Security Guard Resume Sample

Getting a job as a security guard isn’t easy. Employers need to be able to fully trust you to protect their property or personnel from criminal activity.

If you’re a current security guard or officer and looking for the next step in your career, you’ll need an outstanding resume that showcases your talents and expertise in protecting people and property.

To help you write an impressive security guard resume, here are three writing tips to guide you through the process

1. Craft a descriptive security guard resume summary

One of the first things employers will look for when hiring a security guard is that you have the right certifications. Make it easy for them to see that you’re qualified by starting your security guard resume off with a descriptive resume summary at the top of the page.

Your summary should include your relevant experience as a security guard or officer, your certificates, training and job-specific skills on your resume.

You should also make it known if you held an armed or unarmed position, and specify whether you were a security guard or security officer.

Our security guard resume sample already includes a resume summary fit for an armed security officer. Below, we’ve included a resume summary example for an unarmed security guard.

Unarmed security guard with 5+ years experience providing non-lethal protection through patrolling, monitoring video surveillance systems, checking identification, and diffusing conflicts in both corporate and public school environments. First aid and CPR certified, and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt holder. Looking to use my expertise to protect and provide security for both staff and students at Raymond public schools

In the above resume summary example, notice how the candidate quickly details they were an unarmed security guard, their relevant experience, as well as prior training and current certificates held.

You only get a few short sentences to impress the hiring manager with your resume summary. Make sure to quickly show that you’re qualified, capable, and serious, and that you want to be part of their team.

2. Quantify the scope of your duties

Certifications are important, but employers also want to know the details of what type of security work you’re capable of. The best way to show them what you’re capable of is by adding hard numbers to your resume experience section.

One way to show that you are a valuable asset to the hiring manager is to explain how much responsibility you can take on. Below, we’ve included an example of a candidate that quantifies the scope of their responsibilities by providing hard numbers to specify the scale of the area they were  tasked with protecting:

• Monitor 400+ room hospital premises to detect and prevent signs of potential threats and ensure security of doors and windows

• Operated over 60 surveillance cameras to monitor interior and exterior public areas

Instead of simply stating they patrolled the hospital grounds while monitoring surveillance equipment, they instead explain exactly how big the hospital was and how many surveillance monitors they simultaneously watched over.

Depending on your responsibilities, if you’re tasked with training and supervising other security guards, you should also include that in your work experience. Additionally, if your experience had a positive financial impact on the company, include evidence of that as well.

Here are two work experience bullet point examples from a security officer in charge of scheduling and training, with hard numbers displaying how much money they were able to save the company annually.

• Manage and train 40 personnel security team on physical defense tactics and hospital SOPs

• Managed security team scheduling leading to average annual payroll savings of $4,000 from previous Head Officer’s program

Adding hard numbers and quantifying your accomplishments is important as it gives the hiring manager a clearer understanding of the true scope of your duties. Additionally, managing and training others shows you possess a high level of industry knowledge and leadership skills.

Lastly, here are several more ways to possibly quantify your previous experience on your security guard or security officer resume:

• Were you in charge of a small security team? If so, mention how many others were in the team.
• If you worked in a commercial setting, mention how many crimes you were able to prevent.
• Security screeners can state the average number of people they screen on a daily basis.

3. Highlight your security guard skills, certifications, and licenses

Anyone who has worked in security knows that the job is not as simple as sitting on a stool and watching a single security camera monitor.

To do your job well, you need to have a wide variety of hard and soft skills, from de-escalation to medical training. To show employers that you’re the right person for the job, include a detailed skills section on your resume that highlights some of your most valuable security-related skills and certifications.

If you’re not sure what skills to include on your resume, the best way to find them is by reading the job advertisement for the position you want. Usually, hiring managers will outright state exactly what qualifications and skills they’re expecting from an ideal security guard candidate.

But if you’re still not sure what skills you need, here are some commonly required skills and certifications for your security guard resume.

• Firearm expertise
• Weapons safety training
• CPR & First Aid
• Language skills
• Martial arts/physical combat training
• Psychology coursework training
• Surveillance equipment knowledge
• CCTV monitoring
• Teamwork
• Oral and written communication
• Conflict resolution
• Attention to detail
• Documentation
• Teamwork
• Empathy
• Critical-thinking

Lastly, don’t forget to highlight that you have a security guard license, particularly if it’s an armed security guard license. Licensing requirements differ from state to state, but the more verifiable evidence there is that shows you have legitimate training, the better.