Simple Resume Tips for Security Professionals

We all know how hard it can be to find a job, especially for newcomers in our industry. While we have plenty of skilled security professionals, many fail to present themselves in the right way, causing them to miss great career opportunities. At ESI, we have been supporting our graduates in advancing their careers for decades, because their success is our success.

Here you will find some basic tips that will help you with the daunting task of resume writing. Keep in mind that while you will often hear that “You must tailor your resume for each job,” we all know that is not always possible. Unless you are unemployed and can spend 8 hours a day tailoring resumes for each position you want to apply for, you just need to spend time writing ONE good resume and tailor it only when the position is different and you need to adjust the content to highlight appropriate skills for that specific job. The goal of your resume is to “sell” yourself to the hiring company and make a strong first impression, so they call you for an interview.

1. Use proper contact details, such as a professional email address with your first and last name and a phone number. Do not include your postal address; only list the city and state.
2. If you want to include a picture, use a professional headshot. Make sure you are wearing professional attire. Don’t be afraid to spend a few dollars to have a professional photographer take some pictures.
3. Keep it short and easy to read for recruiters. Avoid super flashy templates and bold colors. Use bullet points and bold text to highlight key achievements and qualifications.
4. Be VERY honest with your achievements and never lie about your experience or training.
5. Start your resume by listing Key Skills. Commonly valued skills in the security industry include technical skills, soft skills, language proficiency, leadership, teamwork and collaboration, adaptability, time and project management, and international/travel experience.
6. List your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. Provide company names, locations, durations, and your roles. Use bullet points to expand on your job responsibilities.
7. Do NOT use clients’ or protectees’ names on your resume. Maintain confidentiality by using titles such as C-Suite executive, HNW/UHNW individual, Celebrity, etc.
8. If you have limited experience, focus on highlighting your previous military or law enforcement service, your training in the private sector, and any transferable skills such as adaptability, quick thinking, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork.
9. Use industry-standard terminology in your resume but do not overdo it. Also, use keywords, as many companies now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes. Make sure your resume includes relevant keywords from the job description to increase your chances of getting past the ATS. You can even select a few keywords and add them in different parts of your resume using white text. The human eye won’t see them, but the ATS will.
10. List your educational achievements in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.
11. Create a section to list all licenses, including titles, expiration dates, and states. Do NOT list your license numbers.
12. Do not list any references on your resume. Instead, mention “references available upon request,” and any interested hiring company will ask you to provide them later.
13. Ensure that whatever information you put on your resume matches your LinkedIn profile. Many recruiters or hiring companies will review your LinkedIn profile as well.
14. Do NOT use AI to write your resume. Nowadays, it is often obvious what is written by AI and what is written by a human.
15. PROOFREAD! Any typos or grammatical errors will negatively impact your application.
16. Name your resume/file with your first and last name.