Hi all,
Glad I found this site! I've only been working security for a few months and have a LOT to learn. I worked in another unrelated industry for many years but the work has pretty much all gone overseas. So here I am.
Currently I'm working as an unarmed bank guard and spend the day standing by the front door trying to look imposing while helping old ladies with the door (also old men, women with babies, handicapped people, people carrying packages..actually pretty much everyone). I think the first day on the job was the longest day of my life. But I've managed to stop feeling sorry for myself and realize how people perceive me depends almost entirely on what I project. For example am I slouching and mumbling a weak "hi" when people enter the bank (as I was the first week) or am I standing straight, looking someone right in the eye and giving them a strong "good morning sir".
It's also a good first post as I'm learning how to interact with people as a security guard and have plenty of time to think about the job and my performance. Initially I become too friendly with the employees and some of the customers and it wasn't long before they were venting, or if they were having a bad day, just blowing me off. After all as far as their concerned I'm JUST another security guard.
Because it's not a great area of town I also regularly get asked if I have a gun. I think it was my third day on the job, and I was starting to feel "OK" with it, that a woman asked me if I was armed, when I told her "no" she said "well what GOOD are you!!". I stammered that I was a deterrent and she said "how can you be a deterrent without a gun?!". I had to admit there was some truth to what she was saying so at the end of this month I'll be taking the exposed firearm class and hopefully moving on to a post that's a little more interesting (and hopefully pays better).
I also received very little training going into this. My supervisors only instructions were for me to stand on the left hand side of the door in the morning as that was where the shade was! I found out later the bank had been robbed twice in the last year.
I've also been given zero training in how to subdue someone who becomes physical with me or a customer or employee. Personally I think some basic grappling or wrist or elbow locks would be very helpful rather then just punching out some guy who takes a swing at me.
And there's been learning to deal with high school kids and drunks who occasionally raze me. My approach has been friendly and non confrontational with both and that approach has worked SO FAR. It probably doesn't hurt that I'm fairly tall (6'3").
There's many aspects of the job I like. I get more respect then if I was bagging groceries, I don't have a nervous supervisor staring over my shoulder as I work, I don't have to learn new software every other week, I don't have constant impossible to meet deadlines to deal with, and, well I could easily go on. Of course the big drawback is (besides getting shot), the low pay. It's true I get more respect then the kid bagging groceries, but he's probably making more money then I am!..at least at my current contract company.
And my wife likes how I look in the uniform and tie.
Glad I found this site! I've only been working security for a few months and have a LOT to learn. I worked in another unrelated industry for many years but the work has pretty much all gone overseas. So here I am.
Currently I'm working as an unarmed bank guard and spend the day standing by the front door trying to look imposing while helping old ladies with the door (also old men, women with babies, handicapped people, people carrying packages..actually pretty much everyone). I think the first day on the job was the longest day of my life. But I've managed to stop feeling sorry for myself and realize how people perceive me depends almost entirely on what I project. For example am I slouching and mumbling a weak "hi" when people enter the bank (as I was the first week) or am I standing straight, looking someone right in the eye and giving them a strong "good morning sir".
It's also a good first post as I'm learning how to interact with people as a security guard and have plenty of time to think about the job and my performance. Initially I become too friendly with the employees and some of the customers and it wasn't long before they were venting, or if they were having a bad day, just blowing me off. After all as far as their concerned I'm JUST another security guard.
Because it's not a great area of town I also regularly get asked if I have a gun. I think it was my third day on the job, and I was starting to feel "OK" with it, that a woman asked me if I was armed, when I told her "no" she said "well what GOOD are you!!". I stammered that I was a deterrent and she said "how can you be a deterrent without a gun?!". I had to admit there was some truth to what she was saying so at the end of this month I'll be taking the exposed firearm class and hopefully moving on to a post that's a little more interesting (and hopefully pays better).
I also received very little training going into this. My supervisors only instructions were for me to stand on the left hand side of the door in the morning as that was where the shade was! I found out later the bank had been robbed twice in the last year.
I've also been given zero training in how to subdue someone who becomes physical with me or a customer or employee. Personally I think some basic grappling or wrist or elbow locks would be very helpful rather then just punching out some guy who takes a swing at me.
And there's been learning to deal with high school kids and drunks who occasionally raze me. My approach has been friendly and non confrontational with both and that approach has worked SO FAR. It probably doesn't hurt that I'm fairly tall (6'3").
There's many aspects of the job I like. I get more respect then if I was bagging groceries, I don't have a nervous supervisor staring over my shoulder as I work, I don't have to learn new software every other week, I don't have constant impossible to meet deadlines to deal with, and, well I could easily go on. Of course the big drawback is (besides getting shot), the low pay. It's true I get more respect then the kid bagging groceries, but he's probably making more money then I am!..at least at my current contract company.
And my wife likes how I look in the uniform and tie.
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