Tips & Advice - Armed Unarmed Security Guard - Mistakes To Avoid

I wear a smart phone on my chest in a pouch.I turn video on before I make contact. I make SURE my voice is SO sweet, courteous, reasonable, soft spoken for EVIDENCE in case I have to go full RAMBO.

As an unarmed officer I understand I'm not the police, and I've seen the screenshots of people sleeping on the job (which looked really bad btw) and were replaced within the next 2-3 days. The job isn't difficult, it's about if you care or not

As a security officer who’s been in the field for 5 years you actually pointed out every single stuff that goes on 👍🏼

Here's the best advice I can give. If you truly want to do this as a career and move up, you need to invest in yourself because standard security is almost always a dead end. Take rifle and pistol courses, advanced medical, tactics, etc. Get some certificates that look really good on your resume and start networking with trainers, classmates, etc, because chances are someone is in a much higher position than you and can put a word in. Suddenly, you've gone from being a security guard to a high-end contractor. Now, there's quite a big difference between the two, but if you're serious about wanting to retire one day, that's your goal. Just know that its much harder, much more dangerous, and unbelievably more strict.

Happy to see some security jobs are respected, I quit day 1 with a company in California that straight up said to me even if I don’t instigate anything, if I even try defending myself if I get attacked first, I might get fired by the company or sued by the criminal if I fight back, didn’t see the point when a few months back when I applied an old timer working security at construction site was jumped by teens an died from his wounds in the hospital and they even knew about it, just didn’t see it worth risking over a company that doesn’t care about its employees

If you're gonna go into this space, heres the cheat code:Nights and weekends. Seek that shift F-M, weekends will be 12 hours. You're going to avoid all the headaches, gossip, people and politics. The most action you should get is if noone shows up to relieve you on Monday morning. Do that for 3-6 Years, get a degree in accounting, engineering, nursing, education, computers and move on. You can work m-f at a regular job and do security on the weekends if you like. It's an easy job that can quickly turn crappy because of personality clashes and nasty people. Lookup "how to disarm narcissist", you will need that. Avoid malls, avoid jobs that are not paying the average for your area. Avoid places with micromanaging supervisors.Dont volunteer to cover other shifts. Keep your head down a d just be the Weekend or Rover guy. If you can work for two companies....one for weekends and one for pt during the week, do that.

Best advice I have as a former security guard. Get into the government sector of security or hospital/ ER security than the average everyday security guard jobs at everyday places. Overnights are best. Don’t have to deal with many people and stupidities! Smart man!

You are spot on about being observed by your employer more than necessary. Also say as little to the field supervisor as possible when they visit. The field supervisor always represent the interests of management, NOT YOUR INTERESTS.

I hated doing check points while on patrol, it was insulting even though it’s a good idea to protect you from getting blame for not doing your patrols.

I really liked your advice. I’ve been in security for three years. I really appreciated how you started the video by saying we’re not cops. Most security guards have so little training and they act outside of their authority. Thank you man.

I've worked in Private Security in multiple vertical markets since 1994 in CA, and for the last 8 years in MN and WI. This video is helpful. Keep it up. Note that EVERY STATE and LOCAL may have many very different laws regarding what you can and can not do as a Security Officer. Some states DO NOT require certification while others do. CA for example requires that you go through BSIS (Bureau of Security and Investigative Services) in order to obtain a Guard Card, which is a Security License.

Hell man I’ve been doing it for 5 years armed and now I’m making 32 an hour and all I have to do is watch over this plant I work at I do patrols and have a office and check people in to make sure there proxy cards are up to date hell the people there hate it because there busting there ass making like 20-25 bucks and I’m sitting there in the AC making 32 an hour my company is a smaller company but my boss is awesome and he pays me well but I know I do my job right and he does as well

I work overnight with a public school District. 10 hrs patrolling with a partner. It’s like a road trip to nowhere every single night. Lol Luckily we get along well and listen to crazy podcasts and scare ourselves for fun! Plus we get get paid really well and get that good public school insurance.

Thanks for the tips to remember—observe and report. Breaking into the field and that's good to remember, especially the bit about noting every little thing that happens at specific times.

I've been in security since 87 I have a lot experience and seen a lot fools who think there top cop plus most companies cheat you on your check

still wanna be a armed security its good money and good benefits but if any company sends me to a hunted place, im leaving

Thank you for the video very well done!

Thanks for the info bro. This is great to add on your resume or build a portfolio

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Your video is helpful. Thank you