
Functional Resume: Examples & Skills Based Templates
You’re in the middle of a career change or have gaps in your employment. Show managers and coordinators how valuable your skills are with a great functional resume.
Ready to score that lifeguard job? Whether it’s at an indoor swimming pool or at one of the finest beaches, here’s how to write a lifeguard resume that’ll get you there quick.
You’d be a billionaire by now if you got paid for every Baywatch reference, am I right? But until that kind of monetization comes about, lifeguards will have to rely on jobs.
Luckily, that’s what this article is all about—writing a lifeguard resume that will place you ahead of competition and land you that dream position you desire. Want to know the trick to getting your resume a spot under the recruitment sun? Then dive right in.
This guide will show you:
Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.
Sample Lifeguard Resume—See more resume samples here.
Check out other related resume guides:
Kiara Hardingham
Certified Lifeguard & Swim Instructor
kiara.hardingham@gmail.com
(718) 555-1234
linkedin.com/in/kiarahardingham
Current college student enrolled in sports medicine who loves the water and helping others enjoy it safely and with proper training. Seeking to leverage lifesaving award and 500+ supervisory water hours to become the head lifeguard at Jones Beach.
Certified Lifeguard
May 2016–March 2019
Rockaway Beach, Queens, NY
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Key Achievements
Swim Instructor
January 2015–May 2016
Bass Olympic Pool Facilities, New York, NY
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Key Achievements
Majoring in Sports Medicine (Bachelor of Science)
Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY
Expected Graduation: 2021
Relevant Coursework: Athletic Training, Exercise Science, First Aid & CPR, Human Physiology, Sports Nutrition, Musculoskeletal Injuries, Advanced Conditioning.
Brooklyn Technical High School, Brooklyn, NY
Graduated 2018
Now here’s how to write a lifeguard resume:
Whether it’s at Jeffrey's Bay or at the local natatorium, lifeguards have structure in place to keep fun-seekers protected.
It’s the same here—
A great resume format keeps everything in order and easy to read.
So, follow these formatting rules:
Pro Tip: Pool lifeguarding is way less demanding than beach lifeguarding. If you are writing a no-experience resume, consider dipping your toes in by becoming a pool lifeguard, first.
A resume objective or summary is also called a resume profile.
This intro paragraph is 3–4 lines long. It gives beach or pool hiring managers a brief glimpse into your background, skills, experience, and goals.
Like a gray dorsal fin spotted in the water, it has to grab the hiring manager’s attention from the start.
Choose the resume summary if you have over 2 years of lifeguard experience. This intro statement sums up your poolside skills and beach-adjacent experience. It also includes a key lifesaving win or lifeguard accomplishment with numbers to prove you’re the gnarliest choice.
Choose the resume objective if you have little experience as a lifeguard. This one states your career goals, and it still gives an achievement to prove your competence.
Pro Tip: The resume heading statement goes at the top, of course, but it doesn’t mean you have to write it first. Instead, save it for the end. It’s hard to “sum up” your resume if you haven’t written it yet!
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
Whether supervising toddlers at the local pool or keeping an eye on pro surfers in Oahu, the work experience section is crucial to get right.
So—
Here’s how to nail your lifeguard resume description of the job:
Pro Tip: If you don’t have lifeguarding experience, still list the most lifeguard-relevant job duties in your bullet points. Choose entries which showcase your physical fitness, water knowledge, safety training, etc.
The education section on a lifeguard resume may seem like an afterthought.
Still—
A poor academic area may raise red flags (and not the beach safety variety).
Keep these rules in mind to get it right:
Pro Tip: Relevant coursework for lifeguard jobs include anything to do with sports, physical fitness, medicine, physiology, and communication.
Show them your towelside manner is on point by listing the best lifeguard resume skills:
However—
Don’t just copy-paste this list and call it a day.
Do this instead:
Finally, placate the ATS.
Larger organizations, such as fitness center chains and governmental agencies, use applicant tracking systems to manage the tsunami of resumes they receive each day.
This software lets HR staff scan a lifeguard resume into the system, search for specific resume keywords, and spits out a score based on its match to the job description.
Poor match, no job!
Pro Tip: As a prospective lifeguard, your resume should focus on hard skills (water rescue, first aid, spinal injuries) rather than soft skills (time management, creative thinking).
You’ve written a bodacious bod in your lifeguard resume.
However—
All the other lifeguards have the same resume sections. Stand out by adding extra resume sections as unique and winning as your personality.
Here are some great additions to a resume for lifeguard jobs:
Don't skip the cover letter, as 53% of employers say a resume alone isn’t enough.
So—
Whether it’s poolside or beachside, inside or outside, you need a lifeguard cover letter alongside.
Here’s how to write a cover letter for lifeguard jobs they’ll love:
Also, we’ve got some great cover letter tips to help you along. Check them out!
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to follow up on your job application. Shooting off a quick email or making a brief call might be the thing that gets you hired.
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
So, that’s it—
Now THAT’S a resume for lifeguards that can save lives!
Got any questions on how to write a lifeguard resume? Not sure how to talk about first aid skills, swimming certifications, or lifeguarding achievements? Get at us in the comments below, and thanks for reading!
You’re in the middle of a career change or have gaps in your employment. Show managers and coordinators how valuable your skills are with a great functional resume.
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