Most employers want to see your resume because it is the best way for you to showcase professional achievements. Packed with information about your skills and experience, your security guard resume can make or break your chances at getting hired. You must make sure it is carefully tailored to the job at hand.
This page contains information to help you write the best resume possible. It outlines how to use a security guard job description for a resume to ensure it is stressing the skills, achievements, and abilities the employer is likely to want in a candidate. Read over the resume example, writing tips, and other advice given here to get a good start on writing your own resume to wow a hiring manager.
Using a Security Guard Job Description for a Resume
A lot of security guard positions may not require a specific education or even a certain background in security. Despite this, there are some basic skills, education, and experience areas that hiring managers look for in an applicant for a position. They expect to see these things in a resume, so learning about them can help you to ensure your resume is in the best shape possible.
Security Guard Summary
The summary comes at the very beginning of your resume and is the first thing the hiring manager will read. It needs to make a huge statement about who you are and what you can do. You must prove within these short few sentences that you have what it takes to become an asset for the employer.
Your summary needs to include only the most important information. It must showcase the skills and attributes that make you a perfect fit for the position with this employer. You should include information here that you do not want the hiring manager to miss reading.
Security Guard Education & Certification
While some employers do not require special training, you should include any relevant training you have. This can help you to stand out. Make sure you include anything that would relate to the job, such as CPR certification or a security training course. Even if you did not complete your education, as long as it is relevant to a job as a security guard, you should include it. Use this section to strengthen your resume by showing a hiring manager that you have the ability and training to do the job.
Security Guard Duties & Responsibilities
The section of your resume explaining past work experience needs to focus on providing detailed and quantifiable information. Use numbers wherever you can because they make a larger impact than simply explaining what you did, such as patrolled five-acre lot or reduced shoplifting loss by 30%. Also, use this section to pack your resume with key terms and phrases that come directly from the job description. Finally, be sure to explain anything you did at past jobs that went above and beyond your typical duties.
Security Guard Skills
The skills section of your resume is another spot to fill up with the keywords you find in the job description. Use as many as you can to match your own skills to the skills the employer noted, such as attention to detail, ability to react quickly to a crisis, and strong observational ability. Focus on what you can provide to the employer and how you can benefit them through your skill set.
Security Guard Resume
Stan Bumgartner
Columbus, OH 11111
E: stan@fakemail.com T: 555-111-1111
Columbus, OH 11111
E: stan@fakemail.com T: 555-111-1111
Professional Summary
Highly professional security guard with over 15 years of experience working in a variety of commercial and residential settings. A knack for monitoring areas and spotting anything out of the ordinary. Excellent people skills and the ability to deescalate situations to avoid problems.
Skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to react with a calm head and quick thinking in a crisis
• Strong observational skills
• Understanding of laws and regulations pertaining to security
• Excellent communication abilities
Experience
Security Guard – Constant Strip Mall
2012 – present
• Patrol five-acre lot after hours to watch over 15 stores
• Maintain security logs and create reports on incidents
• Patrol stores during open hours to watch for shoplifting and other crimes
• Handle criminal reports by store owners
• React to criminal activity to secure accused until turn over to local law enforcement
• Monitor parking lot for violations and assign parking tickets as needed
• Check identification for workers when entering buildings at opening
• Assist with lock-out issues
• Created new camera configuration to increase video surveillance which helped reduce shoplifting losses by 30%
• Trained nine new security officers total for each shift
Security Guard – Price’s Warehousing
2001 – 2012
• Managed front door entrance, checking all credentials of those entering the building
• Conducted searched of employee lockers and areas at request of management
• Monitored and organized routine drug testing of employees
• Escorted managers to the bank at end of the day to deposit days earnings
• Provided parking assistance t lot attendants when issues arose
• Escorted employees from building at night to their vehicles
• Removed fired employees from building at management request
• Helped to create new security system to reduce disruptions on warehouse floor due to unauthorized personnel
• Created employee identification system to allow quicker access to warehouse floor
Freelance Security Guard – Stan’s Security
1998 – 2001
• Provided security for private events
• Monitored doors to admit only authorized persons
• Assisted with removing individuals at event coordinator’s request
• Watched over event to monitor issues and prevent them from escalating
• Provided security at several apartment buildings in evenings
• Watched for suspicious activity
• Maintained watch logs
• Reported issues to management
Education
CPR and First Aid Certification – Current
Red Cross, Columbus
Associate in Criminal Justice – 2000
The Ohio State University, Columbus
How To Get Your Security Guard Resume Past an ATS
Applicant tracking systems are becoming more prevalent as a way for employers to screen resumes. The ATS scans a resume looking for key terms preset by the employer. These terms relate to the security guard position and typically appear in the job description. It is imperative to ensure your resume is set up to go through an ATS.
When the ATS scans your resume, it looks at the exact terms you use and matches those to the exact terms set by the employer. This is why it is essential to use exact wording from the job description for creating a resume. You want to follow the lead of our sample resume.
Our sample shows how to use specific wording that relates directly to security guard positions. For example, a security guard job description may use terms such as observational skills, understanding of laws, and maintain security logs. These terms can be easily worked into a resume to help make it more ATS-friendly.
However, it is important to note how these security-related terms were worked into the resume in a natural way. Remember a real person will read the resume eventually, so it has to make sense.
To customize your resume for an ATS, start by looking over the job description and noting key phrases and terms. Then, make sure to format your resume using a standard font that the computerized system can read. Also, make sure to avoid getting too creative with headings and stick to the standard ones, such as those shown in the sample resume.
You also need to use action verbs, especially those found in the job description. Use bullet lists, as well. Do not forget to proofread. Running spellcheck is nice, but it will not catch all errors. Always read through to catch issues not caught by a spellcheck program.
