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Firefighter resume examples & templates

If responding to emergencies and saving lives is your calling, a firefighter position is waiting for you. Trained firefighters are needed to handle medical crisis, wild and home fires and a variety of other emergencies. So how do you land this job and start making a big impact in your community? 

It all starts with this firefighter resume example. We'll show you how to highlight your strengths and write a resume that makes the fire chief excited to have you on the brigade. Here's what you'll learn in the rest of this guide along with our firefighter resume sample:

• How to write a great firefighter resume for today's job market
• The best format for firefighter resume samples
• Tips to make your experience and achievements shine
• Formatting ideas for a professional presentation

We hope our firefighter resume sample will help you land your next position. But for more inspiration, you can always check out our 350+ other resume examples.

What does a firefighter do?

Firefighters are first responders who work to protect others in emergency situations such as fires, vehicle accidents, and other hazardous situations. Firefighters perform safety inspections, respond to emergency calls, and handle various emergency situations where their expertise is needed. It is essential that firefighters maintain an updated knowledge of paramedic and firefighter knowledge, allowing them to be highly prepared in the event of an emergency.

Firefighters are required to follow a comprehensive checklist for safety inspections to ensure all building systems, where safety is a concern, have systems that meet safety standards. A firefighter should possess excellent analytical thinking skills and superior physical stamina due to the heavy equipment and strenuous situations they work with. An ideal candidate holds at least a high school diploma or equivalent and has the proper professional training required to become a firefighter.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for firefighters will grow by 4% over the coming decade – as fast as average. While the number of domestic fires is (thankfully!) decreasing, firefighters will still be needed to respond to medical emergencies, wildfires and other environmental disasters.

Don't forget to check out our other resume examples from the security and protective services category:

• Volunteer Firefighter resume sample
• Security and protective services resume sample
• Security Officer resume sample
• Military resume sample
• Police Officer resume sample
• Security Guard resume sample

How to write a firefighter resume

A winning firefighter resume should highlight one’s passion for public service, as well as their dependability. Your community is counting on you to protect them so a commitment to the role is key for a firefighter resume. Here are the most important sections for your CV, taken from our firefighter resume sample.

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

A firefighter resume should showcase a variety of qualities that prove one’s ability to work actively in the prevention and fight against fires, as well as in other emergency situations. Firefighters should be adept in minimizing fire damage and injuries by responding to alarms, operating firetrucks and equipment, combating and extinguishing fires, and rescuing and reviving people in emergency situations. It is important that firefighters follow safety policies and procedures to maximize safety efforts. The ideal candidate works well in a team and has excellent emotional control.

Choosing the best resume format for firefighters

If you've only ever heard of one resume format, you wouldn't be alone. Most people are aware of the reverse chronological resume format which starts with your current or most recent position and works backwards until you've listed all relevant experience. 

This is the best resume format choice for career firefighters who have worked in a variety of departments and want to highlight their many years of service. This is the format you'll find on our firefighter resume sample.

However, if you are making a career change or applying to a volunteer firefighter position, you may want to consider a combination resume format . This format begins with an "Experience" section which highlights any skills, relevant training or areas of expertise related to firefighting. Below, you can continue with a shorter Employment History section to show either your firefighting experience or your positions in another field.

How long should my resume be? 

It's a common question that gets more challenging as you advance in your career. In general, people with less than 10 years of experience should stick to a one page resume. This length is most commonly preferred by hiring managers since they have limited time.

 Condensing your experience to the most important points also helps make sure they take the time to read it and don't give up halfway through a wordy resume. 

However, if you're a career firefighting veteran who has had multiple leadership positions, awards and accolades, you may opt for a two page resume if it's the only way to convey the depth of your experience.

Resume summary example

Your summary, also called a profile, is one of the few places on your resume that you'll be able to speak directly to the fire chief or hiring manager. The goal here is to highlight your biggest accomplishments and attributes while saving the details for later on. Remember to use as many powerful action verbs and job specific information as you can. Firefighters have an enormous responsibility to keep the public safe, so it is important that your resume portrays you in the best possible light. 

You should also aim to describe yourself and your professional demeanor in a few words in your summary. Make sure to highlight any relevant training or certifications as well. Check out this text from our firefighter resume example for more info.

Dedicated and passionate Firefighter with over eight years of experience working towards fire prevention and protection. Bringing forth extensive knowledge of safety protocols and firefighter procedures. Experience providing aid to victims of disaster including fires, car accidents, and other high-risk situations. Adept at using sound knowledge and experience to accurately assess a situation and move forward with a logical plan of mediation. Proven track record of superior performance and an obvious dedication to the safety of people everywhere. 

Employment history sample

The employment history section of your firefighter resume is the best place to prove that you have the necessary skills and experiences to success in the role. List all positions relevant to the work of a firefighter, or positions that have transferable duties and/or required skills necessary for a firefighter position. Add importance to each bullet point by describing your duties with powerful action verbs, numbers, facts and statistics.

Check out the employment history section from our firefighter resume example below.

Firefighter and EMT at New Canaan Fire Department, New Canaan December 2020 - Present

• Provide emergency rescue on multiple occasions.
• Respond to 911 calls and administered emergency care to victims.
• Record data and filed detailed incident reports.
• Effectively communicate with co-workers, civilians, and officials to ensure the safety of all people involved or near an incident.
• Perform CPR several time, saving the lives of people at risk.
• Show an unrelenting dedication to my job and my commitment to safety.

Firefighter at New York Fire Department, New York November 2015 - November 2020

• Performed fire prevention and fire suppression duties as needed.
• Responded to all emergency calls and followed safety protocols.
• Used sound judgment and analytical thinking skills to respond to emergency situations.
• Handled high risk situations with a sense of calm and careful thought.
• Maintained department equipment and vehicles.
• Worked collaboratively with my team members to best serve the public.
• Mentored and trained new firefighters and supervised them during emergency responses.

CV skills example

Your CV skills are some of the most important assets you bring to the firefighting job so the skills section is the place to show them off. This section is best suited for skills that can be described in just a few words. In order to be considered a strong candidate you must present yourself as a hardworking and physically able person, who has excellent judgment and a commitment to service. Be sure to include a mixture of hard and soft skills as seen in our firefighter resume example below.

