Top 15 Security Guard Skills and Qualities to Succeed on the Job

Top 15 Security Guard Skills and Qualities to Succeed on the Job

To produce top performance and be successful as a security guard, you will need to develop certain skills and qualities.

If you are looking for how to improve in your security guard duties, this post shows you the major skills and qualities to develop.

However, before getting to it, let’s quickly see who a security guard is:

Who is a Security Guard?

A security guard is an officer whose job is to prevent theft by keeping close watch on people, buildings, and businesses; as well as valuables and properties.

They can patrol a given area and monitor a building using certain devices; they can secure an airport or car park and can also travel with valuable goods in a specialized security vehicle. See complete security guard job description.

That said; now let’s get back to the skills you need to have to become a top performing security guard.

15 Security Guard Skills and Qualities to be Effective in your Work

1. Communication: To be a good security guard, you should know how to communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing. The situation of your work might require that you use a two-way radio to communicate with other guards in a professional manner.

Your job might also require that you answer phone calls during your shift, and at the end of your shift; as many guards would be required to log in to their shift, there will be need for both oral and written communication before they can take over from you on the next shift.

Communication skills also help you when you are required to write a report concerning an accident that happened during your shift, or to interview witnesses or victims, prepare case reports, or testify in court. Having good communication skills will also help you in effectively communicating with your supervisor and colleagues.

2. Observation: Your job as a security guard is to detect problems that might occur while you are on duty, or report security hazards to the company or the managers of the property you are safeguarding.

You may need to use circuit TV cameras to understand body language and monitor crowds. This will help you to prevent crime before they actually occur.

3. Honesty: For you to be a good guard, you must be honest and trustworthy. You should not steal or put the company you work for in danger. When you work alone do you stay vigilant? Your honesty will create trust between you and the company you work for. Ensure you don’t have a criminal record or history of dishonesty.

4. Strength and Fitness: Security guards need to be physically fit so they can outrun a thief or break a fight. Security officers who are not fit cannot perform their role confidently. They should be in good physical shape for them to be mentally alert, because they may have to stand or walk for long periods of time.

If a trespasser needs to be arrested or physically removed from a property, it is the duty of a security guard to do so. It might require that you hold the culprit until the police arrives, so you need to be strong physically to do this.

5. Attention to Detail: The job of a security guard requires being careful about detail and completing tasks thoroughly. When a vehicle is parked wrongly or too many people treading down a sidewalk, the security guard needs to be able to identify the slightest details to see whether something could alert him/her to possible problems.

6. Alertness: A great security guard is always alert and aware of his/her surroundings. If you love your job, you should constantly stay focused and away from distractions as much as possible. If you lack the ability to stay focused, you might ignore something that could jeopardize the lives of the people you are safeguarding. You must be able to bear in mind the things you see, and you should also provide written reports.

7. Common Sense: Security guards need to possess common sense and good judgment because they have to deal with sensitive situations. They need to always take heed of the right protocols, reacting and judging accordingly to maintain professional standard.

8. Attitude: If you want to be best in your security guard career, you need a friendly, receptive, and well-mannered attitude to help you in all situations. You should always be calm and assertive to be able to resolve conflicts. You need to also show respect for those you work with.

9. Teamwork: In most cases, security guards work in teams to have more effective work output. Your ability to get along with coworkers and follow established security protocols will help reduce dangers the company might face. You need to know when to follow orders and make sure to play your part well, so that your team can work productively.

10. Vigilance: Your job as a security guard involves being properly and adequately equipped to handle any situation that comes your way. You should be able to quickly and efficiently spot any possible hazard or distraction, and gauge the situation, people, and the environment as efficiently as possible. You should put on clothing and shoes than can enable you to deal with any offender you may face.

11. Passion: Security guards should have a driving force that can enable them to help people at all times. They need to get passionate about their job and value human life above anything else. Their passion for the guard job will make them to remain committed, steadfast, and diligent.

12. Problem-solving: When you come across a problem as a security guard, you should be able to collect information, analyze the situation, look for solutions, and apply them to solve the problem. Some unexpected problems could require that you control and deal with them quickly and effectively. By doing so, your company will know that you are competent for the position.

13. Flexibility: Flexibility is a skill set that requires the ability to manage several assignments and tasks. You should be able to identify which task to be done first by weighing the importance of all assignments.

14. Critical Thinking: You need to be able to apply logic and reasoning in determining the strengths and weaknesses of prevailing circumstances to be able to make the right decision or take the best approach.

You should be able to identify the best course of action to prevent or deal with the risk factors concerning the security of your company.

15. Organization: Your work as a security guard requires good planning and effective management of work schedule; making, estimating, and scheming of projects in detail.

You should be able to organize an event and finish it before deadline. Your organizational skills will help you to work efficiently in order to meet the company’s set goals.

Security Guard Skills and Qualities for Resume

If you are writing a resume for a security guard job, you can create the skills or core competence section of your resume by using the above security guard skills and qualities.

This will make your resume stronger as these are the skills and qualities most recruiters look for in the security guards they like to hire.

Conclusion:

Having the skills and qualities discussed in this post will certainly help you to improve in the performance of your responsibilities as a security guard, which increases your chances of achieving success in your career.

Employers who are hiring for the security guard position can also improve their chances of attracting the best qualified persons for the role by including the above skills and qualities in the job requirements for applicants to meet before they can be employed.