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Security Guard CV example and template (South Africa)

Security officers protect shopping centres, residential estates, office parks, schools, hospitals, mines and factories, and armed response officers react to alarms for companies such as Fidelity ADT. Under the Private Security Industry Regulation Act, anyone who works as a security officer must be registered with PSIRA (the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority). Training is done in grades from E, the entry level, up to A. Grade E and D officers usually do access control and guarding at a gate or entrance, Grade C covers more responsible posts such as armed response, control rooms and being in charge of a small site, Grade B is for supervisors and Grade A for managers. A site manager reading your CV checks your grade and PSIRA registration first, then how reliable you are on long shifts.

The example below is for a Grade C armed response officer with about eight years in security, who started as a Grade E guard at an estate gate. If you are new, put your PSIRA grade and registration at the top, then list any training, first aid course or experience dealing with the public. Write that you can work 12-hour day and night shifts, weekends and public holidays, because that is how most sites are staffed.

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Security Guard CV example

Themba Nkuna

PSIRA Grade C armed response officer with 8 years in security

078 555 0148 · themba.nkuna@example.co.za · Centurion, Gauteng

Profile

PSIRA-registered Grade C armed response officer with eight years in private security across estates, a shopping centre and armed reaction in Centurion. Holds SAPS firearm competency certificates for handgun and shotgun for business purposes, a code B licence and First Aid Level 1. Experienced in access control, patrols, CCTV monitoring and clear occurrence book entries. Calm under pressure and available for 12-hour day and night shifts.

Work experience

Armed Response Officer

Fidelity ADT, Centurion | Jul 2022 – Present

Respond to about 15 alarm activations a shift within the contracted response time
Search premises, secure open doors and windows and brief clients and SAPS
Sign firearms and ammunition in and out of the safe at every shift change
Write incident reports used by SAPS in two theft cases
Keep the response vehicle checked and logbook complete

Security Officer and CCTV Operator (Grade D)

Bidvest Protea Coin, Mall of Africa, Midrand | Mar 2019 – Jun 2022

Monitored 48 CCTV cameras in the centre control room and sent patrol officers to incidents
Patrolled parking areas and walkways, clocking every checkpoint on schedule
Gave first aid to an injured shopper and kept the scene safe until paramedics arrived

Access Control Officer (Grade E)

Servest Security, Eldoraigne estate, Centurion | Jan 2018 – Feb 2019

Checked visitors against resident approvals and recorded them in the visitor register
Kept accurate occurrence book entries for every shift and handover

Education

National Senior Certificate (Matric)

Hoërskool Centurion, 2017, NQF level 4

Subjects: English Home Language, Afrikaans First Additional Language, Mathematical Literacy, History, Business Studies, Life Orientation

Skills

PSIRA Grade C
Armed response and alarm reaction
Access control and visitor registers
Occurrence book and incident reports
CCTV and control room monitoring
Patrol clocking systems
Firearm safety and handover procedures

Certificates

PSIRA registration, Grade C, Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA), 2022
PSIRA Grades E and D, PSIRA-accredited training provider, 2017
Firearm Competency Certificate, handgun and shotgun for business purposes, South African Police Service (SAPS), 2022
Armed Reaction Course, Accredited training provider, 2022
First Aid Level 1, St John Ambulance, 2024

Achievements

Fidelity ADT Centurion response officer of the quarter, Q2 2025
Clean record, with no disciplinary action in eight years

Personal details

Driver’s licence:: Code B (Code 8)
Own transport:: Yes
Nationality:: South African
Languages:: Xitsonga (Home language), English (Fluent), Setswana (Good), Afrikaans (Basic)
Notice period:: One month
Availability:: 12-hour day and night shifts, weekends and public holidays

References

Willem Botha

Armed Response Supervisor, Fidelity ADT Centurion

012 555 0163

Naledi Molefe

Control Room Manager, Bidvest Protea Coin, Mall of Africa

011 555 0179

Security Guard CV summary you can copy

Change the details so they are true for you.

PSIRA-registered Grade C armed response officer with eight years in private security across estates, a shopping centre and armed reaction in Centurion. Holds SAPS firearm competency certificates for handgun and shotgun for business purposes, a code B licence and First Aid Level 1. Experienced in access control, patrols, CCTV monitoring and clear occurrence book entries. Calm under pressure and available for 12-hour day and night shifts.

