Take a look at which area the company specializes in. Do they offer services for casinos, parking lots, malls, grocery stores, or small businesses? How do they match up to your area of interest? Keep in mind, security companies will most likely security guard training and some of them even offer training in-house. Compare these programs with commercial programs by asking around and making contact with employees. You might be able to find a great fit with a company you want to work for that happens to offer in-depth training. Be wary of security guard jobs that require no training or qualifications whatsoever. Of course, it is your prerogative to pursue such work, but keep in mind that security work can be dangerous at times. Do not put yourself into a position where the employer does not train you for such occasions nor do they require you to be trained for such occasions. Remember that you will be receiving on-the-job training as well so if you work for a good company and are exposed to experienced professionals this will benefit you in the long run. Not only will you learn the ropes with seasoned guards who know the company and the job, but you will also keep yourself and the people you guard safe as well.

When looking at a security company, check their record for customer satisfaction. You can also ask about benefits and shop around with regards to the pay scale. The work you do will be valuable and with proper security guard training you will be an important asset to any well-established company. Make sure your compensation and the way you are treated match this fact.

Most training begins with an overview of laws and regulations in the particular region. It is essential for new trainees to be familiar with this section of teaching since there are great responsibilities for safety placed upon security guards. And increasingly today, one of the more essential sections of any security guard training deals with cultural awareness and how to deal with a wide variety of people from different backgrounds or cultures. This is not an important factor of security guard jobs. Conflict resolution skills will be covered in addition to ways to deal with the public in normal and extenuating circumstances. Communication will be explored, both in oral and spoken forms, but also in the written form through reports, documentation, and investigative accounts. On a more practical note, the course will cover note taking and report making, and these skills are essential in conveying the information necessary to keep proper records or inform the authorities of what took place.

Common offenses will be looked at to prepare candidates with common problems. A lot of information about security guard  jobs can be learned from what has taken place in the past and case studies will help future security guards with what to expect. Use of force will also be covered, and this section will depend on where the course is taken and also what type of job is being discussed. Obviously, there will be different areas of protocol depending on what the exact job function of each security job. Crowd control will also be an important area of the course. In times of distress a security guard may face crowds of people suffering from fear or panic and it will be important for guards to know how to handle these crowds in addition to themselves. Some security guard training will offer segments on searching suspicious packages and even bomb threats. The nature of the job today necessitates that future guards are familiar with such knowledge.

While it may be tempting to enrol in an online internet course, many of these courses can be lacking in one element that is usually necessary in learning- human contact and personal learning. Some may be tempted to forgo official training whatsoever, but remember that will severely limit the range and type of jobs you can apply for. You should also keep in mind that there have been cases where untrained security has found themselves in trouble for hurting people by accident. Do yourself a favour and think about protecting yourself. If time permits and you can afford it, enrol in a trusted certification or licensing program for security officer training. The security guard jobs available to you might be quite limited otherwise.

So is security patrol for you?

Here are some requirements that you will have to fill if you want to pursue this occupation.

Security Guard Jobs – Requirements

In most instances you will need to have first aid and CPR training. While such programs are often included in security guard training courses, it never hurts to enrol on classes beforehand. Make sure you pay attention and learn well. If you work at the job long enough in the general public, chances are you will need to use life saving skills at some point in your career.

You will need to have at least a basic command of the language that you will be working in – usually English. While you do not have to be entirely an expert, you do need a basic level that will allow you to perform your duties in an effective manner. Quite often, knowledge of a second language can also come in handy if you are working in diverse and multicultural areas.

While you won’t technically be considered a law enforcement officer, you will be required to have a good knowledge of the law. The last thing you want is to get yourself in trouble by over-stepping your bounds or breaking the law yourself in any attempts to keep people safe. Security guard training programs will cover your mandate and should familiarize you with local regulations, but it never hurts to learn on your own. You might also find it interesting to learn what differing rules affect different rules. Ultimately you can be doing the same job as someone else in a different state, but have different tools at your disposal.

As a security guard you will need a keen sense of perception. Your most valuable tools will be your own five senses. A good guard has good vision and a keen sense of hearing. You should also be in some way a good judge of body language and behaviour. Knowing people and how to deal with them effectively is a big part of security patrol. Your perception will make you a great asset to the company you work for and the people you protect.

Another key characteristic you should posses is patience. A good guard is not one to rush to decisions. You will be interacting with people, sometimes in high volume or stressful situations and your best weapon, much more than any firearm will be your ability to reason and negotiate. If you are looking for action or hungry to beat up bad guys, then security is not for you. Ultimately, if you are doing your job properly, there should me a minimum of violence, damage to property, or harm to the general public. Security guard jobs can indeed be exciting and rewarding, but do not make the mistake of entering into this with action movies or elaborate fight scenes on your mind.

