The Different Kinds of Security Guard Jobs



The security services field is a large industry with many varying work environments and situations that may arise. From the simple patrolling of a small piece of land 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 you would like to apply for.

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 personnel far outnumber public ones in most countries today. Public security guards will usually have high paying 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 recruited 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 working with others as opposed to solitary work.


Security Guard Clothing

Security guards 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 show up for work wearing anything besides your regular street clothes.

Legal Designations

There are many laws in places to make sure that the markings 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 jurisdictions 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 strength's and weaknesses beforehand and make sure that you find the type of security job that fits you.