Security Guard job description for a resume

The short answer

A security guard writing a resume should describe what they actually did — work like monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons to guard against theft and mai… — rather than copying a generic bullet list. The U.S. Department of Labor classifies the role as Security Guards (SOC 33-9032.00). All 13 of its published duties are listed below. Active Listening is the capability O*NET rates highest for the work.

What follows is the published duty list, not a set of bullets to copy. The difference matters: a line describing work you did not do is one interview question away from falling apart.

What a security guard does

Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules. May operate x-ray and metal detector equipment.

O*NET occupation: Security Guards (SOC 33-9032.00).

Security Guard duties you can put on a resume

These are all 13 duties O*NET classifies as core to this occupation. Which ranking is a fact from the source; which of them you personally did is not something any dataset knows. Use the list as a memory aid, never as a list to paste.

1. Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons to guard against theft and maintain security of premises.
2. Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency, such as fire or presence of unauthorized persons.
3. Write reports of daily activities and irregularities, such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of unauthorized persons, or unusual occurrences.
4. Lock doors and gates of entrances and exits to secure buildings.
5. Circulate among visitors, patrons, or employees to preserve order and protect property.
6. Warn persons of rule infractions or violations, and apprehend or evict violators from premises, using force when necessary.
7. Answer alarms and investigate disturbances.
8. Answer telephone calls to take messages, answer questions, and provide information during non-business hours or when switchboard is closed.
9. Patrol industrial or commercial premises to prevent and detect signs of intrusion and ensure security of doors, windows, and gates.
10. Inspect and adjust security systems, equipment, or machinery to ensure operational use and to detect evidence of tampering.
11. Respond to medical emergencies by administering basic first aid or by obtaining assistance from paramedics.
12. Operate detecting devices to screen individuals and prevent passage of prohibited articles into restricted areas.
13. Escort or drive motor vehicle to transport individuals to specified locations or to provide personal protection.

Skills a security guard can list

O*NET rates these at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation.

Active Listening

importance 3.75

Monitoring

importance 3.38

Speaking

importance 3.25

Critical Thinking

importance 3.12

Coordination

importance 3.12

Reading Comprehension

importance 3.00

Social Perceptiveness

importance 3.00

Judgment and Decision Making

importance 3.00

What not to claim

• A duty from the list above that you did not personally perform. It describes Security Guards as an occupation, not your particular job — and interviewers for security guard roles ask about the specifics.
• Work from an adjacent role you have not held. Security Guard and the roles beside it overlap, and the overlap is where overstatement creeps in.
• A percentage, a headcount or a volume you did not measure. "Improved satisfaction by 35%" is the single most copied line on resume-example sites, and almost nobody who pastes it can source it.
• Active Listening at a level you have not worked at. O*NET rates it highest for this occupation, which makes it the most likely thing to be probed.
• A tool, system or certification you have not used or hold. This is the fastest claim to disprove.

Source and method

O*NET data are provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence.The duties and skills above are reproduced as published. The resume guidance, the prompts and any generated lines are RoleSprint's, and O*NET did not write them.

Related occupations

Same occupational family in the SOC classification, so the duties often overlap with work you have done.

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