Changing jobs? Moving up in your current company? Jumping back into the world of aquatics? It’s time to brush up your professional resume. Below, we’ve gathered our best resume writing tips for aquatic professionals, all in an effort to help you stand out from the crowd.
Use Your Downtime Wisely – It’s alright to be out of work, and that won’t translate poorly on your resume if you’ve used your downtime wisely. Make sure you’re volunteering, taking classes and showing positive momentum through this challenging phase. During tough times, the best rise to top. Make sure you’re showing your upward trajectory.
Join a Professional Organization – Professional organizations are built for your growth, and our industry has a bunch. Join the Association of Aquatic Professionals, NIRSA, NRPA or your state’s Parks and Rec organization. They often offer memberships to individuals at lower rates and have tremendous libraries of resources to drive your development.
Scan the Job Boards – Digital assets abound for job seekers. Rec specific job boards like bluefishjobs.com hold hundreds of tailor fit job postings. Search aggregates like indeed.com can generate daily alerts of relevant positions and LinkedIn can serve as your digital rolodex. Make sure you’re using all of the available resources right at your fingertips.
Talk Stats and Numbers – Numbers tend to stand out on resumes, and great numbers can jump off the paper. What do hiring managers want to see? Big teams you’ve managed, growth in your programs, and a mastery of all things financial. Make sure to include some numerical stats.
Keyword Search – There are a ton of keywords that pop on resumes, and a quick google search will help you pick a few that fit your unique qualifications. Make sure you speak to your flexibility, ingenuity and resourcefulness in 2020. Every employer needs a team to lead them through our current market of diverse and unpredictable issues.
Become a Trainer – We’re in an industry that requires lots of certifications, and if you can offer them, you become an immediate asset to any organization. Become a lifeguard, swim lesson instructor, pool operator or aquatic group exercise instructor trainer and you’ll immediately stand out from the crowd.
Load Up on Certs – You’ve seen it in the aqua-job postings. We tend to hire people who have lots of abbreviations associated with their names. Start with your current certs and make sure they’re up to date, then scan the trainings offered in your area in the next month to see what you can add to your resume. Many are now offered in convenient online formats.
Think Outside the Pool – We’d love to have your stay in aquatics, but the truth is, your time here has prepared you to go anywhere. You didn’t just manage registrations, you’re in the hospitality field. Your work in the pump room has prepared you as a diverse engineering professional. If you’ve managed dozens of lifeguards, then you’re a personnel pro. Broaden your search field to non-aqua jobs. We’ll welcome you back when you’re ready!