How to become A Security Guard

They watch while we sleep and when we go about our day-to-day business. Often the first point of contact for visitors to banks and other protected areas, professional Security Guards safeguard property and people within it against fire, theft, vandalism, terrorism, and other illegal activities by enforcing rules and preventing crime. They keep their eyes peeled and ears wide open while they patrol and inspect the property under their charge and keep surveillance through electronic devices.

• Security Inspector
• Security Officer
• Protection Officer
• Security Staff
• Protective Agent
• Professional Security Guard
• Door Staff Security
• Bouncer
• Body Guard

What do Security Guards do?
A Security Guard would typically need to:

• Provide safety and security to property, assets and people by enforcing laws, deterring crime and managing emergencies at their workplace
• Conduct routine and random security checks as necessary and patrol the area and access points under their charge
• Monitor alarms or CCTV (closed-circuit TV) cameras and other surveillance systems, if assigned a stationary role
• Stay observant and prevent loss or damage by identifying suspicious events and security breaches; spot and investigate safety hazards, such as water leakage and exposed wires; report issues to authorities to enable quick rectification 
• Detect and respond to emergencies effectively by following protocols, informing the necessary departments or external services without causing panic, and taking authorised actions
• Write detailed reports with observations and information about occurrences and surveillance activities and submit them to the authorities
• Detain violators and inform them of the company’s standard policies and procedures
• Monitor the gates or doors to the premises and implement company procedures for the entry and exit of employees, contractors, vehicles, materials, equipment and finished products
• Implement the company’s guest policies to manage incoming and outgoing visitors 
• Perform routine maintenance on security equipment and troubleshoot following instruction manuals; organise repairs or replacement; evaluate new equipment and techniques 
• Help secure specific areas for maintenance staff to tackle maintenance emergencies
• Control traffic on the private sites they oversee, such as shopping malls and wedding venues; help the police direct traffic in public areas, only if needed in an emergency
• Control crowds and resolve any disputes that may arise, if assigned to large public gatherings at events such as sports competitions or music concerts
• Contribute to team effort by collaborating with other corporate security team members to ensure the facility's safety at all times while complying with legal requirements
• Maintain a professional and effective working relationship with the local police and fire departments and take part in rescue missions alongside them, if needed
• Stay up to date with the latest trends and technology in surveillance and relevant legislation

Security Guards work in diverse settings, such as public buildings, retail stores, office buildings and industrial settings. Their working conditions depend on their assignment. For instance, gambling surveillance officers work in casino observation rooms, using audio and video equipment to keep an eye on what goes on in the casino. Transportation security screeners work at airports, seaports, rail terminals and other transportation facilities. The inside of a museum is typically quiet, but a sports stadium is generally loud with excited and screaming fans. Security Guards in parking lots usually have a small booth to work from, although they must be present outside to direct traffic. 

Buildings that Security Guards work in may be heated or air-conditioned. However, patrolling outside or standing on duty at entrances to buildings may expose you to the extremes of weather. Guards spend a significant amount of time on their feet, either patrolling buildings and grounds. They may also be required to stand or sit at an assigned post for an entire shift, for instance, in the guardroom at the entrance and exit points of a gated business or residential facility.

Typically, Security Guards wear the uniform assigned by the agency they work for of their employers if working for them directly.

Since most clients require their business premises to be safeguarded around the clock, even when not open, Security Guards typically work in shifts. They maintain close surveillance by working eight-hour or longer shifts on a rotational basis with a maximum of 40 hours per week. As a result, you may be placed in early morning, day, evening or overnight shifts and may need to work on weekends and holidays. However, your work hours may also vary depending on where you are employed. For instance, you may be placed on duty during a game at a stadium or for the duration of a shift at retail stores, hotels, hospitals and casinos, which remain open 24 hours.

This profession requires considerable flexibility, although some employers may grant their staff weekends off. If you are in charge of managing crowds, a forthcoming event or a significant security lapse, your employer may require you to work overtime.

