The 4 Important Things You Must Do or Know Before Becoming a Security Guard By Kenneth Echie At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

We've all seen them, those uniformed but usually unarmed people who protect us in stores from danger, and who also protect stores from getting ripped off, for example. Being a security guard can be a good job to have, but you have to be the right person. Is being a security guard the right thing for you? Let's take a look. What things do you have to do or know?

1. Be immune to boredom

Being a security guard means you're going to be standing in one spot or nearly so for several hours at a time, sometimes for your entire shift, not including breaks. If you're someone who gets bored easily if you don't have anything to "do," being a security guard probably isn't the right job for you.

2. Be able to be alert and vigilant at all times, even on a long shift

Remember that your job as a security guard is to protect the property you are standing guard at and to a large extent the people in it. Especially because you may not be armed yourself, you're going to have to be able to thwart trouble before it starts. That means, be alert to any trouble and be willing to call in law enforcement at the first sign of trouble.

This is especially important if you work third shift. Many security guards protect properties at night when no one else is there. But there is a possible threat of break-ins or other trouble so that someone has to be on the premises to make sure this doesn't happen.

Third shift is killer because your body really wants to be asleep; most people don't do very well on third shift. This, coupled with the built-in redundancy of the job itself, can put you to sleep just when you shouldn't be.

So make sure you stay alert even when the going gets tough. Get enough sleep on your off time, engage in a regular exercise program so that you are physically fit to do the job, and walk around as much as you can during your shift so that you stay alert.

3. Be willing to not "be liked"

Let's face it! Your job as a security guard means that you have to be willing to be the "tough guy (or gal)," at all times. That means you may not even be able to be particularly friendly to people on the job you think are perfectly benign. To stay "in character," you're going to have to maintain a relatively stern demeanor and to give forth a calm but commanding presence.

4. Get the right education or training

Get any formal education or training necessary, too. Some jobs or states require that you be licensed or certified, or receive special training as a security guard. So check to make sure you've got the proper qualifications to be a security guard before you step up to the plate for the job. A little more research on the internet can help you on this.

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