Security Guard Job – Job description

Duties that a security guard can expect to perform include but are not limited to:

Maintaining an effective and careful patrol of a designated area, making sure to be visible and keeping a noticeable presence. Criminals are less likely to strike when they know security is on site. A patrol area will be given by the employer and security is expected to stay within that jurisdiction. Routes should be clear and properly planned so as not to stretch guards or resources to thinly. On a patrol, eyes will have to be peeled for anything out of the ordinary. There will also be routine checks on doors, locks, windows, gates, and other points of entry or access.

There are also guards whose job it is to check the security of other people on the premises, or exiting and entering the area. These guards will check identification, keep records, and make sure the people in the area who they say they are and have adequate ID to back that up. In patrol stations there may be equipment that is used such as intercoms, radios, or staff computer systems that will require additional training to use properly. It is sometimes expected that the guard will also be able to maintain or even fix such equipment when necessary. Each security guard company will have different rules and expectations.

Security personnel can be either in uniform or plain clothed. The uniform variety is more common, but you can find plain clothes guards in commercial areas where there are lots of people such as a shopping mall. In some cases, whether in uniform or not the security guard is required to circulate in crowds among the general population. Uniformed officers are there to act as a deterrent and to establish a presence. Those who are hidden are there to take action when something suspicious or illegal takes place. Sometimes security will act silently while immersed within a crowd, other times they will be required to be more vocal and inform people of rules or expectations in given areas.

In cases of emergency of evidence of crime, it is the security guard’s job to call the proper authorities. They will also be expected to provide a full report of what they have seen since they are the first layer of protection on the scene. Security guards can be powerful liaisons between what actually happened and how the police will choose to handle the situation.

When looking into security guard training, expect these types of duties to be the ones you will be training for. As you can see, the security guard job is not for everyone but its demands and rewards still attract many quality applicants.

So what do security guards do? This is probably the number one question for those interested in security guard training. It’s probably best to start with what security guards don’t do. Security guards are not police officers and they don’t have the powers associated with law enforcement. Although in times of need, they do have the power to make a citizen’s arrest. So if there is a crime in progress, a security guard can intervene if he or she deems appropriate, but they are not required to especially if their own lives or the lives of others could be at risk. Each country, state/ province will have different sets of rules governing security guard expectations when it comes to actual crimes. It is essential that potential security guards become familiar with these rules in their applicable region. Security guards can work for private companies or they can be employed at different sites themselves.

The moto for security guards is “detect, deter, observe and report”.

Detect: Be on the lookout for possible signs of trouble

Deter: by their very presence in uniform, security guards deter criminal activities. They can also deter by taking action against people causing trouble.

Observe: Using observation and monitoring, security guards collect information about the current scene in addition to details that may become valuable if there is a future investigation.

Report: The outcome of solid observing involves reporting events to the proper authorities.

There is some discrepancy over how the terms “security guard” and “security officer” are used. The term security guard often implies a lesser trained individual with not as many duties or responsibilities in terms of enforcement. A security officer is associated with those who are extensively trained and may have additional schooling in the fields of firearms and weapons handling. “Officer” is used because they tend to think of themselves as being closer to “police officers” than simple guards. To the general public, there is often little difference between these two terms, but within the world of security, the distinction can be important. Since this website is designed for the general public and those interested in security, there will be no differentiation between security guard training and security officer training. Everything will be covered so no one will be left out. It’s best to think of these occupations as connected anyways, and a brotherhood mentality is best adopted amongst those in the field, rather than looking for differences and ranking in hierarchy. In short, all security work is valuable and those interested in any area should find useful information here.

For many property owners, the first line of defence against theft is the security guard. Those looking into security guard training are not just exploring a field that provides a 9 to 5 day job. Rather, it can be more than job – it can be a career. Pride can be found in this occupation as you are protecting property and goods that others hold valuable. You are responsible for people feeling safe and secure – a task that is not only important but extremely commendable.

Those looking for a security guard job should know that the occupation is not for everyone. We see security guards every day, most of us never really pay attention to what they do. They are usually taken for granted. But what you don’t see behind the scenes are all of the tasks and duties that encompass their job. A security guard is usually visible but quite often they are forgotten about, and in essence this is part of the job as well – to provide security while allowing regular people to feel safe, but be noticeable enough to be seen, and if necessary let their presence to be felt with force in certain situations.

Above all, the job of security guard allows a person to be a valuable part of society. They are part of the background or immersed within the landscape but they are always at the core still human beings. They use social skills to interact with people and to do their job. There is nothing about being on security patrol that says you cannot be friendly or interactive. In this way, security guards have a special relationship with the general public. Patrols and routes can be punctuated with friendly greetings and everyday patrons will be glad that you are on duty. Afterall, if it wasn’t for you there would be no human layer of security and everything would be left to alarms, cages, and locks.

This website is designed to help those interested in finding security guard training in addition to learning more about the rewarding field of security work. You may already have an interest, but don’t be afraid to read more about the job – you might be pleasantly surprised to learn something you might not have thought about. So if you think security work might be for you, please enjoy this website.