Security Guard Resume Example
A security guard resume that shows the sites you protected, your licensing and how you documented incidents and kept people safe.
How to write a security guard resume that lands interviews
A great security guard resume isn't a list of responsibilities — it's a tight stack of quantified outcomes, written in language an ATS scores and a human reader believes. Below: the 8 bullets a strong candidate uses, the 4 they avoid, the keywords the ATS expects, the pay figures to anchor your negotiation against, and the FAQs we hear most often.
Sample bullets — good vs weak
Each “good” bullet leads with the outcome, includes a measurable result, and shows scope. The “weak” versions describe activities without showing impact. Use these as templates; rewrite them in your own voice with your real numbers.
✅ Bullets that get the call
- Patrolled a 40-acre commercial campus on foot and by vehicle, completing checkpoint tours every hour on a logged schedule.
- Controlled access at the main gate, verifying IDs and visitor passes for roughly 200 vehicles a shift.
- Wrote clear incident reports with times, names and facts, which the property manager used for follow-up and insurance claims.
- De-escalated an unruly visitor at a front desk using calm language and called the police only after other steps failed.
- Monitored a bank of CCTV cameras and radioed patrol officers to two suspicious situations, both resolved without injury.
- Responded to alarms and fire panels, confirming the cause and following the site's notification list.
- Held current first aid and CPR cards and assisted a collapsed employee until paramedics arrived.
- Trained 4 new guards on post orders, radio protocol and the site's emergency plan.
❌ Bullets to rewrite
- Guarded property.
- Watched over a building.
- Alert, trustworthy and responsible.
- Wrote reports.
ATS keywords to weave into your bullets
The four-component ATS rubric weights keyword density inside experience bullets more heavily than the keywords-only skills section. These are the 14+ keywords most often scored on a security guard resume — fold them into your bullets where they're honestly applicable.
Security Guard salary
Annual pay across the United States, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of these workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile figures. Your offer will depend on the state, the employer and the shift.
| Annual pay | Amount |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30k |
| 25th percentile | $35k |
| Median | $38k |
| 75th percentile | $46k |
| 90th percentile | $59k |
Want a deeper salary breakdown by city + role + experience? See the full Security Guard salary guide →
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
- Not listing license statusFix: Put your guard license and expiration near the top.
- Missing the type of siteFix: Say whether it was retail, corporate, healthcare, residential or events.
- No report-writing skillFix: Add a bullet on documentation and its use.
- Overstating authorityFix: Describe what you did within the limits of your post orders.
ATS tips specific to security guard resumes
- Use 'security officer' or 'security guard' as the posting does in your job title line if it matches your work.
- List your license by name and state.
- Include keywords such as 'access control', 'patrol', 'CCTV' and 'incident reports'.
- Put first aid and CPR in a labeled certifications section with dates.
Frequently asked questions
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Start freeAbout this guideThe ApplyVita Career Team — The ApplyVita Career Team builds the resume-scoring and job-matching tools at the core of ApplyVita. Our guidance is grounded in the same four-component ATS rubric our product scores resumes on — content and impact, keyword match, formatting, and skills — and in current recruiter and hiring-manager practice. Every guide is checked against that rubric before it is published, and updated as hiring norms change.