Finding a new job might seem challenging. Security Guards can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting companies directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies.

Security Guards are generally employed by:

• Retail stores & Shopping Malls
• Office buildings
• Banks
• Hotels
• Hospitals
• Museums & Art galleries
• Factories
• Government buildings
• Military bases
• Educational Institutions
• Parks
• Sports Stadiums & Arenas
• Bars & Nightclubs
• Events Venues
• Transportation facilities

Professional associations and organisations, such as the International Bodyguard Association (IBA) and the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO), are crucial for Security Guards interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Confronting every threat which presents itself by putting one's own life in danger; facing or detaining armed criminals if not qualified to possess firearms
• Carrying firearms, which often poses the potential threat of serious injury or death
• Work violence in the form of harassment, bullying and intimidation
• Rigid work schedules that include working at odd hours; solitary work in chilly and dark environments
• The need to stay alert constantly no matter what the hour or working conditions
• Earning low pay considering the effort they put in; may lack annual appraisals and other benefits
• Exposure to harmful radiation for those employed by labs, hospitals and other such places 
• Workload-related physical hazards such as muscle soreness, poor blood circulation and bad posture
• Poor mental health and emotional stress due to the nature of the work
• Health risks for female Security Guards who are nursing or pregnant and the need for extra precautions
• The need to undertake continuous training to maintain and improve your skills

Any academic program that a potential Security Guard takes up typically requires a period of supervised experience, such as an internship. You will gain optimal benefit from your tasks outside of the classroom when they line up perfectly with your lessons inside it. You may get to hear countless stories from more experienced professionals and obtain valuable hands-on experience when they manage to turn seemingly routine incidents into unique learning moments.

Although a law enforcement or military background is preferable, you can enter the field in entry-level or basic building security jobs with minimal or no experience. You may also enter the field via experience in the field of transport security.

Aspiring Security Guards would also do well to gather experience in any job that helps them build or requires them to use interpersonal skills and teamwork.

If you aim to work as gaming surveillance officers and investigators, you may need to demonstrate experience working in casinos and law enforcement and using surveillance systems and software.

Depending on location, you may require to complete the prescribed number of hours of pre-assignment, on-the-job and annual training that demonstrates your skills in protection, public relations, report writing, controlling crises, first aid, and other specialised training related to the guard’s assignment.

Security Guards should display adequate experience in and knowledge of pertinent issues relating to public safety & security, such as surveillance equipment and systems, policies, procedures, protocols and strategies for carrying out security operations successfully at different levels to protect people, data, property and institutions.

You can acquire such valuable expertise through participating in specialised training, joining Security Guard groups or organisations, and networking with other Security Guards.

Armed Security Guards require more thorough training than unarmed ones because they must learn how to use weapons, may need to pass a firearms exam to earn their licence and may undergo frequent testing in this area to keep their licence valid.

Read about the profession and interview or job shadow experts working in security to prove your commitment to training providers and prospective employers. 

While there are no specific academic requirements for Security Guards, a high school diploma or equivalent is typically adequate for you to land entry-level jobs. Some locations may mandate a certain number of hours of coursework and training to enter the field.

Taking relevant post-secondary certificate courses or acquiring an associate or bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or criminology may give you a competitive advantage in the employment market and boost your career prospects, particularly if you wish to work in investigation and casino security.

Pursuing a qualification in fraud and financial crime investigation can benefit your career if you work as a Security Guard for a bank, credit union or other financial institution.

Those interested in technology may find a qualification in cybersecurity relevant and may contribute to improving their employer’s digital security and safeguarding its security cameras from being hacked.

Aspiring Security Guards may obtain professional training certifications from national agencies. Certification demonstrates a Security Guard’s competence in a skill set, typically through work experience, training, and passing an examination, though requirements differ from region to region. Acquiring it from an objective and reputed organisation can help you stand out in a competitive job market, carry a significant salary premium of up to 18 per cent, increase your chances of advancement, and allow you to become an independent consultant. Successful certification programs protect public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics.