• Fire Prevention
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Dedicated Team Player
• Troubleshooting Skills
• Emergency Medical Knowledge
• First Aid and CPR
• Arson Investigation

Firefighter resume education section

Firefighters need to hold at least a high school diploma or equivalent, so the education section is the best place to list this. If you hold a bachelor's degree or higher, you may leave your high school off your resume. The education section is also the place to mention any certification or training you've completed related to the firefighter position. Paramedic knowledge will highly increase your chances of landing the job, so make sure to include it here. 

Check out this excerpt from our firefighter resume sample to see the best way to format your education section.

Fire science Training Program, FDNY Training Division, New York August 2011 - May 2015

• Graduated in the top of my class.

Bachelor of Criminal Justice, St. John's University, New York August 2008 - May 2011

• Graduated suma cum laude .

Resume layout and design

Firefighting may be a manual profession, but that doesn't mean you can leave your CV layout and design to chance. Hiring managers are expecting polished layouts that exhibit clean design. You don't need to go overboard with fancy colors or graphics – in fact, a neutral color palette and well-organized layout is the best choice for firefighter CVs. If you need help getting started, check out one of our resume templates.

One of the most important aspects of your layout is an attractive header that houses your name and contact information. Since it's located right at the top of the page, it will help to grab a hiring manager's attention and draw them into the rest of your firefighter resume.

Here are some more taken from the layout of our firefighter resume example.

• Create a good balance of white space to text
• Use common section heading names like "Education" and "Skills"
• Choose a template that is easy to read
• Use more than 1-2 different fonts on your resume
• Create a resume longer than one page unless you're a career veteran
• Forget to proofread before submitting

Key takeaways for a firefighter resume

• A strong resume is key to land a position in the quickly growing field of firefighting.
• Make sure to describe both your most important achievements and your professional personality in your summary section.
• Check out our firefighter resume sample for the best way to format your employment history bullet points.
• Don't forget to include some soft skills as well as any medical training you may have in your skills section.
• A great CV layout goes a long way in catching a hiring manager's attention so keep yours organized and attractive.

Beautiful ready-to-use resume templates

Firefighter CV example

Build your CV on this template 

As a firefighter, your CV must ignite the interest of potential employers by showcasing your bravery, skills, and dedication to saving lives.

Our friendly guide is designed to fan the flames of your job application, ensuring you stand out in a sea of candidates.

Take a look at our Firefighter CV example below, complete with top tips to create a blazing application.

Article contents

Firefighter CV example

CV templates 

This CV example showcases the optimal structure and format for your Firefighter CV, providing a pleasant reading experience for busy recruiters.

It also demonstrates the skills, experience and qualifications you should emphasize in your own CV to increase your chances of landing job interviews.

Build your CV now 

Firefighter CV format and structure

If you focus purely on the written content of your CV but ignore the style and layout, your efforts could end up wasted.

No matter how suitable you are for the role, no recruiter wants to spend time squinting and trying to navigate a badly designed and disorganised CV.

Instead, make sure to organise your content into a simple structure and spend some time formatting it for ease of reading – it will ensure every recruiter and hiring manager can read your CV with ease.

Tips for formatting your Firefighter CV

• Length: If you want to hold the reader’s attention and ensure your CV isn’t yawn-worthy, it’s best to stick to two sides of A4 or less. This is more than enough room to highlight why you’re a good match for the role – anything more can quickly become tedious!
• Readability : Make sure your CV is easy to read and looks professional by applying some simple formatting tricks. Bullet points are great for making large paragraphs more digestible, while formatting your headings with bold or coloured text will help the reader to find the information they need, with speed.
• Design & format: The saying ‘less is more’ couldn’t be more applicable to CVs. Readability is key, so avoid overly complicated designs and graphics. A subtle colour palette and easy-to-read font is all you need!
• Photos: You can add a profile photo to your CV, if you want to add some personality to it, but they are not a requirement the UK, so you don’t have to.

Quick tip: Creating a professional CV style can be difficult and time-consuming when using Microsoft Word or Google Docs. To create a winning CV quickly, try our quick-and-easy CV Builder and use one of our eye-catching professional CV templates.

CV structure

When writing your own CV , break up your CV content into the following key sections:

• Name and contact details – Place them at the top of your CV, so that employers can easily get in touch.
• CV profile – A punchy sales pitch of your key experience, skills and achievements to reel readers in.
• Core skills section – A bullet-pointed snapshot of your abilities.
• Work experience – A well-structured list of your relevant work experience.
• Education – An overview of any relevant qualifications or professional training you have.
• Hobbies and interests – A short description of any relevant hobbies or interests (optional).

Now you understand the basic layout of a CV, here’s what you should include in each section of yours.

Contact Details

Begin by sharing your contact details, so it’s easy for employers to give you a call. Keep to the basics, such as:

• Mobile number
• Email address – It should sound professional, with no slang or nicknames. Make a new one for your job applications if necessary.
• Location – Simply share your vague location, for example ‘Manchester’, rather than a full address.
• LinkedIn profile or portfolio URL – Remember to update them before you send your application.

Firefighter CV Profile

Grab the reader’s attention by kick-starting your CV with a powerful profile (or personal statement , if you’re a junior applicant).

This is a short introduction paragraph which summarises your skills, knowledge and experience.

It should paint you as the perfect match for the job description and entice recruiters to read through the rest of your CV.

How to write a good CV profile:

• Make it short and sharp: The best CV profiles are short, sharp and highly relevant to the target role. For this reason, it’s best to write 3-4 lines of high-level information, as anything over might be missed.
• Tailor it: Before writing your CV, make sure to do some research. Figure out exactly what your desired employers are looking for and make sure that you are making those requirements prominent in your CV profile, and throughout.
• Don’t add an objective: Leave your career objectives or goals out of your profile. You only have limited space to work with, so they’re best suited to your cover letter .
• Avoid generic phrases: Cheesy clichès and generic phrases won’t impress recruiters, who read the same statements several times per day. Impress them with your skill-set, experience and accomplishments instead!

Example CV profile for Firefighter

What to include in your firefighter cv profile.

• Experience overview: Showcase your aptitude for the job you are aiming for by giving a brief summary of your past work history , including the industries you have worked in, the kinds of employers you have served, and the roles you have held.
• Targeted skills: Make your most relevant Firefighter key skills clear in your profile. These should be tailored to the specific role you’re applying for – so make sure to check the job description first, and aim to match their requirements as closely as you can.
• Important qualifications: If the job postings require specific qualifications, it is essential to incorporate them in your profile to ensure visibility to hiring managers.

