How To Be A Good Security Guard: 10 Essential Qualities

A security guard is one of the most critical positions that a business has to fill. Great security officers can help protect the company from theft, defuse potentially dangerous situations, and act as a deterrent that keeps everything in order.

But while it’s clear that security guard skills matter a lot for a business that deals with customers, the specific security guard skills and responsibilities you should focus on aren’t always as apparent.

So, how do you identify the right candidates for a security guard business??

Let’s look at a few of the critical skills needed to be a security guard below to help you make the right choice. But first, let’s explore why security is so vital for business.

Why is Security Important for Businesses?

A business can only operate if its assets, the people, and the rules essential for safety are protected. This is one of the many reasons the skills of a security guard have been highly valued and sought after.

But what makes the skills needed to be a security guard so valuable?

?First off, the company’s offices and premises house valuable assets, employees, and customers. Various security officer skills and qualities must be used to ensure access control and prevent unauthorized people from getting in to keep them all protected.

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You need a security team that can effectively track people going in and out of the premises and quickly check IDs to identify personnel.

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At the same time, when you have someone who has figured out how to be a good security guard, you can expect them to effectively handle any potential threats that might occur. Even though dangerous situations occur relatively infrequently, when they do, you want someone who can notice the problem quickly and take steps to prevent people or property from facing danger.

Finally, when you know what makes a good security officer and hire the right team, you can rest assured that they will strategically cover the entire premises, maintain a presence, and dissuade criminal activity.?

How to Be a Good Security Guard

Even though there aren’t universal qualifications to be a security guard, there are security guard skills that play a vital role in how good someone can be at the job. Let’s look at some of these critical traits below.

• Alertness. As a security guard, you need to not lose your vigilance even when nothing happens for a long time because a dangerous situation can develop in seconds at any time.
• Preparedness. At the same time, a good security guard must have the right security gear and comfortable clothing to be able to react quickly and respond to threats as soon as they arise.
• Good Judgment. A key part of figuring out how to be a good security guard is developing the ability to evaluate situations and spot subtle clues that may suggest something is off. At the same time, security guards must not misinterpret situations and harass people without need.
• Communication Skills. Security guards will spend a lot of time interacting with staff and customers. Therefore, they need to communicate calmly and efficiently, relaying instructions in situations that require quick action.
• Good Fitness. Because a security guard must protect the assets and people on the premises, they have to be in good physical shape.
• Training. Even though many aspects of being a good security guard come down to experience, going through training is also crucial. It helps to understand the different situations that could arise and know the best practices in each one.
• Assertiveness. Security guards need people to listen to them when the situation starts to escalate. Theyneed to be able to communicate and have an assertive attitude that gets other people to respond in a way that allows the security guard to establish control.
• Low Profile. We discussed how being visible could be a deterrent for illegal activity. Still, good security guards must also maintain a low profile and avoid disrupting the work of staff or the shopping experience of customers.?
• Respect for Life. A security office might need to deal with various dangerous situations in their work. This is why it’s crucial that they understand the value of each life and try to protect everyone involved at all costs.
• Honesty. Finally, a security guard must be trustworthy, which means they need to be honest and straightforward with the employers, colleagues, staff, and customers in all communications.

Bottom Line

Knowing the essential security guard skills and qualities and hiring the right candidates are crucial parts of maintaining safety in your business premises.

If you want help with setting up security for your organization, The Guard Alliance is here to help you with?security guard services. Reach out to one of our?local offices?today, and we will guide you through the entire process.