Employment

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Why be a lifeguard?
Job criteria
Work schedule
Foreign lifeguards
Tips for U.S. visas
Join VBLS

Why be a lifeguard? (top)

Lifeguarding is an ideal job for anyone who wants to make good money while spending the summer outdoors. As a lifeguard, you will deal with lifesaving issues and be responsible for the safety and well- being of thousands of people on a daily basis. To do this, you must have good public relations skills and be able to work under pressure, keeping in mind that the public will look to you as a role model.

Many of the skills you will acquire working as a VBLS lifeguard will transfer to future positions. Good communication skills, working cooperatively with a diverse group of coworkers and patrons, and a responsible attitude are desirable qualities you will have an opportunity to develop. VBLS has one of the finest open water beach patrols in the United States. Members of the patrol make friendships that endure a lifetime.

In addition to using your lifeguarding skills for work, you can also use them in athletic competition. Our local chapter of the United States Lifesaving Association hosts lifeguard competitions each summer. Qualifiers have a chance to compete at the regional and/or national level. Every lifeguard working for VBLS will be a member of the United States Lifesaving Association.

Furthermore, our lifeguards receive discounts at many area restaurants and shops, allowing lifeguards to save money.

Job criteria (top)

Persons seeking employment as lifeguards must meet the following criteria:

• You must be 16 years of age.
• You must be in good health.
• You must pass a swim test. The test consists of swimming 500 meters in a pool in ten minutes or less, which is a national standard.
• You have an advantage if you hold a current lifeguard certification which must include CPR and Basic First Aid.
• You will be provided free training for ocean lifeguard certification, if you do not currently hold such credentials. To receive this training, you must be employed by VBLS for the season.
• The primary swim test is scheduled after your interview. Only those who have turned in COMPLETED applications with waivers may participate. The majority of the lifeguards used for the season will come from this pool of candidates.

Upon successful completion of the swim test, you will attend classes offered by us to obtain:

• Recertification (if needed)
• Automatic External Defibrillator training
• Radio Communication System course
• Signals/Flags instruction
• Rescue Procedures
• Preventative Lifeguarding Scanning Techniques
• Public Relations/Cultural Diversity Training
• Organizational structure information
• Lost/Found Children procedures
• Water Safety - including rip currents, local conditions knowledge
• Weather data
• Medical Issues instruction

You must be prepared to learn. The Lieutenants and veteran guards will take an active interest in you becoming competent with our rules, procedures, and organization. We will also train you to be the best lifeguard possible. A handbook has been developed which covers most of the information you will need to learn. This handbook will be provided during your training. Additional recommended reading is The United States Lifesaving Association Manual of Open Water Lifesaving,. You may purchase a copy by calling (866) 367-8752 or visit www.usla.org. All members of the patrol must pass a written test on the material in the handbook, as well as a general lifesaving and first aid test upon returning each year.

Training takes place throughout employment and will include physical exercises as well as rescue scenarios to improve and enhance professional skills. Additional lifeguard training dates, time, and places will be posted on the web in a timely manner once scheduled.

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All VBLS employees are ambassadors for the city of Virginia Beach and, therefore, must be courteous, helpful, and professional at all times while on duty.

Work schedule (top)

The season begins two weeks prior to Memorial Day and ends four weeks after Labor Day. For the coming year 2011, we will begin guarding on May 14. Weekly work schedules are posted on Fridays for the upcoming week. Guards may make requests prior to each schedule's completion.

Foreign lifeguards (top)

The process to gaining employment as a beach lifeguard in the US is that the candidate first applies and takes a swim test. Swim tests vary by employer, but usually meet or exceed the minimum standard of USLA. The employer may conduct interviews or use some other method to choose among candidates who apply. Those who are selected through this process are usually then invited to attend a lifeguard training academy, with those who successfully complete the academy being hired for work. Different areas of the US have different seasons and levels of lifeguard employment. On the East Coast of the US, north of Florida, and on the Great Lakes, most beach lifeguard work takes place only in the summer months of June, July, and August, when the water is warm enough for swimming. In Virginia Beach we start lifeguards in May and they work through September.

The greatest challenge to finding employment in the US in any job is work regulations set by the United States government. A foreign citizen must obtain official permission to work in the United States from the US government before a local employer may employ them. In a number of cases, VBLS has been able to hire foreign lifeguards on student work visas. These have limited duration of three to six months, although they can sometimes be extended. With a shortage of qualified lifeguard candidates in the US, VBLS invites you to our interview process.

Tips for U.S. visas (top)

Classifications
The Immigration and Nationality Act provides several categories of nonimmigrant visas for a person who wishes to work temporarily in the United States. There are annual numerical limits on some classifications which are shown in parentheses. H-2B classification applies to temporary or seasonal nonagricultural workers. This classification requires a temporary labor certification issued by the Secretary of Labor.

Petitions
In order to be considered as a nonimmigrant under the above classifications the applicant's prospective employer or agent must file Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Once approved, the employer or agent is sent a notice of approval, Form i-797. It should be noted that the approval of a petition shall not guarantee visa issuance to an applicant found to be ineligible under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Applying for the Visa
Applicants for temporary work visas should generally apply at the American Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of permanent residence. Although visa applicants may apply at any U.S. consular office abroad, it may be more difficult to qualify for the visa outside the country of permanent residence.

Required Documentation:
Each applicant for a temporary worker visa must pay a non refundable US$45 application fee and submit:

Further Inquiries
Questions about petitioning procedures, qualifications for various classifications, and conditions and limitations on employment should be made by the prospective employer or agent in the United States to the nearest INS office. Questions on the visa application to the American consular official should be addressed to the appropriate consular office abroad by the applicant.

Housing
No housing is provided. It would be best if a couple of people who know one another come together to rent an apartment for the season.

Join VBLS (top)

Join the Fight to Save Lives

Are you a high school or college student looking to get a jump on the summer job market? How about a professional in search of a fun, part-time job? If you're physically fit, a confident swimmer and enjoy working with people, VBLS wants you! Successful candidates can secure part-time or seasonal lifeguard positions.

New Guards are encouraged to obtain a Red Cross or YMCA Lifeguard Training Certificate prior to applying for a position with VBLS. Contact your local YMCA, Red Cross, your college physical education department, or the City of Va. Beach Recreation Department during the fall and winter months. The courses provide valuable entry level training in lifesaving, first aid and CPR. .

While the aforementioned certification is advantageous, it is not a requirement for employment. VBLS provides every guard with the training necessary to work in the open water environment and all necessary first aid and CPR Training.

When to Apply

Beginning with the first Saturday in April, and each Saturday thereafter, from 9:00 - 11:00AM, we will be holding interviews at 1804 Arctic Avenue. We do not schedule individual interviews. You may download the application, fill it out, and bring it with you when you interview to save time. DO NOT MAIL THEM TO US.

This form must be completely and properly filled out and signed by you or your guardian if you are less than 18 years of age on the test date.

Click on the link below to download the application.

Lifeguard Application (pdf)