According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Lifeguard positions are at a 16% growth rate, which is much faster than average. With that said, there are currently 354,100 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 57,800
to 411,900 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Lifeguard jobs was $28,440 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $19,510, and the highest 10% more than $46,510.
Our conclusion? The Lifeguard job market is wide open for candidates.
Top Lifeguard sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
How to write a Lifeguard resume experience section
Lifeguard Resume’s Job Experience Checklist:
- Use 4-6 bullet points per job title;
- Don’t go further than a decade behind when describing your job history, unless you’re applying for an executive position;
- Combine job responsibilities as well as achievements with numbers in results when you describe your past work;
- Start each sentence with a power verb and avoid overused buzzwords;
- Use either C-A-R or S-T-A-R methodology, when describing your experience.
The work experience samples below come from real Lifeguard resumes that got people hired at top companies. You can use them as an inspiration to build your own resume:
Work Experience
Lifeguard/Front Desk Assistant Manager
Cipher Publishing
2009-2014
Have started like a lifeguard/ full time job
In 3 months i was promoted to pool manager
after 7 months i have the opportunity to be Front desk assistant manager
Work Experience
Department Head - Senior Lifeguard
Strosin, Nolan and Pfeffer
2019-2021
Upped the professionalism of employees
Controlled chemicals, temperature, pump room and cleanliness
Mentored new employees and managed staff, continuing education into the summer months
Work Experience
Lifeguard Instructor, ASHI Instructor; Pool Supervisor, Head Lifeguard
Bravura Origin
2017-2018
As a Lifeguard Instructor, I teach American Red Cross Lifeguarding, including CPR, AED, Oxygen, and First Aid (Spring Valley, Ambler and Phoenixville Branches).
As an ASHI Instructor, I conduct skills training and evaluation of ASHI CPR, First Aid and Oxygen courses (Spring Valley & Ambler).
As a Pool Supervisor I oversee a group of Head Lifeguards that organize the Lifeguard coverage of both the indoor and outdoor pools during the summer months. (Spring Valley)
As a Head Lifeguard I oversee a group of junior lifeguards that provide safety coverage for patrons using the aquatic facilities. (Spring Valley)
Work Experience
Lifeguard, Assistant pool manager
Smash Tech
2019-2021
Monitors activities in swimming areas to prevent, recognize and manage accidents in and around the swimming pool.
Ensures a positive experience for patrons.
Maintains pool facility including water quality.
Keeps aquatic facilities clean.
Work Experience
Lifeguard
Nixue Root
2011-2018
Supervise swimmers to ensure that they are swimming within the safety protocols;
Perform rescues in the event of drowning or swimming accidents;
Maintain accurate records of pool use and chemical levels;
Work Experience
Lifeguard/Instructor
Bravura Inc
2012-2018
Continuously scanned pool and deck in order to provide rapid response in emergency situations
Taught ages 8-13 swimming strokes, kicking techniques, diving, saving techniques and games
Interacted with members regarding pool policy, procedures and general YMCA info
Responsibilities included opening the facility and pool at 5:30 am
Work Experience
Head Lifeguard
Obelus Concepts
2017-2021
Addressed members' concerns and communicated regularly with Aquatics Department Head.
Ensured lifeguards were focused and on task.
Performed regular safety and cleanliness checks.
Ensured Aquatics Team members provided a safe and friendly environment for the members.
Work Experience
Volunteer Lifeguard
Zeal Wheels
2011-2018
Responsible for up to 10 children at once
Specialize in swimming levels 1,2,3
Answer questions and provide guidance
Fully ensure the safety of adults and children
Work Experience
Supervisor/Lifeguard
Innovation Modular
2009-2014
Supervised/served on a team of 7-10 guards on rotation
Enforced rules inside and outside to provide a safe environment for all members
Attended monthly inservices to practice and maintain critical lifesaving skills
Work Experience
Lifeguard, Swim Instructor
Quads
2020-2022
Performed and managed pool daily responsibilities (activities/maintenance)
Established personal relationships with members to ensure they are well taken care of
Performed training for new co-workers
Work Experience
Schools Programme Instructor/ Lifeguard / Swim Coach/ Receptionist/ Marketing & Communications
Obelus Concepts
2017-2018
Swim instructor for new to Intermediate swimmers
Schools Instructor, teaching kayaking, rock climbing, snorkeling, water safety, sports & team building
Holiday programme, planning, implementation, programme development and management
Training and development of new staff and coaches
Exceptional customer service and communication
Executed marketing campaigns for the AUT Millennium Gym
Work Experience
Department Head - Senior Lifeguard
Aexie Swarm
2017-2020
Upped the professionalism of employees
Controlled chemicals, temperature, pump room and cleanliness
Mentored new employees and managed staff, continuing education into the summer months
Work Experience
Lifeguard/ Swim Instructor
Thiel - Larson
2015-2017
Successfully taught swimming lessons to a variety of age groups resulting in a high amount of personal requests
Catered the lessons to the students personal learning needs
Created relationships with frequent members at the facility
Work Experience
Head Lifeguard
Bonefete Fun
2021-2022
Manage over fifteen lifeguards a day
Change communication styles to fit the needs of the members
Maintain a fun, but safe atmosphere for all members and guests
Lead groups on projects to maintain safety regulations
Work Experience
Lifeguard
Epic Adventure Inc
2009-2014
Maintained continuous surveillance of people in indoor/outdoor swimming pools and water park
Performed 3 rescues in the event of drowning accidents
Taught swimming techniques and safety education to new swimmers
Work Experience
Lifeguard
Hessel - Ruecker
2012-2018
Maintain constant surveillance of patrons in the facility.
