Security guard CV: How to write one (PSIRA, Grade C, shifts)
Learn exactly how to write a security guard CV in South Africa, including where to list PSIRA grade and registration number, firearm competency, and shift availability—plus a copy-and-paste example.
A security guard CV must show three things within seconds: your PSIRA grade and registration number, the site duties you can do, and the shifts you can work. This guide shows you where to put each one and gives you a full example to copy.
Quick answer:
- Put your PSIRA grade and registration number on one line near the top of page 1.
- List site-ready skills like access control, patrols and incident reporting, not only "hard worker".
- Add a short Availability section covering day or night shifts, weekends and public holidays.
- If you have firearm competency or control room/CCTV experience, put it where it cannot be missed.
What to include in a security guard CV (South Africa checklist)
Use this list to check your CV has everything a security company looks for. Keep the order simple so a supervisor can scan it quickly.
- Contact details: name, cell number, email, suburb or city, and province.
- Professional summary: 2–4 lines about your security work. See our guide on how to write a personal profile.
- PSIRA details: grade, registration number, and status if it helps.
- Key skills: access control, patrols, reporting, customer service and radio communication.
- Work experience: sites, duties, shift patterns and achievements.
- Training, certificates and competencies: firearm competency if you have it, first aid, CCTV, driver's licence and so on.
- Education: your highest grade or qualification completed.
- Availability: night shift, weekends, starting at short notice, willingness to relocate.
- References: names and numbers, or "Available on request" if you prefer.
Where to put your PSIRA grade and registration number
PSIRA is the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority, the body security officers register with. Hiring managers often look for your PSIRA details first, before they read anything else.
Put your PSIRA details on their own line near the top of your CV. You can place them under your name or in a small "Compliance" section. They must be visible on page 1.
Copy-ready PSIRA formats
Choose the one line that matches your situation and use it on your CV:
Option 1 – Registered and active:
PSIRA: Grade C | Reg No: [Your number] | Status: [Active/Valid]
Option 2 – Showing your renewal date:
PSIRA: Grade B | Reg No: [Your number] | Renewal: [Month Year]
Option 3 – Registration still in process:
PSIRA: Grade C (in process) | Reg No: [If issued] | Available to start: [Date]
Option 2 is useful if you want to show that your registration is up to date. Use Option 3 only if your registration really is in process.
Tip: Write your PSIRA details the same way on every CV and application form. Security companies often type CVs into a database, so a number written two different ways can cause confusion. If you're still building your profile, update your CV profile first so your PSIRA details stay correct across all your applications.
How to list firearm competency (without overexplaining)
If you have firearm training or competency, keep it short, factual and easy to check. Put it under a "Certificates and Compliance" or "Training" section.
Copy-ready firearm competency lines
Certificates and compliance
- Firearm competency: [Handgun/Shotgun/Rifle] | Issued: [Year] | Valid until: [Year]
- Firearm-related training: [Course name] | [Provider] | [Year]
Leave out "Valid until" if it does not apply to you. A recruiter may ask to see your certificate, so only list what you can prove. Our guide on how to list certificates on a CV has more examples.
No firearm competency? Don't mention it at all. Rather focus on the duties you can do from day one:
- Access control (checking who comes in and out)
- Search procedures
- Patrol routines
- Incident reports
- Visitor management
How to show shift availability (day/night/weekends) clearly
Many security jobs go to the person who can work the shifts the site needs. That is why availability matters so much.
Give it its own short "Availability" section, near the top or near the end of your CV. Don't hide it inside a paragraph where it can be missed.
Copy-ready availability section
Availability
- Shifts: Day or night shift
- Weekends and public holidays: Available
- Start date: [Immediately / 2 weeks' notice]
- Transport: [Own transport / Public transport]
Only include the transport line if it helps you. For example, include it if you have your own transport for late-night shift changes. Never say you can work nights or weekends if you can't. You may be placed on those shifts straight away.
