Need Advice

[fire&ems]

Ok guys and gals, need an honest answer here. I'm considering leaving my current career to explore the security field. I plan to take the Private Security course (132) here in Ohio that will allow me to take the OPOTC test for a guard card. Also will be taking my armed guard course and test.
I've been a volunteer EMT and FF for the past 7 years so I have that as a feather in my hat too. I've always wanted to be in this industry but have never taken the jump, now that my wife has a job that pays our bills I can.
What I'm afraid of is a possible lack of jobs for this skill level, most employers I would assume want someone who has either a police or military background. I see many places hiring on CL but I'm not sure if the ads are real. Also I see a huge difference in pay levels, anywhere from $8 per hr up to $24 per hr. How can there be such a difference? I also plan on getting my IAHSS since we have so many hospitals in my area that are hiring.
I know I won't make a really good salary to start but I want some reassurance that its possible to support a family. I plan on getting any and all certifications possible to make myself more desirable to potential employers.
What is your opinion? Thanks!

[Jim1348]

.....I know I won't make a really good salary to start but I want some reassurance that its possible to support a family.....

That is going to depend on your definition of supporting a family. It looks like you are in the Cincinnati OH area and are focusing on hospital security. As far as differences in wages, I am sure it is like many other jobs in that it is an employers market in the security field. If you hire people at $8 per hour it is likely that you are going to have high turnover. Those jobs aren't going to require much in the way of skills, but it would be a way to gain experience. You ,mention your wife also works, so does she provide health insurance for both of you? The reason I ask is because some of the higher paying security jobs near me are government contracts that pay a higher wage, plus "health and welfare benefits". That means that they don't offer a retirement plan or medical insurance. Anyway, what starting salary would you require to support a family?

Also, since you are a volunteer already, would volunteering for a police/sheriff reserve unit be a viable option? Sometimes the networking in those positions can help and the experience gained is also helpful.

You didn't mention higher education. It is at least worthy of consideration if you want to make a career in security. There is often lots of discussion on how helpful higher education is, but if nothing else it can help in gaining jobs beyond the entry level security guard jobs.

[fire&ems]

That is going to depend on your definition of supporting a family. It looks like you are in the Cincinnati OH area and are focusing on hospital security. As far as differences in wages, I am sure it is like many other jobs in that it is an employers market in the security field. If you hire people at $8 per hour it is likely that you are going to have high turnover. Those jobs aren't going to require much in the way of skills, but it would be a way to gain experience. You ,mention your wife also works, so does she provide health insurance for both of you? The reason I ask is because some of the higher paying security jobs near me are government contracts that pay a higher wage, plus "health and welfare benefits". That means that they don't offer a retirement plan or medical insurance. Anyway, what starting salary would you require to support a family?

Also, since you are a volunteer already, would volunteering for a police/sheriff reserve unit be a viable option? Sometimes the networking in those positions can help and the experience gained is also helpful.

You didn't mention higher education. It is at least worthy of consideration if you want to make a career in security. There is often lots of discussion on how helpful higher education is, but if nothing else it can help in gaining jobs beyond the entry level security guard jobs.

Thanks for the advice! My wife's job provides excellent benefits so I'm not too worried about that.
I need my core classes to have a degree in EMS. Higher education is possible if I like the industry, I don't want to commit myself that much just yet. If I feel like its a good fit I would get a degree in criminal justice. I have a goal in mind for a future service company that this would be needed.
As far as income my wife's job pays all the bills; also I own a company that does the same but would like to temporarily reduce size to gain knowledge in this field. I would like $15 starting out to get my foot in the door. I can hold out until I get an offer that fits well.
I wouldn't be a high enough level to be able to volunteer as an auxiliary office for the PD. Good idea though!

[TOII]

That is a high desired starting pay, however you may be able to find it with your background. I have seen many jobs adds recruiting EMT security officers, and even some looking for Fire fighter security guards but those are rarer. You may want to look into working as a security officer for a government agency, they tend to pay better.

