Firefighter Resume Tips

The right resume gets you a job as a fire fighter.fire truck image by charles taylor from Fotolia.com

A resume is an important tool for job seekers. It provides a detailed overview of your education, work history and special interests. Having the information available at a glance helps recruiters screen applicants to find the right interview candidates. This is as true for firefighters as it is for any other career. Following a few tips helps your resume stand out when applying for a firefighting position, especially since the items on the resume are the first thing that an employer will know about you.

Work History

Some people list every job they have ever held on their resumes. While this provides a level of detail, it also contributes to a lengthy resume that can span several pages. Trim the work experience to the jobs you have had that directly relate to firefighting. These jobs do not have to be firefighting jobs themselves. A truck driver or heavy equipment operator has the skills to operate any of the equipment on the fire truck. Think about the skills you used on previous jobs and determine which are relevant to fighting fires, then list only those positions on the resume. Spell out exactly what experiences can carry forward. Being direct helps a potential employer cut to the chase when determining which candidates should be interviewed.

There are a number of certificates commonly held by firefighters: paramedic; EMT; and firefighter certificates. List any certificates you hold that directly relate to firefighting on your resume. Leave off any certificates that do not relate to fighting fires or saving lives. While it's nice to have an accounting certificate or other accreditation, these will not factor into an employer's decision to hire you as a firefighter. The resume should be focused entirely around those elements that help you get the job.

Professional firefighting recruiters recommend that a resume be trimmed to a single page. Although you could probably fill several pages with information, keeping it to one page presents a resume that is neat and easy to read. Keeping it short also forces you to focus only on the most important information for an employer to have.