While you might feel like writing a good security officer resume is hard, let us prove you wrong. When applying for jobs in this field, the key is to optimize your resume to showcase your greatest strengths and relevant experience, as well as key skills and educational credentials.
In this guide, we’ll take you through all the steps to optimize your security officer resume. Our professional examples, practical tips, useful samples, and customizable templates will help you land more job offers in no time.
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Keep reading to learn how to:
- Select the correct resume format for your experience level
- Write a resume summary that shows your strengths as a security officer
- Choose key security officer skills to highlight your diverse abilities
- Describe your work experience with specific and quantifiable details
- List your education as a security officer correctly
- Find the best resources for job-seeking security officers
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1. Select the correct resume format for your experience level
Security companies and private clients often search for security officer professionals with a high level of experience. As such, you should select a resume format in which you can highlight your work history and relevant skills or accomplishments.
In this case, the best format for a security officer is the reverse-chronological format. This resume focuses almost entirely on work experience, making it the largest and most central section on the document.
However, for this format to be effective, an applicant needs at least 1 to 2 years of solid, recent experience within the security field. If you lack this level of experience, you should consider using one of the following alternative formats:
- The Functional Resume: The functional resume removes the focus from work experience and places it instead on education, certifications, skills, and unpaid experience. This format works well for students and recent graduates with limited formal work history.
- The Hybrid Resume: The hybrid resume combines elements from functional and reverse-chronological resumes, spreading the focus of the document out more evenly between all sections. This format is well-suited for applicants who are changing career paths with transferable skills and applicants working around large gaps in their employment history.
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2. Write a resume summary that shows your strengths as a security officer
A resume summary is a brief introductory statement that can start off your resume with a bang when well-written.
In your resume summary, you should aim to include your most important and relevant experience, skills, and accomplishments. Think of your summary like a movie preview – the information it contains should entice and compel employers to read on and contact you.
To illustrate this concept, here is an example of a weak security officer resume summary, followed by a corrected example and explanation:
Incorrect security officer resume summary example
Lead Security Officer with multiple years of experience managing security details for large music festivals. Key responsibilities included monitoring CCTV footage, identifying illegal contraband, crowd management, and guarding entryways. Increased security at recent event, helping to reduce the total number of incidents by a significant percentage.
Why is this Incorrect?
This example is on the right track by listing the applicant’s specialization in managing security details at large music festivals. Rather than listing out the key responsibilities in this plain way, the applicant should focus more on their main accomplishments and their role as a lead security officer.
Corrected security officer resume summary example
Head Security Officer and Certified Armed Guard with 7+ years of experience managing security details and hiring security personnel for large music festivals, including Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. Increased total security professionals and emergency responders Lollapalooza 2021, reducing emergency incidents by 30%.
Why is this Correct?
In this corrected example, more of the focus is placed on the applicant’s role as a head security officer. They also offer a lot more contextual information regarding which music festivals they worked for and how they accomplished a significant reduction in emergency incidents.
3. Choose key security officer skills to highlight your diverse abilities
Your final resume will be packed to the brim with keywords and skills – but you shouldn’t use just any skills under the sun.
When writing your security officer resume, you should strive to include the most relevant skills to impress employers and show your areas of expertise. Additionally, you should always include both soft and hard skills to show you have a diverse range of abilities.
Soft skills refer to your interpersonal abilities, such as your ability to communicate or provide leadership. Hard skills, comparatively, refer to your technical abilities, such as those gained through training programs or educations.
With this in mind, let’s look at the following examples of hard and soft skills for security officers:
Security officer hard skills to put on your resume
- Creating and assessing security schematics
- Patrolling procedures
- Monitoring surveillance equipment
- Guarding entryways
- Verifying visitors
- Inspecting buildings
- Detaining trespassers and shoplifters
- Weapons handling
- Incident reporting
- Knowledge of local, state, and federal law
The best soft skills for your security officer CV
- Alertness
- Verbal and non-verbal communication
- Leadership
- Adaptability
- Calm and critical thinking
- Conflict resolution
- Problem-solving
- Confidence
- Collaboration
- Teamwork
4. Describe your work experience with specific and quantifiable details
As you write your work experience section, it is critical to consider how impactful the details you include are in terms of showing off your strengths and abilities.
Each of your descriptive bullet points should detail a key responsibility or accomplishment you had in a previous position. When possible, you should strive to include any improvements or benefits you provided for your employer, such as reducing operational costs or increasing sales.