Quick tip: If you are finding it difficult to write an attention-grabbing CV profile, choose from hundreds of pre-written profiles across all industries, and add one to your CV with one click in our quick-and-easy CV Builder . All profiles are written by recruitment experts and easily tailored to suit your unique skillset.

Core skills section

Add a core skills section below your profile to draw attention to your most applicable skills and make them stand out to readers.

This should consist of 2-3 columns of bullet points that emphasise your relevant skills.

Before creating this section, review the job description and compile a list of any specific skills, specializations, or knowledge needed. Incorporate these findings into your list to portray yourself as the ideal candidate for the position.

Important skills for your Firefighter CV

Fire Suppression Techniques – Executing efficient and effective methods to extinguish fires, including understanding the behaviour of different types of fires and the appropriate extinguishing agents to use.

Emergency Medical Procedures – Providing immediate medical care, including CPR, trauma support, and administering emergency medications as a first responder.

Rescue Operations – Conducting search and rescue missions to locate and safely extract individuals from hazardous environments such as burning buildings or collapsed structures.

Hazardous Materials Handling – Identifying, containing, and disposing of hazardous materials to prevent contamination and ensure public safety.

Fire Prevention and Education – Engaging with the community to disseminate fire safety information and conducting fire risk assessments in homes and businesses.

Firefighting Equipment Operation – Operating complex firefighting machinery such as pumps, aerial ladders, and hydraulic rescue tools with precision and safety.

Incident Command System (ICS) – Managing and coordinating multiple agencies and resources during emergency incidents by applying ICS principles.

Fire Code Compliance – Inspecting buildings and facilities to ensure adherence to fire codes and regulations, identifying potential fire hazards.

Technical Rope Rescue – Employing advanced rope systems for rescue operations in difficult-to-access areas, such as high-angle and confined spaces.

Water Rescue Fundamentals – Performing water-based rescue operations, including swimming, boat handling, and ice rescue techniques.

Quick tip: Our quick-and-easy CV Builder has thousands of in-demand skills for all industries and professions, that can be added to your CV in seconds – This will save you time and ensure you get noticed by recruiters.

Work experience

Recruiters will be itching to know more about your relevant experience by now.

Kick-start this section with your most recent (or current) position, and work your way backwards through your history.

You can include voluntary and freelance work, too – as long as you’re honest about the nature of the work.

Structuring each job

If you don’t pay attention to the structure of your career history section, it could quickly become bulky and overwhelming.

Get in recruiters’ good books by creating a pleasant reading experience, using the 3-step structure below:

Start with a brief summary of your role as a whole, as well as the type of company you worked for.

Key responsibilities

Next up, you should write a short list of your day-to-day duties within the job.

Recruiters are most interested in your sector-specific skills and knowledge, so highlight these wherever possible.

Key achievements

Finish off by showcasing 1-3 key achievements made within the role.

This could be anything that had a positive effect on your company, clients or customers, such as saving time or money, receiving exemplary feedback or receiving an award.

Sample job description for Firefighter CV

Work as part of a team of firefighters at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, providing emergency response to a regional area of 496 square miles and providing mentorship to junior team members.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with incident commanders to develop and implement response plans, utilising the UK Fire and Rescue Academy’s ICS training.
• Oversee equipment maintenance, upgrading firefighting gear to improve response times and operational efficiency.
• Coordinate with regional fire authorities to stay updated on new regulations and implement necessary changes in procedures.
• Participate in routine drills and simulated scenarios, evaluating team performance and refining emergency response tactics.

Quick tip: Create impressive job descriptions easily in our quick-and-easy CV Builder by adding pre-written job phrases for every industry and career stage.

Education section

Although there should be mentions of your highest and most relevant qualifications earlier on in your CV, save your exhaustive list of qualifications for the bottom.

If you’re an experienced candidate, simply include the qualifications that are highly relevant to Firefighter roles.

However, less experienced candidates can provide a more thorough list of qualifications, including A-Levels and GCSEs.

You can also dedicate more space to your degree, discussing relevant exams, assignments and modules in more detail, if your target employers consider them to be important.

Hobbies and interests

Although this is an optional section, it can be useful if your hobbies and interests will add further depth to your CV.

Interests which are related to the sector you are applying to, or which show transferable skills like leadership or teamwork, can worth listing.

On the other hand, generic hobbies like “going out with friends” won’t add any value to your application, so are best left off your CV.

A strong, compelling CV is essential to get noticed and land interviews with the best employers.

To ensure your CV stands out from the competition, make sure to tailor it to your target role and pack it with sector-specific skills and results.

Remember to triple-check for spelling and grammar errors before hitting send.

Good luck with the job search!

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Application and interview tips

Are you hoping to join Avon Fire & Rescue Service as a wholetime or on-call firefighter? Follow our tips to be as successful as you can be during the application and interview process.

Application form: dos and don’ts

For those successful in the eligibility stage, you will need to progress through several more stages in the application process. These include online assessments, interviews and practical and physical tests.

While there is a lot of information on the fitness side of being a firefighter, what should you consider when moving forward with the application form?

The application form comprises of two sections:

Application form

The first section captures your personal details, which includes your address and requires you to deal with your sickness absence levels in the past 12 months. If this exceeds five days, you will be asked to provide further details.

HR will review the information provided and will make a fair and consistent judgement on whether you pass this section.

Long-term absences due to operations, injuries, significant illnesses/medical conditions or life events, such as bereavement or divorce, will be considered in a positive light and it’s likely you will pass this stage.

Repeated absences over five days in a year due to minor ailments are likely to mean that you will not pass this stage.

It is essential that firefighters have good levels of health and wellbeing and a strong work ethic.

Personal statement

The second section is the personal statement, which is up to 1,500 words.

Allow yourself plenty of time for your personal statement. We recommend drafting it in a Word document ahead of the application stage, which can then be cut and pasted into the application form. You may wish to present your statement using headings or bullet points so each part is clear.

We advise that you split your statement into two parts. One should cover your skills and experiences and the second should cover each of the values of Avon Fire & Rescue Service.

In the first part, we are looking for candidates to demonstrate the core skills required to become a firefighter, including:

• The ability to work well under pressure.
• Good communication skills.
• Commitment to continuous development.
• Ability to solve problems and possess good practical skills.
• Ability to work within a diverse environment and adapt to different needs.

Please note that this is not exhaustive. You must include evidence against each of the above and you may also wish to outline other skills and experience you feel would positively contribute to the role of a firefighter.

