Career Advice for a Crossing Guard

Working as a Crossing Guard, you will direct and guide pedestrians or vehicles at locations such as railroad crossings, school crossings, public streets, or construction sites.

Quick Links

How to Become a Crossing Guard

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become a Crossing Guard

Should you wish to work as a Crossing Guard you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for a Crossing Guard

  • No formal qualifications.

Key Responsibilities for a Crossing Guard

  • Escorting or directing pedestrians across roads, stopping traffic when necessary.
  • Informing drivers of detours around or through construction sites.
  • Communicating school crossing rules to students.
  • Activating rail crossing warning lights and signals.
  • Lowering and raising railroad crossing gates.
  • Warning drivers and pedestrians of hazards, using hand signals, lights, flags, and signs.

What to expect as a Crossing Guard

When you become a Crossing Guard, you will work outdoors in all weather, working roadside, by schools, construction sites, or railway crossings. You may be required to wear a university or high visibility clothing. The role can be physically demanding, as you will be on your feet or walking throughout the day.

Recommended Crossing Guard Jobs

Loading Jobs...

How to get Crossing Guard Jobs

Our advice on how to get a Crossing Guard job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete a Crossing Guard application. If you have not held a Crossing Guard position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held a Crossing Guard role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Crossing Guard CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Crossing Guard application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become a Crossing Guard in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become a Crossing Guard 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be a Crossing Guard and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Crossing Guard experience.

How to get Crossing Guard Experience

What does it take to be a Crossing Guard? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Crossing Guard jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Crossing Guard through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be a Crossing Guard Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Crossing Guard part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Crossing Guard or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Crossing Guard freelance work

If you have impressive Crossing Guard qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.