Security Guard Resume Example for Licensed Officers

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, most states require security guards to be licensed or registered with the state in which they work, and guards who carry weapons usually must be licensed by the appropriate government authority. Training is more rigorous for armed guards because they need weapons training, and armed posts carry stricter background checks. BLS also notes that security guards typically need a high school diploma.

Make your status unmistakable. Write "Licensed Unarmed Security Officer" or "Armed Security Officer" in the headline, and add a certifications section with the license name, issuing authority and dates. Requirements, license names and renewal rules vary by state, so check them with your state's licensing agency before you apply and copy its wording exactly. If your license is pending, say so and give the expected date.

O*NET lists the core tasks of security guards as locking doors and gates, answering alarms and investigating disturbances, patrolling to preserve order and protect property, responding to medical emergencies with basic first aid, and calling police or fire services when needed. Your bullets should show the setting and scale in which you did that work:

• Site type: office tower, hospital, retail, warehouse, school, event venue, residential.
• Scale: floors, badge holders, visitors per day, cameras monitored, guards on shift.
• Shifts: nights, weekends, rotating, solo posts.
• Responsibility: drills you led, new officers you trained, keys or systems you controlled.

Never include confidential details about a client's security setup, such as door codes or camera blind spots. Scale and type are enough.

Much of a security officer's value shows up in writing. Clear, factual incident reports protect the client, help police follow up and reduce liability. If your reports have been used by management, insurers or police, say so. Mention the systems you use for logging, the radio procedures you follow, and any report-writing training you completed. Harvard's career office recommends writing that is specific, active and fact-based, which is exactly the style good incident reports use too.

Many security employers take applications online, often through an applicant tracking system. Greenhouse lists graphics, tables, headers and footers, and image uploads among causes of a failed parse. A single-column, text-based PDF with standard headings is the safer choice. Leave off a photo and your age. Build yours in the resume builder, then run the ATS basics check described on the ATS test method page.