The personal statement also requires you to evidence how you meet the values of Avon Fire & Rescue Service. These are:

• Transparent

We believe it is not just what we do but how we do it that is important. Our values act as the standards of behaviour we expect from our staff. These values can mean different things to different people.

Writing examples

Your examples should highlight the required skills, experiences and values needed to become a firefighter. Think about any particularly difficult, demanding and/or challenging situations you have faced and what skills you used to overcome them.

The examples do not all have to have a positive outcome. Sometimes we learn most from situations which did not go so well. Don’t be afraid to use these if they demonstrate what you have learned and what you do differently.

Be concise and make full use of the 1,500 words. This is your chance to make your application form really stand out from the rest. A short statement is unlikely to pass.

Ask friends, family or colleagues to assist you. This will help ensure you have covered all the required points and provided the best possible examples. We sometimes undersell ourselves and lack confidence in our abilities. If you seek input from others, they may help you think of other positive examples which show your full range of skills and strengths.

Make sure to proofread your application form before submitting it. We would also recommend asking someone else to read through it as well. A fresh pair of eyes can help with your application.

Interview information and tips

Congratulations! Your application has been successful, and you’ve got an interview to become a firefighter at Avon Fire & Rescue Service.

The interview lasts for one hour and will comprise of six set questions, which are the same for all candidates, and will be conducted by a panel of two members of staff. The interview panel will endeavour to help you relax and enable you to perform your best.

A link to our online booking system will be sent to you to arrange the date and time slot for your interview.

The interview is your opportunity to provide further details, examples and evidence of your skills, experiences and values and how these make you one of the best candidates for the role. You will also be expected to understand the role of a firefighter at Avon Fire & Rescue Service, and we recommend that you review our website to familiarise yourself with the work we do.

Hints and tips:

• Ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the diverse role of a firefighter ( wholetime and/or on-call ), Avon Fire & Rescue Service’s boundaries and the communities in which we serve and how we support our communities. Link this awareness into your answer.
• Think about your experience, skills and knowledge and how this links within our Service values and the criteria for the role of a firefighter.
• Listen to the question asked and ensure that the example which you have used is fitting and fully answers the question.
• Use a range of examples, including any learnings from situations which did not go so well. Don’t be afraid to use these if they demonstrate what you learned and what you would do differently. If you do not have experience of a situation, perhaps tell us what you would do.
• Use acronyms such as the ‘STAR’ (situation, task, action, result) or ‘CAR’ (challenge, action, result) can help to structure your answers and ensure that you provide sufficient evidence.
• Don’t feel rushed to respond. Take your time to think carefully about the question being asked.

If you meet the set pass mark, we will advise you by email. We will not advise you of our interview score as this will be used at the end of the process to select the best performing candidates for the limited number of places available on the training course.

Also in this section

The Fire Service Resume

Submitted by: Tony Vitalie with special thanks to Captain Grant Welling.

The fire service resume or “professional profile” is as individual as each applicant. A well constructed resume is your opportunity to illustrate your background and experience and paints a picture of who you are as a candidate and person before you walk into the interview room. If your resume intrigues the interviewer they will refer to its content throughout the interview, so be keenly aware of the information you’ve included as you should be ready to answer questions about and/or defend any information it contains. However, if your resume is less than intriguing, you may have already shot yourself in the foot before ever walking into the interview, as a poorly constructed resume reviewed by an Oral Board beforehand will have already left a negative impression on the Board before they even meet you.

If you submitted your resume with your application more often than not the interviewers will have a copy of your resume to review prior to the initial interview and almost always before a Chief’s interview. Given this is not always the case and since there are always multiple interviewers, it is recommended to bring at least 7 current copies of your most recent resume with you to the interview. These copies should be printed on a heavy bond paper that has a slight tint or color to it. Avoid plain white or a glossy paper. By bringing current copies of your resume, you not only insure each interviewer will have a copy, but you also create an opportunity to provide them with a ‘current or updated’ copy that will include any classes, training and or other relevant information that has occurred since the submission of your original resume. As you enter the interview room and finish the introductions, you should inform the Board that you have updated copies of your resume, and ask if you can provide a copy to each interviewer. By informing the Board you would like to provide then with ‘current or updated’ copies of your resume, you create an opportunity to share with them the purpose of the resume update, i.e., recent classes, training, etc., which conveys to the Board in a subliminal manner that you are an individual who continues to learn and progress professionally; this all before the interview ever starts…not a bad way to begin!

The resume is merely one tool in your application and interview process. Do not expect it to stand-alone, or speak for you. I have seen candidates who might as well have walked into the interview room, propped their resume up in the chair and walked out. A great resume does not make a great candidate, but it can assist a good candidate through the process and help the panel obtain more information and insight during that extremely short window of opportunity a candidate is given to convince the panel they are the single best person for the job.

Unlike in the private sector, where the resume is usually viewed extensively before an interview, the interviewers typically will look at your resume just minutes before you enter the interview room, if at all. This is why I firmly believe that a brief, concise and easy to read resume is of utmost importance. The interviewers will not have time to search for information. It must jump out at them at a glance. Save the fancy fonts and wordy descriptions for private sector interviews.

Resume styles vary and there are different opinions as to how to format your resume. After having the opportunity to sit on interview panels this is what I have concluded about resume writing for the fire service. An old school rule of thumb that I recommend is sticking to a single page resume for entry level and lateral level interviews. Multiple page resumes should be reserved for promotional interviews, or for those who truly have a wealth of information, experience and or education specific to the job. Two pages can be used but only if absolutely necessary. Again, this is my opinion and there is no right or wrong way to put together a resume.

What to include:

You should include the following in any order you see fit.

• Name, address, contact phone number and e-mail address at the top.
• Employment objective.
• Present employment history, recent employment history and all pertinent employment history. This should include job title, brief job description and years of employment (start date to end date), or (start date to present). All in chronological order.
• Schooling, Degrees, certificates and honors.
• Special achievements, volunteer work or any extra-curricular activities that you’d like to share.

If you do not have a wealth of work experience and training with which to construct your resume, you can add hobbies and interests. However, be sure not to add anything that may be frowned upon or that will not represent you well. For example, there is nothing wrong with going to the skate park, but do you really want to put skate boarding as a hobby? Maybe, maybe not, the choice is yours. Be honest and be yourself, but know you will be judged, like it or not. That is truly what the interview process is all about.