Skills to list on your Security Guard CV

PSIRA registration, Grade C (also trained at Grades E and D)
Access control at gates and entrances, including visitor and contractor registers
Writing clear, factual occurrence book (OB) entries and incident reports
Foot and vehicle patrols using patrol clocking systems with wands or tags
Monitoring CCTV cameras and alarm systems in a control room
Armed response to alarm activations and panic signals
SAPS firearm competency for handgun and shotgun for business purposes
Safe handling, storage and handover of firearms and ammunition
Radio procedure and reporting to the control room
Searching vehicles, bags and people where site rules allow
Basic first aid and calling emergency services
Fire safety awareness and evacuation procedures
Dealing politely but firmly with residents, shoppers and visitors
Working 12-hour day and night shifts, weekends and public holidays

Duties written as strong bullet points

Responded to an average of 15 alarm activations a shift in an armed response vehicle in Centurion, arriving within the contracted response time
Searched premises after alarm activations, secured open doors and windows and briefed clients and SAPS on what was found
Recorded every incident, patrol and shift handover in the occurrence book with times, names and facts only
Controlled access at an estate gate, checking visitors against resident approvals and capturing their details in the visitor register
Patrolled the shopping centre parking areas and walkways, clocking every checkpoint on the patrol clocking system on schedule
Monitored 48 CCTV cameras in the centre control room and sent officers to suspicious activity in real time
Signed firearms and ammunition in and out of the safe at the start and end of every shift, in line with company procedure
Searched delivery vehicles and contractors leaving a mine shaft area according to site search rules
Gave first aid to an injured shopper and kept the scene safe until paramedics arrived
Wrote incident statements that were used by SAPS in two theft cases

Tips for a stronger Security Guard CV

Put your PSIRA grade and status at the top

Write "PSIRA Grade C, registered and in good standing" in your headline or right under your contact details. Companies may only deploy registered officers, so a site manager often stops reading if the grade is missing or lower than the post asks for.

Match your grade to the post

Gate and guard posts usually ask for Grade E or D, armed response and control room work usually ask for Grade C, and supervisor posts Grade B. If you are applying above your current grade, mention any upgrade course you have booked or finished.

List firearm competencies exactly

For armed posts, write each SAPS competency certificate by firearm type and purpose, such as "handgun for business purposes" and "shotgun for business purposes". A competency for private use does not let you carry a company firearm on duty.

Show the kind of sites you have protected

Residential estates, shopping centres, mines, banks and hospitals each have their own risks and procedures. Name them, with the employer and the site, such as "Grade D at Mall of Africa via Bidvest Protea Coin". It helps a contract manager see where they can deploy you.

Prove you write good reports

Clear occurrence book entries and incident statements matter when there is a theft, an injury or a court case. If your reports were used by SAPS or praised by a client, add one line about it. It shows you are more than someone standing at a gate.

Questions people ask

What do the PSIRA grades E to A mean?

They are training levels for security officers. Grade E is the starting level, with D building on it for guarding and access control. Grade C prepares you for more responsible posts such as armed response, control rooms and being in charge of a site. Grade B is supervisor level and Grade A is management level. Each grade builds on the one below it.

Can I work as a security guard without PSIRA registration?

No. The Private Security Industry Regulation Act says every person who provides a security service must be registered with PSIRA, and companies that deploy unregistered officers can be fined. Finish your grade training with an accredited provider and apply for registration before you start sending CVs.

What do I need to become an armed response officer?

Most companies ask for PSIRA Grade C, a SAPS firearm competency certificate for business purposes (usually handgun and shotgun), a valid code B driving licence, and often an armed reaction course. You also need a clean criminal record, because firearm competency and PSIRA registration both involve background checks.

What is an occurrence book and why mention it on a CV?

The occurrence book, or OB, is the official record of everything that happens on a shift, such as patrols, visitors, incidents and handovers. Clients and SAPS rely on it after an incident. Saying you keep accurate OB entries tells an employer you can be trusted to write things down properly.

Is control room work a good step up from guarding?

Yes, for officers who are good with computers and can concentrate for long periods. Control room operators watch CCTV and alarm screens, dispatch officers by radio and log events. Most posts ask for at least Grade C, so list any CCTV or control room experience and computer skills on your CV.