Skills to include for a security officer CV South Africa employers recognise
Use a mix of site duties and people skills. Many candidates go wrong here by listing only general traits like "honest" and "punctual".
A supervisor wants to know what you can actually do at the gate or on patrol. The skills below match common guarding posts.
Core guarding skills
- Access control: visitor logbooks, tag systems, contractor sign-in and sign-out.
- Patrolling: foot patrols, perimeter checks, lock-up and unlock.
- Incident reporting: clear written statements and occurrence book entries. The occurrence book (OB) is the logbook where guards record what happens on each shift.
- Search procedures: bags and vehicles, following site policy.
- Radio communication: using call signs correctly.
- Observation and risk spotting: noticing unsafe areas and suspicious behaviour.
- Customer service: staying professional and calm at reception or the front gate.
Bonus skills (only include if true)
- CCTV monitoring or control room operations
- Basic first aid
- Conflict de-escalation (calming a situation down before it gets worse)
- Key control and alarm response support
- SAPS case support (statement writing, preserving evidence as per policy)
- Driver's licence (Code B/C1) and patrol vehicle experience
Weak vs strong: how to write a skill or duty
A recruiter is checking whether you have done the job before, or could do it tomorrow. Compare these two lines:
- Weak: "Responsible for security."
- Strong: "Controlled access for staff, visitors and delivery trucks at a warehouse gate, checking IDs and recording every entry in the logbook."
The strong version shows the site type, the task and how you did it. Try to write each duty like this.
If you're unsure how to present your skills neatly, build a strong CV profile first. Then choose a CV design that suits security roles, with simple headings and clear sections. For more ideas, see our list of skills to put on a CV.
A complete security guard CV example you can copy
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details. Keep your CV to 1–2 pages, depending on how much experience you have.
This example is written for a typical Grade C security role. You can adapt it for retail, industrial sites, residential estates or events.
[Your Full Name]
[Suburb, City, Province]
[Cell number]
[email@example.com]
PSIRA: Grade C | Reg No: [Your PSIRA number]
Availability: Day and night shifts, weekends and public holidays
Professional summary
Security officer with [X] years' experience in access control, patrols and incident reporting at [retail/warehouse/estate/office park] sites. PSIRA Grade C registered (Reg No: [Number]) with a strong record of professionalism, clear communication and reliable shift attendance. Confident working day or night shift, following site procedures, and completing accurate occurrence book entries and incident reports.
Key skills
- Access control (visitor management, contractor sign-in/out, deliveries)
- Foot patrols and perimeter checks
- Occurrence book entries and incident reporting
- Radio communication and escalation procedures
- Customer service and conflict de-escalation
- Searching procedures (bags and vehicles) as per site policy
- Emergency response support (alarms, evacuations, call-outs)
Work experience
Security Guard – [Company name], [City]
[Month Year] – Present
- Managed access control for staff, visitors and deliveries, verifying IDs and recording entries accurately.
- Conducted scheduled patrols and reported hazards (broken lights, open gates, unsafe areas) to site management.
- Monitored suspicious behaviour and followed escalation procedures, contacting supervisors and emergency services when required.
- Completed occurrence book entries and incident reports with clear times, actions taken and witness details.
- Supported shift handovers with accurate updates on incidents, visitors and outstanding issues.
Security Officer (Relief / Casual) – [Company name], [City]
[Month Year] – [Month Year]
- Covered day and night shift duties across multiple sites, adapting quickly to site rules and post orders.
- Performed gate duties, patrols and key control, ensuring logs were completed and signed.
- Assisted with basic crowd control and queue management during peak times.