Some people like to add attributes. This is acceptable just use caution when doing so. It is often difficult to share ones attributes in a genuine fashion in the non-verbal forum. However, I have seen it done successfully in a resume and when done effectively it really works. Sometimes the career objective and attributes can be done in the same short paragraph and worked in together as this also can work well and save space.

I am avoiding specifics, because, again the resume is as individual as you are. I hope to be able to provide several sample resumes over the next few months, so you can choose a basic format that fits your experience level and personal style. Regardless of your experience or style I do strongly suggest that you put together a resume that allows the reader to quickly extract and absorb the information. Only include pertinent information that will help to sell your experience and abilities as a candidate. I feel the resume samples provided are a good example of this. I invite you to review all the resume samples which have been submitted and read the thoughts, insight and opinions shared on the topic and share your thoughts as well. I am by no means an expert rather I am merely sharing opinions on a very subjective topic. I invite everyone to comment as they see fit, expressing their own thoughts and opinions, as well. Consider this an on-going open forum on resume writing. More samples will follow in the months to come as they are submitted.

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Fight fire with water!

[ Click here to directly go to the complete firefighter resume sample ]

Fight for your dream job with an ATS-compliant resume.

Learn all about landing a shortlist with our Firefighter Resume Guide today.

Your fire department resume is the key to getting an interview call, so it is important to market yourself in a way that convinces the recruiter that they don’t have to look any further.

After reading your fire fighter resume, a potential employer should understand the impact you had in your previous roles and how well your firefighter resume skills will translate to the new role you are applying to.

In this guide, we will reveal every secret to writing the perfect fire fighter resume.

We will show how you can capitalize on your strengths while downplaying your shortcomings. Furthermore, we will show you how just a one-page document can help you land your dream job!

Here is a summary of our Firefighter Resume Guide:

• Only use the month and year format to write the dates throughout all the sections of your fire fighter resume.
• Write the key skills and firefighter resume objectives/summary section towards the end. This will save you time and make it easier to draft these sections as well.
• Avoid using paragraphs at all costs as it makes your fire chief resume look cluttered. Instead, use one-liner points to communicate your roles & responsibilities in the professional experience section.
• Do not let your fire chief resume exceed 2 pages unless your work experience transcends 10 years.
• Write a fireman resume summary if you have a professional experience of 3 years or more, otherwise stick with firefighter resume objectives.

That's not all.

This guide is embedded with 15+ sample firefighter resumes and firefighter resume examples that are designed to show you what each resume section would look like after you follow the guidelines in this blog.

Whether you're writing an entry level firefighter resume or a resume for firefighting professionals, this blog is the ONLY guide you will need.

The best part about this guide is that it is so exhaustive that you won’t have to look for information anywhere else!

By the end of this resume for firefighters blog, you will learn:

• How to draft each section of your fireman resume correctly.
• What personal information to include in your firefighter resume.
• How to list professional experience in a firefighter resume.
• What firefighter resume skills to write in your key skills section that will make you stand out.

Hiration’s Online Resume Builder is easy to use as it auto-fills all the boring stuff for you, you just need to optimize it according to your current target job-listing and you are done. Start building your resume here.

Mentioned below is a list of information you will gather by reading this blog:

Firefighter Job Description for Resume

Firefighters are heroes! They save lives while risking their own. Your resume should make sure that this trait of yours comes across in the most humble way.

Following is the firefighter resume job description:

• Administer medical care to injured people in emergencies.
• Contain fires, assist victims, and ensure overall community safety.
• Inspect fire fighting equipment and hydrants.
• Perform minor maintenance to equipment.
• Be equipped to perform emergency functions, such as first aid, CPR, etc.

Firefighter Sample Resume

[ Back to Table of Content ]

Take a look at the sample firefighter resume below. It illustrates the perfect resume for firefighters.

• Administered medical care to injured people in emergencies to save the lives of 30 individuals
• Assessed conditions and responded quickly to contain fires, assist victims, and ensure community safety
• Controlled wildfire with a team of 3 Firefighters at the local park leading to the fire to be 100% extinguished in record time
• Mobilized a team of 9 Firefighters while responding to local fires and emergencies
• Trained 20+ volunteer Firefighters, showcasing leadership during evacuations and fire prevention
• Conducted “Fire Safety” talks in various venues including elementary schools , churches, and local businesses
• Devised fire training boot camps for troubled teens and individuals in rehabilitation
• Inspected F irefighting equipment and hydrants and performed minor maintenance that minimized malfunctions by 30%
• Awarded “Silver Grade” Award for saving 150 workers from life-threatening injuries during a local factory fire
• Emergency Medical Technology Certification | Texas Department of State Health Services | Austin, TX, US | Feb '10 - Jun '10
• State Firefighter Certification | The Texas Commission on Fire Protection | Austin, TX, US | Jul '09 - Sep '09
• Languages : English, Spanish

Firefighter Salary

Firefighter salaries as quoted by the following major websites:

• PayScale : $47,965 / year
• Indeed : $45,454 / year
• Glassdoor : $48,774 / year

What is a Firefighter Resume & why do you need it?

You will need an ATS-targeted resume to shimmy down the fireman’s pole and land that job interview for a fireman.

A less than perfect resume will take you nowhere with a fire chief as they are looking for highly-motivated people who pay special attention to detail and you have to reflect the same with your resume.

So, the need of the hour is to keep up with the times, which means you have to make sure that your resume is perfectly structured and formatted making it both recruiter and ATS friendly.

We have written this blog to help you build a wildland fire resume that will sail through any ATS while also impressing your recruiters.

A persuasive resume requires creativity. We have compiled the do’s and don’ts of writing resumes to help you build your resume.

Firefighter Resume Sections

To make sure that no relevant information is missed out on, we have divided the resume into the following sections which will cover every aspect of your professional identity:

• Personal Information
• Profile Title
• Summary/Objective
• Professional Experience
• Certifications (if any)
• Awards & Recognition (if any)
• Additional Information (if any)

If you want more advice on nailing your resume sections, read Hiration's Guide to sections in a resume .

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try Hiration’s Online Resume Builder. It’s fast and easy to use! Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click.

How to write your Firefighter Resume

If you go about writing your wildland firefighter resume with no set direction, you will probably take up a lot of time and come up with an average run-of-the-mill resume.

