Easy Gigs

[Friday]

Newbie here. These forums helped sway me toward security. I'm a college student looking for an easy gig in Chicago. This means being able to do some homework/reading at the site. I'm more than willing to do the midnight shift, but I heard you still do loads of walking in the big office buildings. Hotels, apartments, hospitals, museums. What are the best bets for an easy gig? I want to build a solid work history in this industry but I do need as much time as possible for school whilst still earning a living.

[Mr. Security]

Newbie here. These forums helped sway me toward security. I'm a college student looking for an easy gig in Chicago. This means being able to do some homework/reading at the site. I'm more than willing to do the midnight shift, but I heard you still do loads of walking in the big office buildings. Hotels, apartments, hospitals, museums. What are the best bets for an easy gig? I want to build a solid work history in this industry but I do need as much time as possible for school whilst still earning a living.

If you intend to make security a serious career backed by a college degree, you may want to look at Guardsmark. Many of their sites are basically access control, fire prevention and the like. It's not uncommon to have several hours in a shift (midnight especially) to study. After obtaining your degree, you may be a candidate for account manager at Guardsmark while you look for more challenging positions in security or LE. Of course, you may just decide to stay on.

Welcome to the forums.

[HotelSecurity]

Stay away from hotels!! When I started I worked for Pinkerton mostly in small companies during the overnight & weekend shift when they were closed. At most we were expected to sit at a desk & do a patrol once an hour or so. It was great to do homework. In hotels you are expected to walk around as a deterent when not on a call.

[Guest]

I understand that the Motorola office complex in Schamuburg is a pretty easy gig. Plus, I think that they are in-house (meaning the security force is directly employed by Motorola, not a contract security company) so the pay and benefits are decent.

[N. A. Corbier]

I understand that the Motorola office complex in Schamuburg is a pretty easy gig. Plus, I think that they are in-house (meaning the security force is directly employed by Motorola, not a contract security company) so the pay and benefits are decent.

It is, they are. I lived for a little bit next to Motorola-Schaumburg, when my GF was going to college (Institute of Art) there. I never once saw a security person anywhere on the property, found out through inquiry that they're in-house. Which is why I never saw them, they're all inside.

[Guest]

I used to work for Audit Bureau of Circulation, which is right across Meacham Rd. from Motorola. Small world, huh?

Thank god I was a Field Auditor and only had to go into the office in Schaumburg twice a year or so. If I had to live anywhere in the Chicagoland area I think I would have gone crazy! If the palm trees don't grow, I don't go!