A lifeguard is employed to guarantee the safety of swimmers or bathers in a municipal swimming pool, private leisure club or a public beach or swimming lake. They are strong and extremely competent swimmers who are capable of rescuing weak or non-swimmers when they get into difficulties in the water. Depending on the employer, you may find that a lifeguard role can include other duties such as pool maintenance, swimming tuition or customer service.
The NPLQ or National Pool Lifeguards Qualification is regarded as the national standard here in the UK and any reputable employer or recruitment agency will expect you to have this. This qualification can be gained during a week-long crash course, or weekly over a long period and covers the key aspects of health and safety, as well as the core skills and competencies that any lifeguard should possess.
In an interview, you'll be expected to demonstrate not only your physical strength and swimming ability, but also people skills and customer service experience.
The flexibility of this type of role means you can work part-time or full-time, or as a temporary position whilst studying at college or university. Or you could use it as the basis for a rewarding career that could develop into leisure management or other travel opportunities.
Casual vacancies command lower salaries while full-time, permanent positions tend to be commensurate with the prestige of the organisation.