You want to avoid that and write a kickass resume while not wasting your time. For this purpose only, our resume writing experts have broken down the whole process into the following easy to follow stages:

• First Stage: Master Firefighter Resume
• Second Stage: First Draft of Firefighter Resume
• Third Stage: Final Draft of FIrefighter Resume

Master Firefighter Resume

Alright, let’s get to work. Sit down! And think about your whole professional life. The recent instances will come easier to you, so start listing everything down. What you did, how it helped the company?

Were you the employee of the year? The manager gave you any special kudos? It’s all solid gold! Keep going back to all the profiles you have held and keep listing down everything at one source file.

Dig out any logs and files to come up with hard data to back up your claims.

Do not forget about your education! List down all the information regarding your education as well.

Wondering what goal this master firefighter resume will achieve? It will help you in the following manner:

• Resume-writing in the present: As all your information is now compiled in one source, all you need to do is pick out the relevant details to build your resume. Because of the easy accessibility, it is so much easier to customize your resume according to whichever job you are targeting at the time.
• Resume update in the future: Once we have found a job, we tend to not look at our resume until we need it again and then we have to go through the whole ordeal all over again. But, if you have a master resume, you will cut your effort in half as you will already have all the information you will need to update your resume located in a single file.

First Draft of Firefighter Resume

The first draft of your fire department resume requires you to draft all the sections of your resume except the key skills and firefighter resume objectives/summary section.

We have listed all the sections you will need to draft in this section below:

Draft of Firefighter Resume

Now that you have completed writing all the sections mentioned in the first draft of your wildland firefighter resume, it will be extremely easy for you to write the key skills and firefighter resume objective /summary section.

We saved this section for last to make it easier for you to draft them. Now, you just need to go through your professional experience section and identify keywords from it to make-up your key skills section.

For the firefighter resume summary section, you just need to identify the roles & responsibilities that resonate with the firefighter resume job desciption of your target job and frame them for this section.

Also, don’t forget to highlight the achievements that you are most proud of.

Use Hiration’s guide on how to write a resume to improve your chances of getting more interview calls.

Firefighter Resume: Header

Always remember that your fire chief resume header should only be your name, not “CV” or “Resume” or anything else.

These are some of the tips regarding how to format your resume header to make sure it follows current industry standards:

• Your resume header appears at the topmost part of your resume.
• Leave a single space between your first and last name.
• Initialize middle name, if you have one.
• Keep the font size between 16 and 20.

Job hunting can be daunting, that’s why we’ve put together guides to navigate you through the process. Hiration’s Guide To Writing The Perfect Resume Header is one such guide.

Here's a firefighter resume sample showcasing the perfect header section:

Let the resume writing experts at Hiration take some stress off your shoulders by helping you build an ATS-optimized wildland firefighting resume. We can also help you build your firefighter resume cover letter

Firefighter Resume: Personal Information

Avoid providing extremely personal details and keep this section strictly for contact information only. Ideally, the personal information section should consist of the following details:

• Your functional mobile number
• Your professional email ID
• Your current location of residence

Updated Mobile Number

Re-check this information after you are done drafting your fire dept resume to make sure there are no typing mistakes here. Follow the below-mentioned instructions while writing your updated phone number:

• Use your country’s ISD code as a prefix before your phone number
• Put a plus sign (+) before the ISD code
• Write your updated mobile number after the ISD code
• Eg: +1 65432 51981

Professional Email Address

Do not mess up while writing your email ID as it will be the official mode of communication between you and your recruiter.

It needs to be professional-sounding as well to leave a good impression on your recruiter.

So, let’s say, if your name is Alecto Carrow, your email ID should look like “[email protected]” and not “[email protected]”.

Current Location of Residence

There is no scope for error even in the tiniest details of your resume. Follow the guidelines below while writing the location in your resume:

• Mention your current city and state of residence if you are looking for a job in your country of residence. If you are hoping to move abroad, mention your city and country name.

Read Hiration's Guide to composing your contact information to perfectly curate the personal information section of your wildland firefighting resume.

Sample Firefighter Resume for Personal Information

Here's a sample firefighter resume showcasing the ideal personal information section:

Read on to explore the 15+ firefighter resume examples that we have mentioned in this blog for a better understanding of how each section should be ideally curated.

Hiration’s Online Resume Builder is a comprehensive resume writing service that can create your wildland fire resume and on your behalf, using the employment of professional resume writing experts.

You can also use our services to write the perfect firefighter resume cover letter.

Firefighter Resume: Profile Title

Your profile title conveys your latest job designation in your functional industry to your recruiter.

It is important that you accurately curate your profile title and do not lie or exaggerate your level of seniority in hopes of higher pay.

Write this section in the font range of 14 and 16 font size.

For tips on writing an ideal profile title, view our firefighter resume examples.

We understand that writing a resume for what could be your dream job is formidable. If you are looking for assistance, let our experts review your resume and tell you what to do to make it better.

Firefighter Resume: Professional Experience

The professional experience is the most important section of your wildland firefighter resume as your suitability for this job will be judged based on this section.

With the help of this section, you will be able to talk about your roles & responsibilities and achievements that make you stand out from the crowd.

You can employ the following tricks to enhance the quality of your professional experience section:

• Use the STAR format
• Frame one-liner points
• Use bucketing & bolding

We have composed the guide to show you how to compose the professional experience section in your resume to help you.

Our firefighter resume examples use numbers and figures in the professional experience section that make the candidate’s accomplishments more tangible.

STAR Format

The STAR format stands for:

S: Situation - The situation that led to your contributions. T: Task - The task that got assigned to you. A: Action - What action you took to fulfill this assigned task. R: Result - What were the results of this action in the form of an achievement figure.

The STAR format employs the cause-effect relationship to explain the “why” behind your actions and results, pinpointing your exact contributions to your organization.

Framing Points

A shortlist-worthy resume is one that communicates your roles & responsibilities to the recruiter in an effective manner. That will happen when it is easy to read and comprehend.

Wonder why you are not getting shortlisted even when you are qualified? It might be because you have been using paragraphs to phrase the professional experience section of your resume.

It’s time to turn the leaf and follow our advice of only using one-liner points.

Here are two firefighter resume examples that we want you to observe closely:

Example 1 :

"I was responsible for administering medical care to injured people in emergencies which led to 30 individuals being saved. I employed different approaches according to the conditions at hand to contain fires and assist victims. My team always responded quickly and assessed the conditions accurately, ensuring the safety of the community. I along with a team of 7 firefighters was able to control the wildfire at the local park in record time. I also spearheaded and mobilized a team of 11 Firefighters while responding to local fires and emergencies."

