Summer Lifeguarding Jobs

When the weather is hot and summer is in full force, spending your days relaxing by the pool, getting a tan, and making a decent paycheck sounds like a pretty good gig. That’s the life of a lifeguard, and it’s a great way to spend your summer vacation.

But it’s more than just swimming and tanning, as a lifeguard your job is make sure that everyone in the water is safe and when other people’s safety is in your hands you better be ready for quite a bit of responsibility.



Summer Lifeguard Poses for Photo by Swimming Pool

Anywhere there is water; there is a lifeguard job. You may work at a summer camp by the water, a pool in a suburban neighborhood, or along a popular surf break on the ocean. A lifeguard has lots of duties to attend to, it’s not all just sitting in tall chair and enjoying the view. Lifeguard duties may include watching swimmers, overseeing swim races, handing out inner tubes, managing water slides, watching for sharks, opening and closing the pool, or applying sun screen. But the most important job of any lifeguard is to keep everybody safe.

Jobs are pretty easy to come by. Just think how many waterfronts and pools there are in your area. But before you can even be considered for a job as a lifeguard you need to have the proper training and be in peak physical condition. You must have current lifesaving, CPR, and first aid training. Another very important thing is that you must be a solid, advanced swimmer who is capable of swimming in all conditions and rescuing swimmers that are in danger or need help.

Your training is never really finished either. You must stay current on all of your certifications and be up to date on the most advanced life saving devices and techniques. But because you are well trained, life saving machine you’ll be making more money than your buddy, who’s working retail or bagging groceries for the summer.

Usually lifeguarding at a pool is a good entry-level position, and these jobs should make around $10 per hour.  If you move up in the lifeguarding world and end up working on a busy beach, you may make up to $18 per hour. That’s pretty good money for a fun summer job that gets you a tan and allows you to dip into the water when you want.

In Focus: Lifeguarding for Disney!

Lifeguards usually work during the summer, but if you love the job and you love the rush of saving someone’s life, you may want to pursue a career as a lifeguard. After working at the pool and the beach, the next step is to become a lifeguard trainer/manager, then a water safety instructor. If you still can’t get enough look into becoming a rescue swimmer or working for the coast guard.

A job as a lifeguard is super sweet. You get to hang out by the water and save people’s lives. How can it get better than that?

 

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