How Has Security Recruiting And Retention Changed In The Past Two Months?

[Jim1348]

As posted above, how has security recruiting and retention changed in the two months following the George Floyd incident in Minneapolis? Granted, police and security are two very different things, but security is a job that some use to earn money while pursuing a law enforcement career. On the one hand, unemployment is higher, lately, than it had been some months back. However, some that were laid off have have preferred to remain on unemployment rather than returning to work.

Anyway, what is it like at your employer or in your area?

[Condo Guard]

You can make the same amount of money sitting at home playing video games as being a guard. In areas of the country with a lower minimum wage than $15.00 an hour, you make more. Even though security is different, we're lumped in with the cops. Now that cops are being blinded with lasers and doxxed, I wouldn't bother with security at all.

[Condo Guard]

Sorry for the previous flippant answer - things are a bit stressful here in Seattle.

As far as my employer, we were having trouble recruiting good people prior to the protests. We are on a hiring freeze now, so the point is moot. Overall, I think the situation is complicated - on the one hand, unemployment benefits from the Feds will run out soon (unless Congress passes an extension). That may lead to people finding temporary work until they can get something better. On the other hand, as I said in my previous post, we're kind of lumped in with the current anti-police movement.

COVID-19 may play into this also - people might be attracted to security jobs where they don't have to deal with a lot of people (aka night watch at a construction site), but not want to be a guard at a large facility checking in large amounts of people each day.

I'm the eternal optimist - as cities "de-police," those businesses and neighborhoods that can will hire private security. That may translate into better training and higher wages. We may see boom times soon - but the job will be more stressful and more dangerous.

[jarhead_guard]

I have been trying to recruit a few guards the last couple of months to fill two open shifts at my location. I can tell you right now, it is not happening. We pay the minimum wage for the area (higher than state wage but still minimum) with no incentive to be out working in the pandemic. Usually when I post an add I end up with 100s of applicants and 40-50 interviews. The last 2 months, I have had 20 applicants for each posting, all from out of state and none that meet standards. I have been working 60-80 hours a week to cover open shifts that pre-pandemic, pre-civil unrest would be filled in a few days.

[Consolewatcher]

I have been trying to recruit a few guards the last couple of months to fill two open shifts at my location. I can tell you right now, it is not happening. We pay the minimum wage for the area (higher than state wage but still minimum) with no incentive to be out working in the pandemic. Usually when I post an add I end up with 100s of applicants and 40-50 interviews. The last 2 months, I have had 20 applicants for each posting, all from out of state and none that meet standards. I have been working 60-80 hours a week to cover open shifts that pre-pandemic, pre-civil unrest would be filled in a few days.

The fact you are paying minimum wage might be why no one is meeting your company's/client's "standards".

[Condo Guard]

Well, it has been almost a year since this thread was started. I'm curious if anyone has seen further change? Wages here have gone up significantly, mostly to try to attract more employees (security is booming). Unfortunately, I'm seeing the usual warm bodies with little training and really lax uniform and grooming standards. (I loved the guy wearing open heel sandals or Crocs guarding a store that got vandalized.)

The one positive change I have seen is a lot of former unarmed security posts in Seattle are now carrying OC spray or tasers. With no cops around the drug addicts and petty crooks have gotten bold since 2020 - a trend that will no doubt get worse.

[Jim1348]

I am not looking, but I saw this in my feed today. At $30 per hour and day shifts, they probably will get some applicants. The POST license requirement should keep the sheer number of applicants down.

https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=Security%20Guard&l=bloomington&vjk=f6d39f09c53645e1&advn=7069506528222552