Example 2 :

• Managed to control the local park wildfire with a team of 7 Firefighters which led to the fire being extinguished 100% in record time
• Spearheaded a team of 11 Firefighters while responding to local fires and emergencies
• Saved lives of injured people in emergencies through administering medical care, a total of 30 individuals saved till date
• Employed the right approach to contain fires and assist victims by responding quickly and accurately assessing conditions, ensuring the safety of the community

Framing Points Analysis

The following points can be concluded from the following firefighter resume examples that we have mentioned above:

• In firefighter resume example 1, we have used a paragraph to talk about the candidate’s professional experience. As is evident, it’s long and messy hence failing to have the desired impact.
• In firefighter resume example 2, we have used simple one-liner points to communicate the same information as example 1. As we can see, it is easier to read and gets the point across in a more comprehensible manner.
• Hence, we implore you to use bullet points rather than paragraphs while drafting the professional experience section of your wildland firefighting resume.

Bucketing & Bolding

While good readability is incredibly important, if your resume still does not pack a punch, all this effort may go to waste.

We encourage the use of bucketing & bolding alongside points to enhance the effectiveness of your resume.

Look at these two firefighter resume examples that illustrate this point:

Fire Extinguishing

Emegency & Medical Care

• Saved lives of injured people in emergencies through administering medical care, total 30 individuals saved till date

Bucketing & Bolding: Analysis

We have drawn the following conclusions from the above-mentioned firefighter resume examples:

• In firefighter resume example 1, we use points that make the resume easier to read and comprehend. However, it does nothing to emphasize your career highlights.
• In firefighter resume example 2, we use bucketing & bolding along with the bullets that will directly draw the recruiter’s attention towards the highlights of the candidate’s career. This enhances the effectiveness of the resume.
• Hence, we advise the use of bucketing & bolding alongside points to enhance the effectiveness of your resume.

Sample Firefighter Resume for Professional Experience

Here's a sample firefighter resume showcasing the ideal professional experience section for your resume.

Use Hiration’s Online Resume Review Service. It will help you correctly evaluate your resume and tell you how to overcome the shortcomings. Just click below:

Firefighter Resume: Education

Although firefighters don’t require formal education, most candidates will have at least an associate degree to stay one step ahead of the competition.

The education section of your firefighter resumes should ideally contain the following details:

• Name of your school/university.
• Name of the courses you have pursued.
• The location of your school/university.
• Date of enrolment and graduation from each course (in month & year format).

Should you show your GPA on a resume for a firefighter? See Hiration's Guide on how to list education on your resume .

The minimalist design of our firefighter resume examples do not distract the reader’s attention and make it extremely easy to navigate.

View one such sample firefighter resume illustrating the perfect education section below:

When adding education to your resume, use Hiration’s Online Resume Builder to ensure it is in a professional format.

The pre-designed firefighter resume templates that comes with our Resume Builder can be easily customized to suit your professional needs & qualifications. Use it to write an impeccable resume today!

Firefighter Resume: Certifications

Certifications play a vital role in a firefighting job. As firefighters respond to emergency situations, certifications other than fire fighting also come in extremely handy and are even sought after.

So, if you have an EMT certification or any medical certification, etc. do not leave them off your resume. Moreover, certifications also give you an edge over your competition which might not have that added advantage.

Mention the following information in the certifications section of your fire department resume:

• Name of the certification you have pursued.
• Name of the certification issuing body.
• Location of the certifying body.
• Enrollment and completion date in the month and year format.

Align this information horizontally in the format shown below:

{Name of certification} | {Affiliating Institution} | {Location} | {Date} (in month & year format)

Hiration's Guide on listing certifications on a resume will answer all of your questions regarding the certifications section.

Our firefighter resume examples demonstrate the ideal sections to a resume. View our certifications section below:

Do not miss out on your dream job! If you have an existing resume you want to get evaluated, we can help you with that. Use Hiration’s Resume Review Service!

Firefighter Resume: Volunteering Experience

Any kind of community service volunteer work will look sharp on your wildland firefighter resume, especially medical volunteer work.

Showcasing volunteering initiatives on your resume suggests that you are not only dedicated to cultivating your firefighter resume skills but also want to help the community.

Read Hiration's Guide to listing volunteer experience on a resume to know exactly how to demonstrate your volunteer work on a resume.

You can also use Hiration’s Resume Review Service to help better your volunteer firefighter resume with the help of our resume writing experts.

Firefighter Resume: Additional Information

All the miscellaneous information that you are not able to fit anywhere finds a home in the additional information section. You can mention anything ranging from hobbies to your knowledge of multiple languages.

Our sample firefighter resumes can help you.

Attached below is a sample firefighter resume showcasing the ideal additional information section:

You can also use Hiration’s Online Resume Builder to make use of our pre-filled firefighter resume template with perfectly aligned sections to make an impeccable resume.

Write your perfect firefighter resume cover letter by using Hiration's Services

Firefighter Resume Key Skills Section

Your recruiter is most likely to scan this section of your resume first to make sure that you have the firefighter resume skills that they are looking for in a candidate.

Based on this the recruiter might decide to evaluate your resume further.

This means that you need to perfectly compose this section to impress the recruiter. Mention your core skills here.

You can also identify the keywords mentioned in your target job listing and replicate these keywords smartly in the key skills section.

Compose this section of your wildland fire resume towards the end as it is a more effective approach.

Hazey about the details? Read Hiration's Guide on what skills to put on a resume and put your doubts to rest.

Hiration’s Online Resume Builder will write your wildland fire resume while complying with all the current industry standards. Use it today!

Check out what a great key skills section looks like in our sample firefighter resume:

Firefighter Resume Summary

Writing a wildland firefighting resume summary? That’s hard, so don’t do it first. Write your other sections, then select the best of them for your firefighter resume summary.

This section gives the recruiter a quick overview of your professional experience and the highlights of your career.

Here are some facts that you should keep in mind while writing your wildland firefighting resume summary:

• Only write a resume summary if you have a minimum of 3 years of work experience.
• Pick the keywords from the firefighter resume job desciption of your target job and lay them down in your resume summary, do not, however, blatantly copy keywords.

Hiration's Resume Summary Guide has all you need to know about composing a resume summary.

Let Hiration’s firefighter resume examples guide you.

Evaluate our firefighter resume examples to make the ideal resume summary:

Every section in Hiration’s Online Resume Builder is pre-filled, and the text size and the design of the resume are perfected to save you from the trouble of obsessing over every tiny detail.