Training and certification in first-aid, AED (automated external defibrillator) and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) are typically mandatory for aspiring Security Guards and help you gain skills and the most recent knowledge in life-saving practices while also improving your employability. You may also acquire certification in health & safety and risk management techniques to prevent accidents and minimise employee incident rates. 

Depending on your interest and qualifications, you may acquire entry-level certification in the fundamentals of computer networking and security. 

It is advisable to check with local or national Security Guard organisations to determine specific training, licensing and registration requirements for armed and unarmed Security Guards in your location. Licensing requirements may also depend on whether a single company employs you or whether you work for an agency that may deploy you in different companies. Applicants would typically need to fulfil citizenship and minimum age requirements, be of sound mind, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and not have been convicted of violence or felony.

Individual government entities conduct the licensing process. It typically requires the passage of an examination in addition to the fulfilment of eligibility requirements, such as a minimum level of education, work experience, training, or the completion of an internship, residency, or apprenticeship. 

You are likely to need a commercial driver’s licence and an employment background check that can include but is not limited to checking your work history, education, credit history, motor vehicle reports (MVRs), criminal record, medical history, use of social media, and drug screening report.

Keep in mind that you will need to periodically renew your certifications and licences following prescribed procedures.

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive career progression. Employees with consistently high levels of performance may be eligible for promotion every two to three years. 

Depending on their interests, Security Guards may acquire relevant skills and experience to advance to higher positions, such as Security Supervisor, Senior Security Supervisor, Security Officer, Senior Security Officer and Chief Security Officer. 

Those with management experience or relevant qualifications can become Security Managers, who manage a group of security employees and could progress to Area Security Managers in charge of the security of a company’s offices, shops or other premises across a geographic zone. 

One can also work as a Loss Prevention Manager, whose primary responsibility is to keep products in stores safe from shoplifters or internal theft.

You might even work towards becoming a Security Director, who heads the security department and oversees all organisational security matters, such as hiring, training and scheduling security staff and upholding security policies. 

With sufficient experience and additional qualifications, you may also take up the roles of Fraud Investigator, Prison Guard, Body Guard, and Private Investigator.

You could work as a Security Consultant, counselling businesses on specific security measures, such as close protection, anti-terrorism measures or conflict management.

Another option to advance your career in the field is to launch your agency to recruit and supply security personnel or find work with companies that develop or sell security-related devices and systems, such as surveillance monitors or biometrics equipment.

Security Guards could also work as Dispatchers, primarily responsible for answering emergency and non-emergency calls at helplines and planning the logistics of people and vehicles to where help is needed.

Earning the requisite qualifications and licenses to become an armed Security Guard will likely boost your career advancement and earning potential.

Switching to larger organisations or those needing more significant or specialised security may result in a higher-paid or more prestigious job.

Candidates with the necessary skills, experience, firearms training and license, and flexibility of scheduling have the best job prospects.

Continuing professional development (CPD) will help an active Security Guard build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. It allows you to upskill continually, regardless of your age, job, or level of knowledge.

On-the-job training helps newly hired Security Guards fulfil state regulations and meet job requirements. They learn about best practices, preventing or containing emergencies, using surveillance systems, emergency procedures and first aid, the latest revisions to legislation, using force and detaining suspects, and writing reports. 

Consider acquiring the necessary firearms qualifications and permits by passing a firearms exam, as armed Security Guards typically have greater advancement and earning opportunities.

Post-secondary education may also help you in advancing your career. You may further your IT skills to manage any electronic surveillance equipment better or qualify in cybersecurity to contribute to your employer’s data protection. 

You may take specialised or refresher courses to develop or refine your technical skills or communication, teamwork, leadership, organisation and critical thinking skills. You may also join relevant associations and network with other Security Guards.

