Security guard CV example (2026)

Writing the CV for the security guard role

Start your CV with the type of sites where you worked and your security guard diploma. Then put your first aid (EHBO) certificate directly beneath it. That way the reader sees in the first lines which sites you know and which diplomas you hold.

In this role you check access, report incidents and stay calm during conflicts. The type of site, the shifts and the valid diplomas are concrete points you can name in your CV. A client can then check those details quickly.

What you do in this role

A site security guard checks access and identification, patrols the premises at fixed times and records deviations. In the event of an incident the guard describes what happened and reports it according to the protocol. In conflicts the guard stays calm and decides when the police need to be called in.

Keep the CV to one or two pages.

How your CV matches the advert

Read the advert and note the type of site, the shifts and the requirements for diplomas and first aid. Put in your CV which of those points you already hold, with their validity. A client wants to check quickly whether you meet the requirements, so make the details easy to find.

Security is about access, patrolling and reporting. Describe in your CV how you reported an incident: what you saw, when you reported it and whom you informed. That shows how you work with the procedure, and is more concrete than a general statement about reliability.

Check the diploma details, the names of the sites and the validity. Read your CV aloud and cut sentences you cannot back up. A short, factual CV with the diplomas at the top suits the work.

Access control requires consistent action, even when someone insists. Describe in your CV how you dealt with a visitor without access, for example by following the procedure and informing the site manager. That shows the reader you follow the rules, without needing the word strict.

Patrolling is also about what you notice. Describe in your CV which deviations you saw, such as a door that should have been closed, and how you reported them. That keeps the CV to concrete observations, which are easy to discuss in an interview.

A site changes during a shift, for example through work being carried out, deliveries or visitors arriving later. Describe in your CV how you kept track of those changes in your round or logbook. That shows you follow the situation throughout the shift, not only at the start of your round.

Which layout suits the security guard CV

Choose one column, clear headings and a standard font. Tables and text boxes can cause errors when software reads a CV.

Use a businesslike single-column layout with clear headings. Put your diplomas and your EHBO certificate at the top. Keep the roles short and factual, with the sites and shifts per role. A photo is optional; leave it out unless the advert asks for one.

Save your CV as a PDF with a recognisable file name, such as firstname-surname-cv.pdf.

What to put on the security guard CV

Every CV contains at least your contact details, your work experience with dates, your education and certificates, and your skills and languages.

Name your security guard diploma, your EHBO certificate and the sites you worked at, such as offices, shopping centres, events or distribution centres. Describe access control, patrolling, incident reporting and how you handled conflicts. Mention your knowledge of security systems, such as CCTV and access passes. Also name your experience with night shifts.

Put your name at the top, with your town, email address and phone number. Your citizen service number (BSN), date of birth or marital status do not need to be on your CV.

Profile text: example (good and weak)

Below are two profile texts for the security guard, both written for a fictional person. You can copy the structure.

Alert security guard with four years of experience in offices, shopping centres and a distribution centre. I keep watch, check access and act calmly during incidents. I write clear reports and work well with the police and my team. I am looking for a permanent position with a team that feels at home with its way of working.

Site security guard with six years of experience at office buildings and a distribution centre for a logistics company. I check access, patrol the premises and report every incident straight away in the system. I stay calm in conflicts and know when to call in the police. I am available for day and night shifts and am looking for a fixed post with a stable team.

The first example names the sites, the shifts and the tasks. The second names the years, the system and what the candidate is looking for. The weak version promises reliability without evidence. Sites and shifts show what you have actually done.

Weak version: “I am a reliable security guard who always arrives on time, provides a safe environment and enjoys working with people.”

A profile text is short: four or five sentences. Write in the first person and say what you do, what you are good at and what you are looking for.

Making your work experience stand out

The example bullet points below belong to a fictional example CV. The figures are illustrative: use only your own figures, and only if they are accurate.

Start each bullet with an action word and state the result, not only the task.

• Access control at an office complex of 400 staff, with visitor registration and checks of access passes.
• Patrols of the grounds of a distribution centre, with rounds at fixed times and reporting of deviations.
• Incident reporting in the registration system, with time, description and the protocol followed.
• Handling a noisy visitor without physical contact, and calling in the police when that was necessary.
• A new guard supervised during the first shifts at the post.
• Night shifts worked at a construction site, checking fences, locks and lighting.

For each job, give the job title, employer, place and period, and put your current job at the top.

No work experience?

Have no security experience yet? A part-time job as a doorman, in a shop or at an event counts. Name what you did: checking access, guiding people or reporting incidents. A first aid course or a course in conflict management shows that you are prepared.

Action words for your CV

Action words make your work concrete. A few that work well on a CV:

• Organised
• Supervised
• Improved
• Monitored
• Planned
• Recorded
• Consulted
• Delivered
• Coordinated
• Ensured

Use each word only once per job, and only if it matches your work.

Education on your CV

An mbo (senior secondary vocational education) course in security fits security work, alongside the security guard diploma. Give the accredited training provider and the year. Leave out courses unrelated to safety, so the section stays short.

List older education more briefly, so that recent work gets more space.

Skills on the security guard CV

Hard skills

• Access control
• Incident reporting
• Conflict management
• Security systems (CCTV)

Soft skills

• Staying calm during conflicts
• Reporting clearly, orally and in writing
• Staying alert during long shifts
• Treating visitors with respect
• Working independently at a post

Show these qualities with a situation: a conflict you de-escalated, or an incident you reported correctly. A concrete situation shows more than an adjective.

Choose five to eight hard skills that you currently use.

Give an example from your work for Access control, Incident reporting, Conflict management and Security systems (CCTV).

Certificates, languages and hobbies

The security guard diploma and the first aid (EHBO) diploma are the most important certificates for guards. State the training provider, the year and the validity of the diploma. A conflict management course or training in using CCTV goes in too. Name training for a specific post only if it suits the role and you completed it.

Put a certificate on your CV if it fits the role.

• Security guard diploma (Accredited training institute, 2020)
• First aid (Rode Kruis, 2023)

Languages in this example: Dutch (moedertaal), English (goed).

Example security guard CV

This is how the example looks in a real template. It is a starting point: take over the structure, not the text.

The fictional candidate is called Jeroen de Boer and lives in Den Haag. The example carries the headline: Security guard · offices and shopping centres.

Common mistakes on the security guard CV

• Not stating valid diplomas, or forgetting their validity.
• Not naming the sites. Without those details it is not visible which environments you know.
• Describing incidents without saying how you reported them.
• A long list of personal qualities without evidence.
• Including a diploma from another sector that has nothing to do with security.

Check your diploma details and the names of the sites. A wrong year or wrong validity costs credibility.

Key points

• Put your security guard diploma and your EHBO diploma at the top, with the year and the validity.
• Name the type of site and its size, such as the number of staff or the area of the grounds.
• Show how you reported incidents: what you saw, when, and whom you informed.
• State your availability for nights and weekends.

Read your CV aloud before you send it.