You can also customize each section according to your needs using the firefighter resume template that comes with our Resume Builder.

Firefighter Resume Objective

When writing the entry level firefighter resume objective, focus on what you can do for the company and not the other way around. Be very clear with what you intend to contribute and aspire to accomplish.

Write a entry level firefighter resume objective if you have less than 3 years of work experience.

Hiration's Guide on Resume Objectives will help you if you are a fresher or have very little experience.

Resume Review & Free Firefighter Resume Templates

Being a firefighter, it’s alright if you are not well-versed in the art of writing a resume. Let the resume writing experts at Hiration help you identify the flaws in your resume.

We will tell you exactly what you can do to make a perfect fire department resume.

With our review service, your wildland firefighter resume will be professionally reviewed according to the following parameters:

• Compliance with industry norms
• Content Relevance
• Recruiter Friendliness
• Design Compatibility
• Conversion Scope
• ATS Compliance
• Global Compatibility
• Performance Assessment
• Resume Formatting (font, margins, the order of sections, etc.)

And you will even get 2 firefighter resume templates for free!

Make sure that your wildland fire resume is ATS-optimized with Hiration’s Resume Review Service.

Online Resume Builder for Firefighter Resume

Our Online Resume Builder is a comprehensive tool that will help you design an impeccable fire dept resume that will have perfect formatting.

You will get the following resources with Hiration’s Online Resume Builder:

• Option to save unlimited resumes
• 25+ resume designs
• Full rich-text editor
• Unlimited PDF downloads
• 100+ resume templates
• 1-click design change
• A shareable link
• Live resume editor

Write your wildland fire resume with Hiration’s Online Resume Builder now!

Key Takeaways

• The month and year format is the ideal format and should be followed consistently throughout all the sections of your wildland fire resume.
• You can't go wrong with the reverse-chronological format. Follow it to make sure that your wildland fire resume is ATS-optimized.
• Maximize the readability and effectiveness of your resume by using bucketing & bolding while framing points. Do not forget to use the STAR format.
• Use power verbs to begin all the bullets of the professional experience section.
• For present profiles, use power verbs in the present continuous tense. For past profiles, use power verbs in the past tense.
• In the professional experience section, quantify your achievements wherever you can.
• Never let your fire dept resume exceed 2 pages and your resume summary 3-5 lines unless you have 10+ years of work experience.

With this you have reached the end of the blog, we hope you are now able to write a job-winning firefighter resumes.

Are you ready to put all these tips into action and land the perfect firefighter job? Check out our fire dept resume templates and build your resume with Hiration’s Online Resume Builder.

Go to Hiration resume builder and create a professional resume for yourself. Additionally, reach out to us at [email protected] and you can get 24/7 professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

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Firefighter CV Basics

Why do you need to know these firefighter CV Basics? Traditionally the Fire Service hasn’t asked for a copy of candidate CVs during the application process.

However, some Fire and Rescue Services have been asking applicants to upload a CV as part of the recruitment process, at the stage that candidates complete the online application form.

This caught a few applicants off guard!

Creating or updating a CV is something that many people find difficult – and you might never have even had to create one before!

Don’t worry, we’re here to help with our Firefighter CV Basics Part 1.

Help – I don’t have a CV! What should I include?!

Your CV is often the first impression that an employer will have of you, and having a great CV will help you progress in the assessment process

It’s essentially your record of achievements to date, presented in a concise and clear way so that potential employers can see at a glance how you could benefit them as an employee.

It includes information on your education and work experience to date, the skills you’ve developed, and your contact details. It also can include details of referees who can vouch for your abilities or character.

CV Screening Software

Sometimes your CV will be read by a member of the recruitment team. But when you’re asked to upload a CV to a job site as part of an application it’s getting common for your CV to be scanned by specialist software to see how good a ‘fit’ you are for the role requirements.

Basically, this software uses artificial intelligence to scan the text of your CV and pick up on words and phrases that are a match to the role requirements.

This is why you have to write your CV in a certain way to ensure it will make it past this stage of the process, and edit the information selectively so that it highlights skills and experiences that are a match to those of the role.

Making it past the Recruitment Team

Even if the FRS uses software and online testing to identify promising applicants there may still be a lot of CVs for the recruitment team to consider later in the process.

The following are mistakes to avoid, as they could result in your CV ending up heading straight into the recycling pile:

• Making your CV too long
• Spelling and grammatical errors
• Poor formatting
• Inaccuracies in employment details
• Using a difficult to read font
• Forgetting to update your personal details
• Not explaining gaps in employment

CVs are a big topic, and there are a lot of conflicting opinions out there about how best to complete them.

We’ll cover these in greater detail in Firefighter CV Basics Part 2 – The Personal Statement, but for now let’s have a quick look at the formatting and what sections to include.

CV Sections

Keep the formatting simple and easy to read! A simple and straightforward layout like the one below is fine:

Address / Phone Number / Email

Personal Statement A brief paragraph summarising who you are, your key strengths and abilities.

Employment History For each of your relevant previous/current jobs include: Employer Your job title Dates of employment (include start and end date) Summary of your duties in that role Reason for leaving (if applicable)

Education History Detail your qualifications achieved or that you’re studying towards: Educational Establishment Name of qualification / subject Dates achieved / being studies Grade / Outcome (or predicted grade / outcome)

Training Detail any relevant training courses you have been on: Training provider Training course name Dates completed

Some people include details of their references on their CV, but we think it’s best to leave this out – you could even just add ‘references available on request’ at the end. There will usually be a section on the online application for you to add details of references, or you will be asked to supply these later in the process.

Try to keep your CV to two pages maximum. You don’t need to provide information on every single duty you carried out in previous jobs, just a summary highlighting those that are relevant to the Firefighter role !

Keeping the formatting simple will also keep the screening software (if it’s being used) happy, as it may miss details if you have too many formatting details like columns and dividers – although it can be tempting to get your designer hat on and go to town on your CV resist the urge if it’s being uploaded in a situation like this!

Use an easy to read font at a size of 12pt or above – we’d advise something like Times New Roman or Helvetica which are supplied with all major word-processing packages.

Finally, save a copy of your CV in a format that the upload software will recognise, like DOC.X (MS Word) or ideally PDF. Keep another copy in a format you can edit if you need to for the future!

We hope you’ve found these firefighter CV basics useful – look out for our next article covering how to write a great personal statement!

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