A lifeguard is a job that students can take up, to take home some extra cash or an individual who wants to earn some extra money while on vacation. However, for one to become a lifeguard, he/she should take a certificate course that amount up to five hundred dollars and approximately thirty hours to comprehend. Most lifeguards are paid on an hourly basis, with an income of just about ten dollars an hour. On the other hand, professional beach lifeguards earn about sixteen dollars per hour. However, the salary varies depending on your location, places with a lot of recreational water bodies pay much more to their lifeguards.

When preparing to pursue a lifeguard certificate course, you should be aware of the different types of lifeguards and their roles, and then decide the type that perfectly suits you. The most common type is lifeguarding, whereby one can work at only swimming pools. If an individual is looking to expand his/her working territory to open water areas such as lakes and ponds he/she should get a certificate in waterfront lifeguarding. The water levels in which one is comfortable working in, also determine the certificate that you will work towards; shallow water attendant official document allows you to work in shallow waters like kids’ pools or any other water body that does not exceed four feet.

The most rigorous of the kinds of lifeguarding is the surf lifeguarding which permits one to work on beachfronts guiding surfers in areas such as the oceans. Waterpark lifeguarding credential consents to you are working at any water park.

However, the names of the courses vary depending on the country in which you acquired the certificate and the company that took you through the certificate. After familiarizing with the different forms of the lifeguard, register to take the course in a recognized institution, to avoid any future inconveniences. One can also be tasked to rescue a dummy that is trapped underwater with bricks tied onto it just to evaluate how the trainee will perform.

One has to pass the lifeguard tests that may include swimming as far as three hundred yards without taking a break. Other institution may require you to do freestyle for a distance of about one hundred yards, backstroke for about one hundred yards, or breaststroke for a distance of one hundred yards. The swimming tests enable the tutor to evaluate your ability to swim and how efficient you are when it comes to saving lives.

Once you are done with the lifeguard tests and you are certified, you can look for a job in the nearby beaches or swimming pools in your area, depending on the type of lifeguard you are permitted to carry out their tasks.

In some areas lifeguards also play the role of swimming instructors. Therefore a good lifeguard should have excellent communication skills. The communication techniques help in avoiding the simple water accidents. A good lifeguard should be focused on his/her tasks and should be reliable at all times; the main role being to guide the lives of swimmers and surfers. A good lifeguard should know his ways around the water bodies.

One should always remember that although being a lifeguard is not all about tanning his/her body, he/she should learn to have fun with the job he/she is assigned. Engage with the beach tourists by playing games such as volleyball beach, or interacting with them through small talks but always remain professional. Most lifeguards are often mistaken to be sexual predators who are not often the case; some of them are just misjudged. Lifeguards should always remain vigilant at all times, as people depend on them.