Forget Baywatch and the famous red suits, this article is going to discuss lifeguards and resumes. There’s not going to be any action packed stories about beach or deep water rescues. What we’ re going to do here is determine if you should list working as a lifeguard on your resume. The pros of listing it as well as some of the potential drawbacks.
The truth is that working as a lifeguard is a job. And it’s a rather unique job. Not everyone can be a lifeguard, so it is something that makes you stand out when applying for a job. When an employer sees that you have worked as a lifeguard, they do make certain associations.
So, step back and look at how you view lifeguards and then consider how other people view lifeguards. Then decide if you want to include this on your resume and if it will be taken as a positive or a negative.
Are You Applying to Work as a Lifeguard?
Obvious things should be answered first. Are you applying for a job as a lifeguard? Well, if so, then you definitely should list that you worked as a lifeguard before. It’s just common sense.
If you are looking to work as a lifeguard and applying either to a lifeguard recruitment firm or else applying directly for a role with a company hiring a lifeguard, then you need to make sure it’s clear on your resume that you have worked as a lifeguard.
In fact, most places won’t hire someone who has not worked as a lifeguard before. It’s just that simple. If you have not worked as a lifeguard then you will not often get hired to work as a lifeguard. Some places will train you, but as a rule they will want to hire someone who already has passed the certification and training necessary to work as a lifeguard.
If you are not applying to work as a lifeguard, then it’s more of a judgement call. In a section below I’ll go into the types of jobs where you should mention working as a lifeguard as well as the jobs where you shouldn’t mention it.
As a general rule, if you are a recent graduate from college and this is one of your first “real” jobs, then you can certainly mention working as a lifeguard.
However, if you’re many years out of school and have had substantial work since then, it might be best to not focus on a job as a lifeguard if you are applying for an office based job.
Why Would Working as a Lifeguard Be A Positive on a Resume?
There are many reasons why working as a lifeguard would be a positive on a resume.
For one thing, lifeguards need to be responsible. There is a certain degree of vetting that occurs with people who work as a lifeguard. Most companies vet lifeguards somewhat more rigorously than they do front desk or administrative assistants.
A lifeguard is responsible for making sure someone doesn’t drown. They need to be on guard.
So, working as a lifeguard for a season shows that you were competent in that regard.
This is a positive for most employers. They will want to hire someone who has demonstrated that they are responsible and have handled a complicated task.
If you’re applying for an entry level job, then it’s important that you establish that you are someone who can handle a important task.
Things such as internships are very important at establishing a proven track record as far as working. However, internships can be deceiving depending upon the industry. Some internships, such as those for government or non-profit agencies, are not always rigorous.
So, if you’re fresh out of school and applying for an entry level role, then establishing proof that you’re a responsible person is a big win.
Do Employers Care If You’re a Lifeguard?
This depends greatly on the type of job you’re applying for. If you are ten years out of college and applying for a marketing role, then no it doesn’t matter.
If you are a recent graduate and you are competing against other people who have a light resume, then it can be a big win.
If the job that you applying for requires any sort of physical activity or attention to detail, then you will definitely benefit from having lifeguard listed on your resume.
Once you are several years into the workforce and if you’re applying for corporate roles, then it’s less impressive to have that listed on your resume.
You can always list it as a Volunteer activity next to your school and education section if you are now working in a corporate environment and want to focus on professional roles.
The lifeguard role is always going to impress, it will just impress less the longer you are in an office role since they are more focused on someone who is a professional and has the skill set for a professional office.
What Sort of Job are you Applying For?
Here’s where the real tips come in.
If you’re applying for a lifeguard role, then it is a must to list working as a lifeguard.
If you’re a new grad, then definitely list working as a lifeguard.
If you are a few years out of High Scholl and have gone straight to the workforce and are interviewing for jobs such as security, labor, building maintenance, or office assistant roles, then most definitely list working as a lifeguard as it immediately gives people the understanding that you’re responsible.
If you're interviewing for an entry level administrative role.
Now, if you are 5 years out of college or more, and you’re interviewing for professional roles, then it’s not a big deal to focus on working as a lifeguard.
Hopefully, at this point in your career you have had a professional job. The odds that someone hiring for an office role that requires several years experience would hire a lifeguard is a bit slim.
However, if you are wondering how to list a prior role of working as a lifeguard, then here’s how.
It’s fine to simply list working as a lifeguard, but if you’re now aiming for senior roles, you might want to leave it off of your work experience section. You could still squeeze it into the section under your education.
This is a great trick to still let the interviewer know that you once upon a time worked as a lifeguard but not have to leave it as a work experience on your professional resume.
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