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Life guard skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical life guard skills. We ranked the top skills for life guards based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 29.7% of life guard resumes contained cpr as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a life guard needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 life guard skills for your resume and career

1. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how life guards use cpr:

Learned First Aid and CPR Demonstrated critical thinking skills and fast decision-making abilities Worked in a team environment successfully
Participated in ongoing CPR and AED education and maintained proficiency in preparation for emergencies.

2. First-Aid

Here's how life guards use first-aid:

Trained in all aspects of lifesaving and emergency First-Aid.
Certified lifeguard on duty; which includes patron surveillance and being a first-aid responder.

3. Emergency Situations

Here's how life guards use emergency situations:

Maintain safety, prevent incidents, and respond effectively to emergency situations.
Executed technical skills simulating and performing in real emergency situations.

4. Pool Deck

Here's how life guards use pool deck:

Save lives, prevent injuries, clean pool and pool deck, enforce pool rules
Assisted with the cleaning and policing of grounds, pool deck and bathhouse facilities.

5. Safety Hazards

Safety hazards are defined as any potential source of danger or harm to a person's health and safety. The term commonly refers to the risks associated with the kind of occupation or work. The five common types of occupational safety hazards are; biological (health risks from viruses, bacteria, insect,s, etc.), chemical (dangerous substances used in manufacturing plants), physical (risk of injury associated with labor), Ergonomic (worker's efficiency during work), and Psychosocial (mental health risks involved with certain occupations).

Here's how life guards use safety hazards:

Communicated with patrons and company staff regarding various safety hazards and enforcing preventative measures.
Inspected recreational equipment such as tows, T-bars, J-Bars, and chair lifts for safety hazards and damage or wear.

6. Rescue Techniques

Here's how life guards use rescue techniques:

Safeguarded all swimmers through knowledge of lifeguard surveillance and rescue techniques.
Rescue distressed persons using the proper rescue techniques.

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7. Medical Services

Here's how life guards use medical services:

Provided emergency care and treatment as required until the arrival of emergency medical services.
Provide first aid to injured patrons and help facilitate their recovery until Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrives.

8. Safety Rules

Principles or regulations that ensure the protection of people, objects, or the environment are called safety rules. These rules can be governing actions, devices, or procedures that help in minimizing the risks of loss, injury, or damage.

Here's how life guards use safety rules:

Make sure guests were safe* Provide friendly customer service* Enforced safety rules* Performed housekeeping tasks
Watched pools and operated different rides throughout Water Park, ensured safety rules were being followed by incoming guests.

9. Guest Safety

Here's how life guards use guest safety:

Cleaned, chemically tested, and performed guest safety to provide everyone with comfort at the pool
Watch water and ensure guest safety, while making sure the environment is positive.

10. Pool Rules

Here's how life guards use pool rules:

Worked two summers as a life guard where I also had responsibilities that included cleaning and enforcing pool rules.
Monitor pool with constant attention to all swimmers in assigned area of supervision and enforces all pool rules.2.

11. Water Safety

Here's how life guards use water safety:

Water Safety Instructor and teach children & adults to swim and execute safe swimming practices
Water Safety, Pool Supervision, Customer Assistance, Grounds Maintenance, Food Prep

12. Pool Maintenance

Here's how life guards use pool maintenance:

Perform general pool maintenance functions including mandatory pool testing and recording.
Performed all housekeeping and pool maintenance associated activities.

13. Resuscitation

Here's how life guards use resuscitation:

Examine any injuries patrons acquired using the facility and apply first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary.
Gained knowledge of lifesaving methods and procedures, including first aid and standard resuscitation measures.

14. In-Service Training

Inservice training is a professional training program that helps professionals acquire new skills relevant to their field. This training helps improve workers' output.

Here's how life guards use in-service training:

Participate in regular in-service training sessions.
Scheduled and performed in-service training for all employees.

15. Professional Appearance

Professional appearance refers to the dress code of a company. While a professional appearance is often requested during an interview, it may not be required in the actual position. In addition to the dress of a job candidate, professional appearance also refers to the overall mood and presentation of the person, including body language, the tone of voice, and the verbal language used during the interview process.

Here's how life guards use professional appearance:

Obeyed a strict dress code for a professional appearance.
Presented professional appearance and attitude at all times.

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What skills help Life Guards find jobs?

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List of life guard skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a life guard resume and required skills for a life guard to have include:

CPR
First-Aid
Emergency Situations
Pool Deck
Safety Hazards
Rescue Techniques
Medical Services
Safety Rules
Guest Safety
Pool Rules
Water Safety
Pool Maintenance
Resuscitation
In-Service Training
Professional Appearance

Water Rescue
Emergency Action Plan
Front Desk
Water Slides
Emergency Care
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Aquatic Facility
Safety Procedures
Water Quality
Facility Rules
Using Training
Safety Guidelines
Safety Regulations
Emergency First Aid
Swimming Pools

Alertness
PowerPoint
Incident Reports
Recreational Facilities
Clean Environment
Various Maintenance
First Aid Training
Continuous Surveillance
Head Lifeguard
Aid
Chemical Checks
Staff Selection
Concession Stand
Patron Safety

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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