure and professionalism while screening over 500 visitors during high-volume periods.
- Informed violators of applicable rules and removed unauthorized individuals from the premises.
July 2016 – August 2017
Chipotle – Minneapolis, MN
Restaurant Team Member
- Restocked food items, including condiments and toppings, when inventory ran low.
- Successfully communicated with all 12 team members to navigate job duties and complete daily tasks.
- Suggested add-on items like desserts and side dishes, which increased by 25% of revenues through upselling.
Education
June 2016
Edison High School Minneapolis, MN
High School Diploma
5 essentials of a top security guard resume
Contact details
This section will contain all the information needed to contact you. The standard is: full name, city, state and ZIP code, followed by phone number and email address. Finally, add a professional website, LinkedIn profile or other professional networking profile.
Personal statement
The personal statement is your introduction to the hiring manager. Also called a professional summary, this section is where you will present your best job-relevant skill and strongest work experience. Write your years of experience and one or two professional accomplishments in no more than five sentences. Remember to tailor this section to the security guard job description for a resume.
Skills
Your skills show the hiring manager what you can bring to the table and how you work with others. Catch the recruiter’s attention with a skills section with keywords matching the job description. Create a balanced bulleted list of hard skills, like theft prevention, surveillance and conflict resolution, and soft skills, such as communication, collaboration and relationship building.
If this is your first job as a security guard, you can include transferable skills from other employment.
Work history
List your work history in reverse-chronological order to showcase your experience in the field. Add the company names, locations and dates of employment. For every job, include a bulleted list of three measurable accomplishments.
If this is your first job as a security guard, you can include other relevant work experiences, like volunteer experiences, community services, professional projects and more.
Education
Use bullet points to create your security guard’s education section. On each bullet point, include the educational institution’s name, the degree conferred and graduation year. If your graduation date was 10 years ago or more, you can skip it. If you did not attend college, list your high school and any other post-high school course you’ve completed.
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Action words for a stand-out security guard resume
Add confidence to your security guard resume with action words. Their directness adds strength to your skills and experience. Combine them with measurable achievements to create an effective resume for a security guard.
Here’s a short list of action words for a security guard resume:
- Monitor
- Surveillance
- Report
- Document
- Protect
- Maintain
- Escort
- Ensure
- Fill
- Patrol
- Check
- Respond
Our Resume Builder can help you create an effective security guard resume in as little as 15 minutes. It has all the tools you need, including editing and step-by-step guidance. Consider our expert suggestions as you build your resume and, once you’re satisfied, download it in multiple formats. We have 800+ resume examples to help you create the perfect security guard resume.
Top skills for a security guard resume
Grab the recruiter’s attention by creating a skills section with your best security guard skills. Use the job description to match the required skills to the skills and traits that fit you.
Some security guard resume skills include the following:
- Safety risk analysis
- Theft prevention
- Survelliance
- Emergency and crisis response
- Excellent communication skills
- Physical strength
- Stamina
- Observational skills
- Patience
- Cultural competence
- Thorough reporting and documentation
- Ability to sit, walk or stand for extended periods of time
- Excellent vision and hearing
- Patience
- ID verification
- First Aid & CPR
- Conflict resolution techniques
- Basic computer software skills
Certifications for a security guard resume
Certifications can provide a potential employer the reassurance that you have the skills to perform the role of a security guard. Depending on the employer, you might need certifications.
These are few examples of certifications for a security guard resume:
- Certification Protection Professional (CPP)
- Physical Security Certification (PSC)
- Associate Protection Professional (APP)
- Certified Lodging Security Guard
- Certified Cargo Security Professional
- First Aid Certification
- CPR & AED Certification
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
Security Guard resume FAQ
1. How to make a resume for a security guard job?
Before you start writing your resume, save the job description. It will give you all the information you need to create your resume. Use it to match its skills and requirements to your skills and experience. Then, use this guide to create a resume to highlight your strengths.
Start with the five primary sections:
- Contact information
- Personal statement or professional summary
- Skills
- Work history
- Education
Still have more information to add? Include optional sections, for example
- Certifications and licenses
- Professional memberships or associations
- Volunteer experience
Use the sample security guard resume as a guide to build your resume. You can also create an effective resume quickly and easily with our Resume Builder, which provides step-by-step guidance and editable content suggestions.
2. What to write in the resume summary for security guard?
The personal statement is the introduction to your hiring manager. They’ll read this and the skills section before moving on to the rest of the resume. You need to make an impact fast.
- Include your strongest job-relevant essential information:
- Always tailor your professional summary to the job description.
- Open with your years of experience.
- Include your strongest job-relevant skill.
- Add an important achievement or two that could resonate with the employer.
3. How to write licenses on a functional resume security guard?
Your licenses must include:
- Name of the issuing organization
- Completion, expiry or renewal date
- Location
Do’s and don’ts for building a security guard resume
- Use measurable achievements to describe your security guard skills and experience.
- Use action words to make an impact on your security guard resume.
- Tailor your CV to your target security guard job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your security guard resume.
- Format your security guard resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Lie about your security guard experience and skills.
- Boast about your “incomparable” security guard abilities.
- Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Add skills and experience that do not pertain to a security guard.
- Forget to proofread. A security guard resume with errors is unprofessional and will be discarded.
Top 4 tips for acing a security guard interview
Research the potential employer
Start your job application process by learning more about the company, its history, goals and values. Use their official channels, like their website and social media, as well as the news and employees’ reviews. This knowledge will help you answer questions during the interview and show your interest and commitment to the role.
Practice at home.
Ease your nerves by prepping. Practice an interview with the help of a friend or relative. Start by reviewing the most common interview questions:
- Describe the System You Use for Keeping Track of Multiple Projects.
- What Is the Most Significant Contribution You Made to the Company During a Past Job or Internship?
- What Have You Accomplished That Shows Your Initiative and Willingness to Work?
Research other possible interview questions that could apply to the security guard role, write down your answers and practice with your interview partner. Once you’re done, ask them for feedback and work with them to improve your answers, tone and body language. Being prepared will boost your confidence during the interview. Remember not to overdo it, which will have the opposite effect.
Pro tip: Practice in front of a mirror. Remember to look at both your facial expressions and body language, which hiring managers will notice.
Ask, ask, ask!
The interview goes both ways: you’re interviewing the employer as much as they’re interviewing you. Prepare between three and five questions to learn more about the role and how the employer fits your career goals.
- Why did you choose to work here?
- What could you tell me about the company culture?
- What is the career path for this position?
- How do you support the security guard role?
- What is your ideal candidate for this role?
- What are the biggest challenges for this position?
Always ask open-ended questions and give the interviewer a chance to answer them.
Round up your references.
Contact former managers and colleagues to be potential references as you apply for a security guard position. Your potential references should be able to vouch for your work ethic and skills. Explain to them where you are in the process and let them know they could receive a phone call or email. Also, request at least two letters of recommendation for you.
If this is your first job as a security guard, you can request a reference from a mentor, community leader, volunteer coordinator or classmate that can vouch for your skills.
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Kellie Hanna
Content Strategist, Career Advice Expert
Kellie is the content strategist for My Perfect Resume. She has more than 20 years of experience in digital media and is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She has a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.
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