Lifeguard Qualifications
Becoming a lifeguard involves completing the necessary training program required to obtain a certificate in your state. The individual has to be an excellent swimmer and have the ability to remain calm in crisis situations. Since many lifeguards are high school or college aged showing that you are very responsible it important.
To be certified as a lifeguard for a public pool you must be at least 16 years of age. The guidelines are 18 years of age to be a lifeguard at a beach. The other specific verifications vary by location. For example some lifeguard positions are only available to those who have specific experience while others are open to anyone who holds a current lifeguard certification card.
So how do you show your stuff in a typical lifeguard interview? Some of the interviewers just want to talk with your first. They will want to find out why you are interested in being a lifeguard. They will also ask about your hobbies and other interests. This is all to determine the type of person you are and how dependable you will be.
Some lifeguard interviews end with the lifeguard being asked to come back and perform some different tasks in the water. This can include swimming a particular length of the pool to see how fast they are or other similar testing methods. No employer wants to find out the lifeguards they hired aren’t good swimmers during a time of crisis.
Most helped wanted ads for lifeguards will have the qualifications they are looking for clearly stated. Only apply for those positions where you meet all the requirements. Since this is a very important job with the safety of other people at stake, they will be critiquing your skills very closely.
When it comes to lifeguard qualifications, you should document all of your experience, your swim times, volunteering, anything that will show you are a great swimmer and very reliable. For the youth population, being a lifeguard is much more prestigious as a summer job than flipping burgers at a fast food joint. Therefore you can expect to have plenty of competition. If you have a professional looking resume featuring your lifeguard qualifications you will have an advantage over the others who applied.
