Security Guard Jobs
There are quite a lot of security guard jobs in the marketplace at the moment. The good news is that the security industry is growing steadily and we’ve seen an increase in demand for well trained security guard personnel year after year.
The median average salary for an employed security officer is around $20,320 a year however more specialized security guard positions, such as those trained to work in casinos, can earn as high as $40,000 a year. There is a high demand especially among the sub-niches such as armed security guard jobs or those trained in things like CCTV monitoring.
Looking online is one of the best ways to find security guard employment opportunities however much can still be found through the classifieds in local newspapers. It’s best to use a combination of both methods.
Security guard jobs will require you to play a protective role and to impose yourself as a deterrent against criminal behavior. Fortunately there are many places where security officers are employed including museums, banks, construction sites, hospitals, retail stores, nightclubs, high schools and many more. Normally you’ll be employed by private businesses or companies but you’ll still need to be fully certified and registered for them to legally give you a job as a security guard.
Most security officer jobs and the duties involved will vary according to the kind of building you work in and the nature of the business they conduct. You will often work in teams and share the responsibilities among you. In larger teams you’re duties will be overseen by a security director. General work will include patrolling buildings and the perimeters of properties and you may even get to work with canines or firearms if you so choose.
The nature of security jobs can also vary quite drastically depending upon whether you work at night or during the day. At night most of the work is focused upon protection and intruder detection while during the day you’ll work a lot more with the public including controlling who enters or leaves a building, security screening such as at an embassy, checking bags or even answering phones from time to time. You need to be flexible and able to multi-task.
It’s important to realize that there are a number of different categories of security work you can get involved in. We’ve already mentioned CCTV monitoring and working in casinos however you can also work monitoring closed-circuit television either within a complex or outside of it. This kind of security job position would be more suited to someone who did not necessarily enjoy working directly with the public.
How To Get A Job As A Security Guard?
Job seekers looking for security guard employment should begin by checking with the security companies for any available vacancies. As we’ve already mentioned there are plenty of online job websites you can register with and they will even notify you by email should a position come up which may interest you. In order to work for government agencies there are stricter entry levels and you’ll normally have to pass civil service examinations along with higher levels of security guard training. It really all depends upon your level of training and experience to date and don’t forget to visit local employment agencies.
If you cannot find full-time employment there are usually plenty of part-time opportunities which could lead to eventual full time employment. For example, you could take a temporary position as security in a department store when times were busier such as at Christmas, this would be an excellent chance for you to impress your employer which may lead to a full time security guard job.
Depending upon the company you work for there may be opportunities to rise up the ranks and have an actual career instead of just a job. Gaining experience and further training may allow you to advance up the ladder into a managerial role. Aside from the extra prestige and job security, this is probably of the big advantages of attaining a security job working for a government agency. There, promotions are awarded upon passing civil service examinations. On the other hand you may decide to be self-employed and open up your own security guard business once you have the necessary capital and experience behind you.
The vast majority of security guard jobs come from security agencies who hire staff. For more information you may like to contact
American Society for Industrial Security
1625 Prince St.
Alexandria, VA 22314-2818
(703) 519-6200