Firefighter Resume Examples and Templates for 2023

A professional resume for a firefighter will foster trust in you. It should demonstrate that you have the relevant knowledge while also portraying you as a reliable team player. Hiring managers are going to be looking for specific references to duties outlined in the job description. 

 

Where possible, make sure you make specific references to things like firefighting equipment, knowledge of hazardous materials, and fire prevention throughout your skills and experience sections to firmly establish your credibility in the best resume possible.

In terms of resume format, the sections of your resume will be the same—header, resume summary/resume objective, skills, work experience and education, but how they’re organized will depend on your resume format: chronological, functional and combination. Chronological resumes focus on employment history, functional resumes showcase skills, and combination resumes emphasize both.

 

 

The resume header section is a very important part of your resume and is typically the first thing a hiring manager will see. It should contain your full name and basic contact information. It is critical to make it as convenient as possible for the recruiter to contact you, so you should add your LinkedIn profile too.

 

 

The resume summary or resume objective comes next. This should be short and concise, no longer than three sentences.

 

A resume summary is an overview of your career background and what you can bring to the fire department. Think of it as a tagline providing a snapshot view of your career highlights. A resume objective, on the other hand, is a brief statement that communicates your career goals and what you want from a firefighter job.

 

 

Being a firefighter is an incredibly demanding, challenging role. To perform it well, you’ll need a combination of hard skills and soft skills. The skills section of your perfect resume should reflect this, listing a variety of prerequisite skills that demonstrate you are capable of meeting the challenge.

 

Choose from the bullet points for inspiration:

• Knowledge of fire science, fire suppression and other specific fire-related expertise
• Ability to meet physical demands
• Ability to stay calm under pressure
• Ability to cooperate with team members
• Excellent communication skills
• Knowledge of medical services
• Knowledge of wildfires
• Basic EMT (emergency medical technician) certification

It is imperative to acknowledge the demands of the role in the skills section. In doing this, you show the recruiter you are fully aware of the challenge of being a firefighter but have the personality traits and knowledge to fulfill those demands.

 

 

List your previous relevant years of professional experience in reverse chronological order in your experience section. Briefly describe your responsibilities. Obviously, if you have experience as a firefighter, list your relevant duties.

 

However, if you’re an entry-level firefighter, there are still ways for you to gain experience. You can gain experience as a volunteer firefighter or work in a support role at an emergency call center. You may have experience working as a first responder in an emergency response team or as a paramedic. These roles have transferable skills and show you to be familiar with this environment, even if you haven’t necessarily been a firefighter.

 

 

To be a firefighter in the U.S., you typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. You must also pass some specific written and physical tests. If you have already passed these, include them in your education section. To be a firefighter, you must also hold a valid driver’s license. List that in your education section to make it clear to the recruiter. While there isn’t a requirement for further education, put down anything here that you think is relevant, but only if you can justify its relevance to the hiring manager at an interview. 

There are some general guidelines to follow for any resume:  

 

Do:

• Check your work. Make sure you edit your resume for spelling, punctuation and grammar errors so the resume reads well to the recruiter. Also, use readable and sensible fonts for your professional resume.
• Make use of your industry jargon to show your knowledge of fire science and fire prevention. This will give evidence to add some clout to your experience section in particular.
• Make a point of making it clear you are physically fit. The role is physically demanding, so the recruiter needs to know you can fit in with the others at the fire station.

  Don’t:  

• Write your resume without any help. That’s what the resume writing tips at ResumeHelp’s resume builder are there for.
• Falsify any certifications. This wastes everybody’s time. Many people apply to be a firefighter without certifications; recruiters expect it. Don’t feel pressure to make claims you can’t back up.
• Fill your experience section with irrelevant roles. A firefighter is a very specific job title and it might be a challenge to think of transferable skills from previous roles. Recruiters understand this.