Choose a clean, professional template that puts your experience first. Use a reverse-chronological layout so your recent guarding roles and certifications appear near the top.
Keep length to one page for entry and mid-career security guards. Use two pages only if you have long, directly relevant experience like federal contracts or multi-site leadership.
Pick ATS-friendly fonts such as Calibri, Arial, Georgia, or Garamond. Use 10-12pt for body text and 14-16pt for headers. Leave enough white space so a recruiter can scan duties and skills fast.
Use clear section headings like Contact, Summary, Experience, Certifications, Skills, and Training. List weapons, first aid, and clearance details in a Certification or Skills block so they parse cleanly.
Avoid heavy graphics, multiple columns, and embedded images. They confuse applicant tracking systems and slow down a hiring manager's read. Stick to simple bullets, consistent dates, and one font family to keep parsing clean.
Common mistakes include long paragraphs that hide duty details, inconsistent date formats, and using unusual fonts or colors. Don’t cram every patrol route or minor task onto the page. Highlight measurable results like incident reduction, arrests assisted, or audit scores.
Proofread for spacing, alignment, and date order. Use active verbs like patrol, secure, escort, inspect, and report. That lets you show action clearly and keeps your resume easy to read.