Here is an example of a work experience entry from a security officer resume
Northgate Shopping Mall, Chattanooga, TN
Head Security Officer
December 2018 to April 2021
- Detained shoplifters and contacted local law enforcement immediately, achieving a 75% reduction in overall losses from theft.
- Installed a new state-of-the-art security system that reduced overall energy expenditure by 15%.
- Maintained store compliance with adequate staffing, security details, security schematics, and incident reporting.
5. List your education as a security officer correctly
In general, the minimum formal education requirement to become a security officer is either a high school diploma or a GED. Of course, if you have a higher level of education, you should include this information as well.
However, each security company or client will differ in what certifications or licenses they expect their staff to have.
Additionally, certification and licensing requirements will vary from state to state. Thus, it is highly important to familiarize yourself with your state’s legal standards and ensure your resume matches up with these requirements.
Here is an example of a well-crafted education section on a security officer resume
City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice
2015-2017
Certifications
- Guard Card Levels 1-3 — California Department of Consumer Affairs
- Armed Security Guard Certificate — California Department of Consumer Affairs
- First Aid & CPR — American Red Cross, Expires 2023
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6. Top resources for job-seeking security officers
While creating a great resume is ultimately the key to any successful job search, knowing where to look and where to send your polished resume is just as valuable.
- Industry-specific job boards: Websites like iHireSecurity and Guardpass specialize in connecting security professionals with employers. These platforms often feature roles not found on general job boards.
- Professional associations: Joining organizations such as the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) or ASIS International can provide networking opportunities, industry updates, and exclusive job listings.
- Continuous education and certifications: To stay competitive, consider taking on certifications like the Certified Protection Officer (CPO) or Certified Security Supervisor (CSS). These credentials not only boost your resume but also demonstrate your expertise and professionalism.
- Government and public sector portals: Many government agencies and municipalities post security officer jobs on their websites. Check sites like USAJobs for federal security roles or your local government’s career portal.
- Networking platforms: Sites like LinkedIn are a great way to start networking with other security professionals. Follow security-focused companies, and discover hidden job postings. Joining LinkedIn groups related to the security industry can also build your network and stay in touch with other professionals.
With resources like networking, joining professional associations, and access to the best job boards filled with thousands of job postings, you can unlock the full potential of your resume. And with a little patience, you'll land your desired job in no time.
Security Officer Resume FAQ
What are the most important skills to highlight on a security officer resume?
Being a security officer requires a blend of both hard and soft skills, which is exactly what employers are typically looking for. So, when writing your resume don’t forget to mention both soft skills like: conflict resolution, interpersonal communication, or emergency response, but also hard skills like knowledge of security equipment and systems (e.g., CCTV, access control), surveillance, and monitoring techniques. Present these skills in specific examples and show how you’ve applied them to ensure security and safety in the past.
How can I make my security officer resume stand out from the competition?
There are a few things you can do to stand out. First, tailor the content of your resume to match the specific requirements of the job posting. Use action verbs and focus on your achievements rather than just listing your duties. Next, create a dedicated section in your resume for relevant credentials or certifications that might boost your chances like Certified Protection Officer (CPO) or CPR and First Aid certifications. Lastly, make sure it’s concise and easy to read.
What are common mistakes to avoid when writing a security officer resume?
One common mistake is using vague language—be specific to show you know what you’re doing. Another is neglecting keywords, which are crucial for ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) and recruiters. Carefully read the job ad and include relevant terms like "surveillance," "patrol," or "incident reporting." Also, avoid bad formatting, grammar mistakes, and clutter. A clean, well-organized resume that’s easy to read will always make a better impression.
How should I effectively use keywords to improve my resume’s visibility?
Keywords are essential for passing ATS filters and catching the attention of hiring managers. To use them to your advantage, look for relevant terms directly from the job posting. Include job-specific terms like "security protocols," "access control," "fire prevention," or "emergency evacuation." The key is to naturally integrate these keywords into your skills, experience, and summary sections.
Should I include hobbies or interests on my security officer resume?
One of our most common tips is to include things in your resume only if they’re relevant to the role you’re applying for. With hobbies or interests, it’s no different. Include them only if they're relevant to the role. For instance, mentioning martial arts training or volunteer work in community safety can demonstrate your commitment to security and physical preparedness. Mentioning you can bake amazing cakes is really nice, but irrelevant, so we advise you to skip it.
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