Firefighter CV example

How to add contact details to your firefighter CV

It’s surprising how many otherwise amazing candidates forget to add their most up-to-date contact details at the top of their CVs. It’s such a simple step, yet easy to gloss over. Before sending your application, double-check you’ve included this information near the header, preferably in a slightly larger or bolder font for maximum readability. Remember to note:

• Full name
• Address
• Phone number – whichever is best to reach you on
• Email address – keep it professional

Example of contact section for a firefighter CV

Start your firefighter CV with a personal statement

Your personal statement (also known as a personal summary) is an important section of your firefighter CV. It sits at the top of your application and is designed to give a brief overview of your background, skills, and experience.

In just two to three sentences, you’ll need to hook the recruiter in and position yourself as the best candidate for the role. You should also give a sense of your personality by including positive language to describe your work ethic and character. While selling yourself might feel a bit awkward at first, it’s easy when you follow the below formula.

The first sentence introduces who you are, including years of experience and career focus. The second sentence explains what you can achieve with tangible metrics. For example, you might have “helped reduce the number of local accidents by 15% through your fire prevention measures.” Finally, the third and fourth sentences highlight job-specific skills, such as “physical fitness” and “time management”.

Still confused? Check out the following tips and tricks:

• Write in the third person to sound more professional.
• Your recruiter may use an ATS (applicant tracking software) to find the most relevant CVs. Always include keywords and phrases from the firefighter job description, as this will make your application more likely to be seen by a real recruiter.
• Working as a firefighter requires a strong character and interpersonal skills. In your personal statement, include some positive adjectives to describe your personality, such as “resilient”, “compassionate”, or “calming”.

Example of personal statement for a firefighter CV

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Adding experience section to your firefighter CV

Perhaps above all else, the employment history section shows the recruiter the scope of your talents. It’s a fantastic opportunity to outline your work experience in more detail, starting from your current or most recent role. On top of this, you can highlight promotions, tangible achievements, and awards to convince the reader you’re the right person for the job.

You only need to note three to six duties for each position, keeping all information relevant and to the point.

Run through the following:

• Job title
• Company name
• Company location
• Employment start and end dates
• List of responsibilities
• Achievements, awards, and promotions

Most importantly, mention the metrics. Don’t just list your daily duties in your previous firefighter roles. By including facts and figures, you can showcase your impact and help your recruiter quantify your achievements – whether you “installed a new piece of software that boosted productivity by 29%” or “trained over 20 team members”.

Next, avoid repetition as much as possible. For example, if you’ve mentioned “public safety and security” underneath one position, discuss “delegation” in another. This will hammer home the point that you’re multitalented and flexible – not a one-trick pony. Plus, exclude obvious tasks like “answering emails” and “photocopying” because they don’t add anything exciting to your application.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to show your personality. You can do this through powerful adjectives and action verbs. The former might include “passionate”, “diligent”, and “responsible”. Some of our favourite action verbs for firefighters are “investigated”, “inspected”, and “educated”.

Example of work experience for a firefighter CV

Skills worth having on your firefighter CV

The next step to wowing the hiring manager is pulling together your most impressive CV skills. These include technical hard skills and personality-based soft skills. As well as setting you apart from the competition, they help ATS software assess whether your application meets the job requirements.

Hard skills are typically specialist and learnt through education or on the job. Examples include “route mapping”, “vehicle repair”, and “operating hoses and machinery”. In contrast, soft skills are transferable – you’re predisposed towards them (although you can still develop them through consistent practice). Think “disciplined”, “energetic”, and “motivated”.

So, what’s best: hard skills vs soft skills? Truthfully, firefighters need a unique mix of hard and soft skills. Below, you’ll find a checklist of the top firefighter skills a recruiter wants to see on your CV.

Outlining education on a firefighter CV

The education section of a CV might come towards the end, but it’s no less important than the preceding information. Qualifications and training give you a competitive edge when you’re up against equally experienced candidates. Plus, they reassure the employer that you’re invested in ongoing personal and professional development.

As a rule, you should only emphasise your most recent and relevant qualifications. For example, avoid listing individual GCSEs if you’ve completed an undergraduate course. Additionally, there’s no need to include grades unless the recruiter specifically asks for them.

What does it take to become a firefighter? You don’t actually need formal education, but extracurricular training will definitely help you stand out. You might have a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) licence, which will allow you to drive fire engines, or a Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Public Services.

When summarising your education, include:

• Name of school, college, university, or other awarding body
• Study start and end dates
• Subject title
• Qualification level – e.g. GCSE or Diploma
• Qualification result – not essential but desirable

Example of education for a firefighter CV