[Anderson1976]

That is a high desired starting pay, however you may be able to find it with your background. I have seen many jobs adds recruiting EMT security officers, and even some looking for Fire fighter security guards but those are rarer. You may want to look into working as a security officer for a government agency, they tend to pay better.

I'm in Indiana so things are a little (or alot) different according to what state you are in. First, on Craigslist i can identify if a post is legit or a scam about 95% of the time. If it seems to good to be true it usually is. A legit employer will USUALLY post a phone number, company name, or have an e-mail. Occasionally they will have you reply to the craigslist "e-mail" but not a whole lot. If you see a job that says "$17-25/hourly" then that's a scam. Security companies typically don't have that wide of a range and it's the government jobs that would pay that kind of money except in rare instances. I started out working loss prevention for $8.25/hour and it was very humbling but with each job i used it to advance to a little better position. Security really grows on you because it's such a unique field...i've mentioned this a couple times but when i was in corrections i thought i had an idea of what security was all about and really had no idea. The thing i like about Security is that there are so many avenues and oppurtunities for those who work hard and pursue knowledge through contacts, certifications, and research. I'm not sure if there is a field that has so many different jobs..loss prevention, bodyguard, private investigation, armed, unarmed, road patrol, government, traffic control, firewatches, special events, you name it. I believe it's all about finding your nitch and what you like to do and balancing out the financial aspect of it. Good luck.

[fire&ems]

I'm in Indiana so things are a little (or alot) different according to what state you are in. First, on Craigslist i can identify if a post is legit or a scam about 95% of the time. If it seems to good to be true it usually is. A legit employer will USUALLY post a phone number, company name, or have an e-mail. Occasionally they will have you reply to the craigslist "e-mail" but not a whole lot. If you see a job that says "$17-25/hourly" then that's a scam. Security companies typically don't have that wide of a range and it's the government jobs that would pay that kind of money except in rare instances. I started out working loss prevention for $8.25/hour and it was very humbling but with each job i used it to advance to a little better position. Security really grows on you because it's such a unique field...i've mentioned this a couple times but when i was in corrections i thought i had an idea of what security was all about and really had no idea. The thing i like about Security is that there are so many avenues and oppurtunities for those who work hard and pursue knowledge through contacts, certifications, and research. I'm not sure if there is a field that has so many different jobs..loss prevention, bodyguard, private investigation, armed, unarmed, road patrol, government, traffic control, firewatches, special events, you name it. I believe it's all about finding your nitch and what you like to do and balancing out the financial aspect of it. Good luck.

Excellent post!!! Thanks for your help

[ShutDown24]

Ok guys and gals, need an honest answer here. I'm considering leaving my current career to explore the security field. I plan to take the Private Security course (132) here in Ohio that will allow me to take the OPOTC test for a guard card. Also will be taking my armed guard course and test.
I've been a volunteer EMT and FF for the past 7 years so I have that as a feather in my hat too. I've always wanted to be in this industry but have never taken the jump, now that my wife has a job that pays our bills I can.
What I'm afraid of is a possible lack of jobs for this skill level, most employers I would assume want someone who has either a police or military background. I see many places hiring on CL but I'm not sure if the ads are real. Also I see a huge difference in pay levels, anywhere from $8 per hr up to $24 per hr. How can there be such a difference? I also plan on getting my IAHSS since we have so many hospitals in my area that are hiring.
I know I won't make a really good salary to start but I want some reassurance that its possible to support a family. I plan on getting any and all certifications possible to make myself more desirable to potential employers.
What is your opinion? Thanks!

Congratulations on deciding to make the move! $15 to start is a little steep for my area for entry level, but your background should work out very well. It is true that most of the higher paying jobs prefer law enforcement or military experience, but if you had to choose an alternative past fire fighter/EMS definitely isn't a bad place to start. I had much less relevant work experience than that when I was hired on to my first security job and the pay I received was above average. It's a cliche, but it really is all about selling yourself.

