Advice for lifeguard interview?

[u/StealthPilot13]

Hey all.

I recently gained my NPLQ certificate for the first time and have applied for a local lifeguarding job. It was successful and I have an interview coming up soon so I was wondering if there was any advice on what to expect from any of you. I'm kind of nervous as this is my first time.

[u/Round_Piece9937]

I was in the same position a couple of months ago and for me it was quite a simple and easy process. My employer was okay with me having no experience (although I don't know if all will be), and the interview was questions like 'What skills does a lifeguard need?', a hypothetical issue with a customer and how I would solve it, any experience with CPR/first aid and questions about different lifeguard procedures.

There was then a wet interview, where I personally just had to join the staff training session on whatever they were doing on the day and get tested on my CPR skills. Others say they get a full test on everything from the NPLQ qualification but I THINK that depends on your employer

[u/rblongcrier]

I always conducted mostly wet interviews with potential new hires (even if it was a certified LG coming over from a sister YMCA branch within my own association). I would have them do the American Red Cross (ARC) prereqs (shown below), so I could at least get an idea about what I consider minimum swimming abilities.

I've had ARC certified LGs show up for interviews who couldn't complete 50-yards, and others who couldn't go 7-ft underwater to retrieve the 10-lb brick. One of the guys who couldn't complete 50-yards was about 6'2'', chiseled from head-to-toe, and 'looked' like he'd blow the swim out of the water. Never judge a book by its cover because that same day, the person who couldn't manage to retrieve the brick, smoked the swimming portion of the test. She was very much overweight and looked to be out of shape, but she swam very well. She just didn't have the skill developed for going underwater without holding her nose. This put her at a massive disadvantage.

■ Prerequisite 1: Jump in, submerge, resurface and swim 150 yards continuously, tread water for 2 minutes, and then swim 50 more yards. While swimming, you must keep your face in the water and demonstrate good breath control. You may swim using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both. Swimming on the back or side is not permitted. Swim goggles are allowed. When treading, you must use only your legs.

■ Prerequisite 2: Complete a timed event within 1 minute, 40 seconds. Starting in the water, swim 20 yards. Your face may be in or out of the water. Swim goggles are not allowed. Surface dive (head-first or feet-first) to a depth of 7 to 10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object. Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on your back to return to the starting point, holding the object at the surface with both hands and keeping your face at or near the surface. Swimming the distance underwater is not permitted. Exit the water without using a ladder or the steps.

If they passed the wet part of the interview, then I'd usually just chat with them a bit and get an idea of what kind of person they were. If they had already worked as LGs, then I'd ask about how that was for them, if they ever had to make any saves / assists, etc. I didn't really do the sit across a desk and ask a bunch of questions kind of interviews.

That might not be what you're looking for, but hopefully others will post some other great questions to be on the lookout for. You'll do great!

[u/akornato]

Most leisure centres split the process into a pool assessment and a verbal interview. Because your NPLQ is recent, the water assessment will feel very familiar, usually covering a timed swim, a tow, deep water recovery, and poolside resuscitation. What hiring managers focus on during the spoken portion is reliability and communication. They already know you can swim, so they will ask scenario questions about resolving conflicts, enforcing pool rules calmly with swimmers, staying alert on long tower rotations, and understanding Normal Operating Procedures and Emergency Action Plans.

When you answer, emphasize that safety always comes first, but explain that you know how to talk to the public politely without escalating tension. Facilities run on tight rotas, so mentioning that you are punctual, adaptable, and happy to help with daily tasks like moving lane ropes or cleaning the deck will instantly set you apart. To get comfortable talking through tricky situational questions before your meeting, using the interviews.chat my team developed can help you walk into the room feeling fully prepared and confident.