Security Officer Resume Guide + Tips + Example
Propel your career with an effective security officer resume. Our guide can help you create a professional security officer resume to showcase your training, communication skills, and security knowledge to present you as a desirable candidate.
Start by editing this security officer resume sample template or explore our 40+ resume templates to find the best one for you.
Security officer resume example (text version)
DENNIS YOUNG
New York, NY 10027
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com
Professional Summary
Physically fit security officer skilled at defending clients and assets. Possesses excellent self-control and level head in difficult situations, including criminal acts, fires and medical emergencies. Manages security risks with ease and uses sound judgment to quickly resolve problematic situations.
Work History
September 2016 – Current
Premier Protection NYC – New York
Senior Security Officer
- Protect the facility and over 500 employees by regularly circulating premises and monitoring surveillance feeds.
- Conduct hourly patrols of key areas to spot and control security concerns.
- Oversee periodic safety inspections, patrol service and immediate response to all safety-security situations.
June 2010 – August 2016
Private Security Protection – New York, NY
Security Officer
- Reviewed camera and system feeds and alerted proper respondents regarding discrepancies.
- Operated detecting devices to screen over 300 individuals per day and prevent the passage of prohibited articles into restricted areas.
- Authorized entrance papers and granted or denied entrance to the building.
June 2007 – May 2010
SecurAmerica – New York, NY
Junior Security Officer
- Permitted entry with an escort for approved persons into secure locations.
- Checked identification of all people entering and exiting the facility, reducing safety risks by 95%.
- Executed security rules and procedures and calmly and promptly escorted non-compliant individuals out of the building.
Skills
- Surveillance
- Conflict resolution techniques
- Theft prevention training
- Communication skills
- Crisis intervention training
- Security guard license
- ID verification
- Arrest procedures
Education
Millennium High School New York, NY
High School Diploma
5 essentials of a top security officer 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 any 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. In no more than five sentences, include your years of experience and one or two professional accomplishments. Remember to tailor this section to the security officer 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 that includes keywords that match the job description. Create a balanced bulleted list of hard skills, like theft prevention, surveillance and conflict resolution, and soft skills, such as your communication, collaboration and relationship building.
If this is your first job as a security officer, 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. For example: percentage or estimate of answered calls, amount of reduced security breaches, and size of area surveilled.
If this is your first job as a security officer, you can include other relevant work experience, like volunteer experiences, community services, professional projects and more.
Education
Use bullet points to create your security officer’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 officer resume
Add confidence to your security officer 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 officer.
Here’s a short list of action words for a security officer resume:
- Monitored
- Surveillanced
- Reported
- Documented
- Protected
- Maintained
- Escorted
- Ensured
- Filled
- Patrolled
- Checked
- Responded
Our Resume Builder can help you create an effective security officer 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 officer resume.
Top skills for a security officer resume
Grab the recruiter’s attention by creating a skills section with your best security officer skills. Use the job description to match the required skills to the skills and traits that fit you.
Your skills might include the following:
- Safety risk analysis
- Theft prevention
- Surveillance
- 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 officer resume
Certifications can provide a potential employer the reassurance that you have the skills to perform the role of a security officer. Depending on the employer, you could be required to have licenses or specific certifications.
These are few examples of certifications for a security officer resume:
- Certification Protection Professional (CPP)
- Physical Security Certification (PSC)
- Associate Protection Professional (APP)
- Certified Lodging Security Officer
- Certified Cargo Security Professional
- First Aid Certification
- CPR & AED Certification
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
Security officer resume FAQ
1. How to make a resume for a security officer 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 officer 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 a security officer?
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.
For example:
Certified and armed security officer with 3+ years of experience in private and public events. Experience deescalating conflict, disarming attackers and facilitating arrival of medical care. Possess excellent verbal communication and cultural competence.
3. How to write licenses on a functional resume security officer?
Your licenses must include:
- Name of the issuing organization
- Completion, expiry or renewal date
- Location
For example:
Licensed Class D Security Officer of Florida 2017 to present
You can create a special section for your licenses and certifications, add it next to your name or as part of your resume summary.
Do’s and don’ts for building a security officer resume
- Use measurable achievements to describe your security officer skills and experience.
- Use action words to make an impact on your security officer resume.
- Tailor your CV to your target security officer job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your security officer resume.
- Format your security officer resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Lie about your security officer experience and skills.
- Boast about your “incomparable” security officer abilities.
- Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Add skills and experience that do not pertain to a security officer.
- Forget to proofread. A security officer resume with errors is unprofessional and will be discarded.
Top 4 tips for acing a security officer 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, such as:
- 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 officer 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 own 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 officer 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 start applying for a security officer 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 officer, you can request a reference from a mentor, community leader, volunteer coordinator or classmate that can vouch for your skills.
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Security Officer Resume Example
Nilda Melissa Díaz is a Career Advice Writer. She has worked for the Washington Post, Stringr, and Latina Style Magazine. She has a master's in journalism from Columbia University and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
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