Certificates, training and compliance
- PSIRA: Grade C | Reg No: [Your number]
- Firearm competency: [Handgun/Shotgun/Rifle] | Issued: [Year] | Valid until: [Year]
- First Aid: [Level] | [Provider] | [Year]
- CCTV/Control Room: [Course or in-house training] | [Year]
Education
Highest grade passed: Grade [9/10/11/12] – [School name], [Year]
Additional: [Short course or training], [Year]
Availability
- Shifts: Available for day shift or night shift
- Weekends and public holidays: Available
- Notice period: [Immediate / 1 week / 2 weeks]
- Transport: [Own transport / Public transport]
References
[Name], [Job title], [Company]
[Cell number]
[Name], [Job title], [Company]
[Cell number]
How to use this example:
- Delete any certificate line that does not apply to you, such as firearm competency or first aid. Don't leave "(if applicable)" on your final CV.
- Post orders are the written instructions for a specific site. Keep that phrase if you have worked from them, because supervisors know it.
- For references, use a supervisor or site manager who can confirm your shifts and conduct. Ask them first. See how to list references on a CV.
Writing a security guard CV with no experience
If you've just finished your PSIRA training and have never worked on a site, you can still write a strong CV.
- Lead with your PSIRA line and availability. For an entry-level guard, these are your strongest selling points.
- List your training as experience. Write down what you learned on your course, for example access control, patrols, report writing and search procedures.
- Use transferable experience. Cashier work, a gate or parking job, church or school event marshalling, or any job with night or weekend shifts shows you are reliable and can deal with the public.
- Write a summary that is honest about where you are. For example: "Newly registered PSIRA Grade C security officer, available for day and night shifts, weekends and public holidays. Trained in access control, patrols and incident reporting, and ready to start immediately."
For more help, read our guide on writing a CV with no experience.
Common mistakes that make a grade C security CV look weak
- Hiding your PSIRA details on page 2, or leaving out the registration number.
Fix: put one clear PSIRA line under your name. - Using a general objective like "I am a hard worker" with no security duties or site skills.
Fix: name the sites you've worked on and the duties you did. - No shift availability. Many posts need nights and weekends.
Fix: add the short Availability section above. - Listing duties with no detail.
Fix: add the site type, your shift pattern, or a result such as "reduced unauthorised entry incidents", but only if you can honestly back it up. - Messy formatting that is hard to read on a phone.
Fix: use simple headings, short bullet points and one font.
Avoid this: Never list a PSIRA grade, registration number or firearm competency you don't have. Employers in security commonly check these details, and false information can cost you the job, even after you've started.
How to tailor your security guard CV for different sites
Each type of site needs slightly different strengths. Read the job advert, then move the most relevant skills to the top of your Key skills list.
Retail (malls, stores)
- Focus on customer service, observation, calm conflict handling, queue control and reporting.
- Mention any experience near a cash office, receiving area or CCTV, if true.
Industrial / warehouses
- Highlight access control for trucks and deliveries, contractor sign-in and sign-out, key control, and perimeter patrols.
- Include your shift patterns and reliability, such as on-time handovers and good attendance.
Residential estates
- Focus on visitor management, boom gate procedures, communicating with residents, and incident escalation.
- Mention professionalism and clear, polite communication with residents.
Build and download your CV on CV Hub
If you want a clean, professional format quickly, you can create a free CV. You can save your PSIRA and availability details in one place and reuse them for every application.
If you've already started, log in to CV Hub to edit and download your latest version.
Need help with common CV questions like layout, length or what to include? Read the CV Hub FAQ.
When you're ready to send your CV, see our guide: How to Email Your CV (Subject Line, File Name and Template). If you haven't heard back after a week or two, read how to follow up on a job application.
Quick final check before you apply
- Your PSIRA grade and registration number are visible on page 1.
- Your availability (night shift, weekends) is clearly stated.
- Your most relevant site duties appear in the first half of the CV.
- Your contact details are correct and professional, especially your email address.
- Your CV is easy to read on a phone, with simple headings and bullet points.
- You've removed every [square bracket] placeholder and every "(if applicable)" note.
If you'd like feedback on what to improve for a specific job advert, contact CV Hub and tell us the role you're applying for.