Act immediately and properly to secure the safety of the patrons in an event of an emergency.
Provide emergency treatment until the arrival of emergency medical services.
Present a professional appearance and attitude at all times.
Maintain a high standard of customer service.
Work Experience
Lifeguard/ Swim Instructor
DuBuque, Conroy and Durgan
2012-2014
Served as subject matter expert with facility knowledge and swimming techniques by answering patrons’ questions in a timely and efficient manner
Ensured the safety of all (40+) patrons in and around pool area
Taught swimming lessons to patrons of various skill levels
Work Experience
Secretary/Lifeguard/Swim Instructor
Jaskolski, Waelchi and Yundt
2016-2020
Registered new members and renewed memberships for patrons in facility database
Filed patron information and registration into facility's record-keeping system
Sold membership packages to potential and returning patrons
Acted as facility lifeguard and first aid provider
Don't make the same mistake everyone else does. What we mean is, don't list your Lifeguard job responsibilities instead of your achievements. Recruiters know what you do. They want to know what kind of difference you can bring to their company. Focus on what you've accomplished.
Action Verbs for your Lifeguard Resume
At Enhancv, we went through countless Lifeguard resumes and uncovered which are the unique words people use to spice up their resumes. Forget about buzzwords - use these power words instead to make your experience section shine.
Lifeguard Resume Skills’ Tips & Tricks to Impress Recruiters
Resume Skills Section Checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top Skills for your Lifeguard resume
HARD SKILLS
Swimming
Physical Strength
Speed
CPR
Basic Medical Care
Stamina
Mobility
SOFT SKILLS
Communication
Self confidence
Persistence
Planning
Time management
Patience
Tolerance
When describing your experience, don’t go too far from its terminology. Recruiters use ATS systems to filter resumes based on them having certain keywords, so make sure you use at least a few keywords mentioned in the job description.
CHECKLIST For Your Lifeguard Resume Header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Some companies, states, and countries have policies about identifying information like photos on your Lifeguard resume. Be sure to check all the relevant rules before submitting yours. If you’re in doubt, you can always try contacting the company’s HR department to ask for their policy.
Lifeguard Resume Summary Best Practices
Checklist: What to include in your Lifeguard resume summary:
- Years of experience;
- Highlight top 3 skills and proficiencies;
- One big professional accomplishment you’re most proud of, that you can tie with the aforementioned skills;
- Use short, direct sentences - but no more than three - to keep the HRs interested.
Your summary section should act as a brief but informative introduction to your experience section. In this section you should go into more depth about what you have done, and how you did it.
Listing Your Education, Certifications and Courses
Resume Education Section Checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top Certifications for your Lifeguard resume
Improve your breathing to change your life with World Famous Lifeguard Deano Gladstone from Bondi Rescue...
If you hold a certain major and a minor, your majors should be mentioned first.
Lifeguard Resume: Additional Writing & Formatting Tips
There are three basic resume formats you can choose from:
The most optimal format for your particular case will depend on your years of experience, as well as whether you’re switching industries or not.
Reverse chronological resumes are best suited for experienced individuals who are sticking to their industry. The experience section takes a central place, and its bullets contain your responsibilities and achievements, coupled with numbers and results.
Functional resumes are used by less experienced jobseekers or career changers. Note that it’s not a format that recruiters prefer, as most are used to the classic chronological alignment. Instead of a list of job titles, functional resumes focus on your skills, and through what experiences you gained them.
Hybrid resumes are great for both experienced and entry-level candidates, as well as career changers. They combine the best of both worlds - most often in a double column format, where one side of the content is focused on your experience, whereas the other - on your skills, strengths, and proudest moments.
Lifeguard Resume Summary best practices
Sometimes you’ll want to go after a job which requires more experience than you have. Instead of using a typical Lifeguard resume layout, you can use a creative layout. Getting noticed is the most important challenge and a creative resume layout might help you get invited for an interview as most of other accountants have boring resume designs.
Other sections to include in your resume
Depending on the type of company (corporation or start-up; innovative or traditional), job seniority level and your location, you may want to include more sections to your Lifeguard resume:
Lifeguard Resume: How to Make Yours More Creative & Stand Out
When you send your resume to a potential employer, chances are it's the fiftieth one they've seen that day. That's why you need to make your Lifeguard resume stand out for the right reasons. That means showing your personality, not just your professional experience. Employers are far more likely to remember a candidate who seems like a genuine person and not a robot. Do this by including your passions (which is also a great place to demonstrate skills on a resume), share your favorite books, or even what your usual day looks like.
What Makes a Great Lifeguard Resume: Key Takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
