The security guard field is a broad industry with many different work environments and situations that may arise. From the simple patrolling of a small piece of property to large scale surveillance operations, this industry has a lot of different options.
Do you like crowd control? Do you prefer a more office type setting working with monitoring equipment and computer software? Do you like to work during the day or at night? Do you like to interact with the public on a regular basis? These are the types of questions that you should be asking yourself before considering which company and type of security guard job that you would like to apply for.
Security Guard Clothing
Security officers can be in plain clothes or wear a uniform. Typically this depends on the type of work that you do. For more hands on type roles such as patrolling, communication with the public and customer service, the officer with usually wear a uniform with a badge. This lets everyone know of your authority and presence. On the other hand, if you are doing more backroom type security work such as monitoring closed circuit cameras you will usually not be required to wear anything special. From jeans and a t-shirt to casual or a suit depending on the company policies and the field that you are in.
Types of Employers
Security guards can be public or private employees although typically these days more and more government work is being outsourced to private firms. For this reason, private security guards far outnumber public ones in most countries today. Public security personnel will usually have high paying and very challenging jobs such as guarding military sites or highly sensitive buildings or property. Often they have years of experience working for private firms and are registered to these positions.
Many security officers today use car patrols similar to the police and also travel with a partner. Having a partner around provides protection and companionship. 2 sets of eyes are always better than one. And many security hiring managers have realized that most people are more productive when working with others as opposed to by themselves.
Legal Distributions
There are many laws in place to make sure that the marks on the uniforms and vehicles clearly distinguish the security personnel from law enforcement. Some security guards also carry weapons on the job. But there are also strict laws in place in most jurisprudence that require that they only be used in the most dire of circumstances. Indeed, there is a whole host of specialized training and permits that a security officer must attain before they can even carry a firearm.
All in all, working in the security guard industry is a very challenging and rewarding profession. But it is a good idea to identify your strengths and weaknesses beforehand to make sure that you find the right type of security job for you.