Career Advice for a Lifeguard

Lifeguards ensure the safety of swimmers and people in leisure facilities. They monitor swimming pools, beach areas, and other swimming places to keep people safe. Lifeguards assist people having difficulty in the water, carry out rescues and give first aid to injured people.

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How to Become a Lifeguard

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 Lifeguard

Should you wish to work as a Lifeguard 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 Lifeguard

  • National Pool Lifeguard Qualification
  • National Vocation Beach Lifeguard Qualification
  • Leisure team intermediate apprenticeship

Key Responsibilities for a Lifeguard

  • Meeting with team members to determine daily responsibilities
  • Overseeing swimmers in the pool
  • Explaining pool safety and rules to facility users
  • Enforcing safety policies
  • Warning swimmers regarding unsafe conduct
  • Maintaining order in the swimming pool
  • Responding to emergencies
  • Rescuing swimmers at risk of drowning
  • Giving first aid
  • Creating and updating reports

What to expect as a Lifeguard

Lifeguards ensure the safety of visitors to swimming areas. They explain the rules, warn people about unsafe conduct, and rescue people at risk of drowning. To succeed in this career, you will need to make quick decisions, have excellent communication, and assess situations correctly.

Recommended Lifeguard Jobs

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How to get Lifeguard Jobs

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

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete a Lifeguard application. If you have not held a Lifeguard position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held a Lifeguard 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 Lifeguard CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Lifeguard 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 Lifeguard 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 Lifeguard 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be a Lifeguard 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 Lifeguard experience.

How to get Lifeguard Experience

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

How to be a Lifeguard Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Lifeguard part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Lifeguard 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. 

Lifeguard freelance work

If you have impressive Lifeguard 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.