I think the important thing to remember in this field is that a lot of times you have to make sacrifices in order to achieve your goal. I often find myself making sacrifices in this profession that would probably seem backwards in most others. For example, I started working for my local Target store when I was in high school. Within a few months I was in a supervisory position and was being mentored by our Assets Protection Lead with plans of landing me a job in Target AP. Nothing opened up in the immediate area and seeing as I was in high school I did not want to move therefore I began looking elsewhere for security work. I landed with a company who does contract security at a moderately high risk site. The pay is good, but what I've realized is I miss the retail atmosphere. Moving back into loss prevention most likely means a considerable pay drop off at least for a while - but I'm willing to tolerate that because that is the setting I love. I apologize for the length of that personal explanation, but the point is no two security companies - or sites for that matter - are going to be the same.

Not all situations are created equal. When I was looking for a job most of the companies were simply warm body posts. Some paid surprisingly well for you to just sit in a trailer all night. But that's not at all what I wanted to do. In the end it comes down to duties and pay for me, along with the impression I get from interviewers obviously. Having to weigh everything against each other can be difficult at times.

I guess what I'm saying, in not so many words, is take your time when trying to get hired. If one company happens to offer $15 off the bat but you aren't doing much of anything, you're going to get bored. It seems like you want to make this career move because you want to work security. So make sure that's what you're doing lol. Yeah, $11 an hour really sucks but if you are doing something that you really have a desire to do it's most likely the better choice in the long run. I'm sure these thoughts have already passed through your mind at one point or another, but that would be my only advice - really try to understand the fundamentals of a site before you accept the job there. Even hospital security can vary in many ways from location to location.

Good luck! I hope you find a rewarding place to work. Best regards from Western PA.

[Nauticus]

Security can be demanding, and it can be very career-building, if you play your cards right and you're relatively competent. It is a profession where, just by being on time at your shift, writing accurate reports, and meeting your minimum standards without ruffling too many feathers makes you one of the better security workers in any given company. Of course, this rule may differ in some higher end, in-house, government, or protective gigs.

When I started in security, I was able to race upward to a supervisory, then a management, position in both loss prevention and security. With a military background, I was able to transition quickly to close protection. I now manage my own corporation and consult, and it's been very lucrative and successful.

One thing that does irk me, and this isn't necessarily geared toward the poster above me (so don't take it the wrong way), is when a security guard categorizes their site by a level of risk (high risk site, etc). Unless you are a risk assessment professional, said guard really has no business creating a risk factor for any given site. Additionally, it is too vague a term - which risk, specifically, is rated "high" to cause said site to be high risk?

And the truth is, if you're working security in Canada or in the United States, there are very few locations that can be legitimately deemed "high risk". After all, a force protection gig in Kandahar would probably consist of several particularly high risks, so it may be deemed high risk. There are few places in these two countries with sites that are similar.

As a firefighter and a paramedic, you do have some skills that are transferable to entry level security work, including an apparently advanced level of training in medical emergencies, and an advanced knowledge in fire-risk protection and prevention. There are still a lot of avenues that you would need a lot of training in, but I might suggest that you have as good a skill set for security as someone with a similar background in military or policing may.

I cannot comment on wage, because different regions and countries have different levels that aren't comparable; however, I do recommend selecting a company, either contract or proprietary, that offers you a role that you enjoy doing, with prospective room for growth.

As you are training and working as a security guard, try to understand your role, but look at the greater picture. A security guard works better when they realise that they are just one portion of an often-larger comprehensive security plan, and most higher profile sites have many components to that plan. It will help you as a guard, and will benefit you later on, as you start to understand how a security guard fits in that plan and what roles he or she play. Most places, even down to a reasonably run special event, has multiple layers of security (manned, planned, and technological) that meshes together to create one large security program.

Understanding your role in such a plan will help you maintain your duties, as well as give you a basic, beginners concept of how it all works - so one day, if you are in the position to develop such a plan, you will have a working knowledge of how it all works together.

Security is all about the big picture; the more everyone sees and understands this, the more effective it can be.