Career & Pay

Security Guard CV Template That Actually Gets Interviews

8 min read· Updated 2026-07-07· Free · No signup

Security recruiters read hundreds of CVs a week. Yours has ninety seconds to prove three things: licence status, reliability and shift availability. Everything else is decoration.

Key takeaways

  • One page. Two at absolute maximum.
  • SIA licence number and expiry at the top.
  • Bullet outcomes, not job descriptions.
  • Every gap explained.

The header nobody teaches you to write

Full legal name, city (not full address), phone, email, driving licence category if held, and — critical — 'SIA DS Licence Active, expires MM/YYYY'. That last line is what recruiters filter on.

Experience: outcomes not tasks

'Managed venue capacity of 800 through door-clicker protocol, escalated three incidents to venue manager, zero recorded ejections' beats 'stood on the door'. Quantify wherever honestly possible.

The gap section people ignore

Unexplained gaps kill applications for SIA-adjacent employers who do background checks. Even 'August 2024 – November 2024: travelled and completed EFAW refresher' turns a red flag into a shrug.

Quick checklist

  • Licence status in header
  • Every role reduced to 3 outcome bullets
  • Gaps explicitly explained
  • PDF filename = firstname-surname-security-cv.pdf

Common mistakes

  • Two-page 'career objective' at the top nobody reads.
  • Photos, logos, colour palettes — recruiters strip them out.

Frequently asked questions

Should I list the training centre I attended?+

Yes, briefly. Named centres reassure recruiters the qualification is genuine.

Cover letter — needed?+

Only if the ad asks. Otherwise the CV does the work.

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