Barriers to Entry

I'm writing this article not as a complaint, but as an education opportunity for the Security Industry and others like it. Industry's that are largely stuck in their ways, slow to evolve or keep up with the world around us. This year, I have noticed so many criticisms of programs promoting the development of Young Professionals and Women in industries that historically have not made space for these demographics to flourish early in their careers.

The security industry tends to take a Natural Selection approach - Only the Strong will Survive... but must we make it more difficult than it needs to be? Why do we force the struggle to prove ourselves, when building a career is hard enough?

In 2006, I made the decision to transition from Healthcare to Security via the Executive Protection industry. I had worked as a security guard both armed and unarmed and had found a deep sense of dissatisfaction at that level of the industry. I was a Veteran and while deployed overseas, I saw a different perspective on security operations. I saw a skill set that one could be proud of and make a career out of. As I began networking and taking courses to build my foundation of knowledge, I was advised to join ASIS to build my network and maybe get my foot in the door. 

At 25 years old and beginning my first career transition, money was scarce. I paid for my membership, which was very expensive to me at the time, joined the Chicago chapter which was 2 hours from the cornfield in which I lived, then paid about $40 to attend a meeting at Sears Tower. I had networking cards printed since I didn’t work in security yet.

When I arrived at the lunch, I mingled and introduced myself to people. As conversations turned to me, I told my story and that I was looking for an opportunity to get a new career started. By the end of the lunch I was staring out of the floor to ceiling windows looking at the Chicago skyline, with the other guy, who had also just separated from the military and moved to the area. We were talking about how quickly the conversations shut down once it was understood that we weren’t working in the industry and didn’t know anyone. 

We weren't valuable yet.

My ASIS membership didn’t get renewed until 2013 when the company I was working with as a consultant told me I should become a member. I asked “Why?” and if they were going to pay for it - because even though I was making a 6 figure salary in security, the value proposition was lost on me.

To my knowledge, there was no YP group at the time. I wholeheartedly agree that discriminatory hiring practices are terrible and destructive. I also hold the opinion that "Affirmative Action" programs do far more harm than good. 

But programs that promote Women and Young Professionals gaining entry and traction in an industry are not those things in my opinion.

They are not trying to elevate one group over another. They are support platforms for people to seek advice and mentorship. To discuss issues that are very specific to their current condition... being too new to be valuable. 

They are processes created to lower the barrier to entry and acquire mentorship that otherwise takes years. By the way, Women in Security always invites men to join their events. It's not exclusive at all.

In those early years of forced struggle & dissatisfaction, many bright lights are lost. 

It’s the byproduct of a confused industry that fancies itself a profession because we get to wear suits to work sometimes. But like the many broken security programs I’ve rehabilitated, we’ve just neglected to address the basic foundational principles such as formalizing a career path and role levels so that others can work towards promotion without relying on luck, or the good will of others.

It is this climate in Security which has led to the formation of Getting Security Done. Its time to accelerate the advancement of this industry. Hiring diverse perspectives and not limiting our talent pipeline to Government and Law Enforcement is the most basic step. The second step is making sure our Leaders and Managers are actually getting relevant training from the business world and not just relying on the leadership tactics of the military and law enforcement.

If you need help in your career, connect with me on Linked In. I'll be happy to chat and point you in the right direction.

Lastly, this is a good and worthwhile conversation. I would love to hear the perspectives of others. Maybe we can jump on a Zoom call to discuss it?

#GSDcrew #GettingSecurityDone #TheKindnessGames #TheRealKindnessGames