Fostering your management skills may help you launch your own security agency.

Security Guards vs Security Officers

Although often used interchangeably, the terms Security Officer and Security Guard may signify different roles. The term Security Guard may refer to a watch person who patrols a defined area or watches a particular post but displays minimal autonomy. However, a Security Officer may signify a professional with a broader range of responsibilities and more discretion. They may oversee several Security Guards and must display quick and appropriate responses during incidents and emergencies. They may also liaise between a company's security department and agencies that provide security personnel.

Types of Security Guards 

Security Guards are employed across the industry by diverse businesses for different purposes, some of which could be protecting a worksite or directing parking and traffic or managing crowds at event venues. 

Some specific roles are:

• Government Contract Security Guards, who safeguard government facilities and personnel. Guarding courthouses and military bases, however, requires highly specialised training. and facilities
• In-House Security Guards, who are directly employed by clients in diverse locations, such as hotels and hospitals, rather than through a security agency
• Bodyguards, who are highly trained personal Security Guards tasked with protecting a particular dignitary or celebrity 

What Skills Does a Security Guard Need?

In addition to maintaining physical fitness, Security Guards must foster and refine certain critical skills through training and practice on the job, observing their seniors, taking specialised courses and obtaining the requisite certification or licences.

• Communication: Security Guards must communicate clearly and precisely, verbally or in writing, with their employers, team, the public and emergency services in normal or stressful and hazardous circumstances. They must have correct knowledge of what to communicate and to whom.
• Attention to detail: Security Guards must stay alert at all times, whether on patrol or watching surveillance monitors. It is important to observe even the minor details as they may signal potential emergencies.
• Clear thinking: Staying calm and composed under pressure and exercising good judgment to generate solutions to keep their clients and property safe are critical skills. Security Guards must be capable of acting correctly during crises.
• Technical skills: Security Guards must be adept at using security tools, equipment and technology, computers, two-way radios, and cellphones for work-related objectives.
• Problem-solving: Quickly recognising and sizing up potentially dangerous situations around them and generating acceptable and practical solutions are vital skills that Security Guards must continuously refine. 
• Leadership: During routine inspections and emergencies, such as robberies and rescue missions, Security Guards must exercise authority and direct people to safety.
• Teamwork: Besides working alone, Security Guards often work in teams and must recognise when to lead and when to follow, especially during emergencies. 
• Customer service: Security Guards must provide business customers with the services they need while being attentive, meticulous and courteous in all interactions and following company protocols, policies and procedures.
• Martial arts: Security Guards may be required to defend clients and their property against physical assaults by pursuing the attackers directly.
• Using firearms: Security Guards who defend high-risk individuals and properties must be proficient and licensed in usig various firearms.

Potential Pros & Cons of Freelancing vs Full-Time Employment

Freelancing Security Guards have more flexible work schedules and locations. They have full ownership of the business and can select their projects and clients. However, they experience inconsistent work and cash flow, which means more responsibility, effort and risk.

On the other hand, a full-time Security Guard has company-sponsored health benefits, insurance, and retirement plans. They have job security with a fixed, reliable source of income and guidance from their bosses. Yet, they may experience boredom due to a lack of flexibility, ownership, and variety.

When deciding between freelancing or being a full-time employee, consider the pros and cons to see what works best for you.

In a standard bank, there are typically 10 to 24 cameras, and Security Guards can monitor them all simultaneously.

Security Guards are essential to the safe functioning of enterprises across different industries. They deter theft and vandalism from occurring or escalating as their presence can discourage potential criminals from engaging in unlawful activities. Security Guards also help prevent law enforcement from being overburdened by taking various proactive measures to control crime.

Security Guards must be aware of the limits of their authority. If you notice any suspicious activities at the site you are in charge of, notify the appropriate authorities rather than attempting to resolve the situation yourself. Ensure that you request your supervisor for thorough job descriptions to tackle emergencies confidently and correctly.