Career: Security Guards
Walk into a shopping mall, a concert arena, or an airport, and you’ll spot them right away. Security guards are everywhere, it seems, and with today’s increased security concerns, their numbers are growing.
A security guard’s main job is to patrol an area and to assist when trouble breaks out. While some guards basically stay in one spot, keeping a close watch on things, other guards are more mobile. And property protection is not their only job: some guards keep watch over private information, such as computer codes.
Security guards protect property, people and information. In most jobs, they patrol an area and provide assistance if trouble occurs.
Did You Know?
- A lot of security guards are part-timers who need a second income.
Are You Ready To...?
- Spend long hours on your feet
- Think and act fast when trouble occurs
- Watch closed-circuit TV screens
- Write reports
- Conduct security checks
- Deter or detain criminals
It Helps to Be...
Mentally alert and able to think fast on your feet. But this isn’t a job for excitement-seekers: security guards need to have a high tolerance for routine.
Make High School Count
- Give it your all in P.E. class, and get involved in extracurricular sports. Being in good physical condition is important in this line of work.
- Work hard in English and speech. As a security guard, you’ll write reports, interview witnesses and victims, and testify in court.
- Sign up for self-defense classes.
- Steer clear of trouble. You’ll need a clean record to land a job, especially as an armed guard.
Did You Know?
- If you want to move up the ranks, your best bet is to avoid small companies and sign on with a larger organization, where you might be promoted to supervisor or manager.
Outlook
Government economists expect jobs for security guards to grow faster than the average for all careers through 2018. And because this is such a large profession, it’s expected to be among the careers with the highest number of new jobs. Driving this growth are increasing concerns about terrorism, crime, and vandalism. Plus, security guards are increasingly taking on duties once performed by police officers.
Additional jobs should open up because many people leave this occupation every year. However, expect competition for higher-paying jobs, such as those at nuclear power plants.
Compensation
Security guards earned an average salary of $26,430 in 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Armed guards earn higher salaries than unarmed guards. Opportunities for advancement are good, because many workers do not stay long in this field.
