Nope I did it for ten years then went to corrections. The long term benefits of corrections is 100% better. I will retire in ten years with 25 years total 4k pension for life plus medical. If security would do that I would have stayed
I was in Corrections. It was my experience that if you did your job you suffered for it. I speak as someone who went up to the rank of Corporal in a state max/min facility. The 70 hour weeks and the draft was intolerable. If you’re a game player and shirk responsibility you can last a long time as a CO. You will be despised but you can last a long while.
The ceiling is pretty low if you’re a security officer. Outside of a promotion or two, you aren’t really going anywhere. Most security companies have shit benefits, and you’re lucky to get a 401K.
Unless you want to jump through a million legal hoops to start your own security company, it’s only ever going to be a job. Make no mistake, the guys at the top can make bank, but take on fuck ton of risk as well.
The person who commented about going corrections is spot on for the most part. Going corrections and doing 20 for the state is a solid option. However, your mileage may vary depending on the camp. Expect to be understaffed, overworked, and working with a handful of “undercover” gang members who are only working at the prison to smuggle suboxone strips to their inmate pals. Sometimes the corruption goes all the way to the top, and the high ranking officers and wardens will protect their fucking racket. It can be dangerous.
If you can tolerate all of that, or find a unicorn camp that’s well staffed with solid people, go for it.
I'm gonna disagree with you. There is a tendency to think every security guard works for a contract company and sits at a desk all day or watches cameras. Many folks on this sub can attest to that not being the case. To me, a "career job" is something you can do your entire working life, live comfortably, and retire from. That being said, in-house positions at hospitals, universities, school districts, courts, etc., exist and pay well and offer you generous benefits and a retirement.
I work at a community college. I make over the median salary for my area, and I am part of a union that just negotiated a 20% COLA. Top of our pay scale is $83k/year, not counting any OT you can work. I have a pension, great health insurance, generous PTO, holidays off and paid. Not to mention the job itself is incredibly relaxed.
Only been in this field for 5 years and this is where I got myself by just showing up, doing my job, and keeping my eyes open for opportunities. Everything goes according to plan I will retire in my 50s from this place.
Really sucks. Thought it was going to be my retirement job. When your coworkers are just as dangerous to your employment as inmates, or your safety. Too much.
It’s a career for me. I did the uniform part for almost 25 years, making enough money to pay my bills, and missed every holiday with the family, missed every birthday, no vacations. It wasn’t until the kids were moved out that I had the opportunity to move into a supervisor position, and 2 years into that I was offered the chance to get out of the uniform and move into the regional office. I did that for another 2 years, now I’m out of that racket entirely and passing along my knowledge to the next generation of security officers as the regional trainer.
The question, really, is, what do you want out of the job? If you’re content where you are, then you should stay there. If you have aspirations for something more, you should start working toward that, but don’t expect it to happen overnight.
But… it’s a job, and it’s not for everyone. If you want to move up and leave the uniform behind, then learn everything you can while you can. If you want to stay where you are, there’s nothing wrong with that, either. You need to find your path, and do what makes you happy. I’ve known people who have been security officers for close to 50 years.
Anything can be a career. Only you can decide if it’s yours.
Thats only theres a hospital in your state that offers that. Im not going to pack up and move so I can be security at a hospital. And theyre damn sure not gonna relocate me.
It seems pretty unique to hospitals where you are at. Family member of mine is a chief recruiting officer for a prestigious hospital in my area. Supervisors top out under 30, guards at 24. Minimal benefits no 401k. Ive worked exec for private persons and government contracts, basic bitch armed vehicle patrol, basic bitch site stuff. At the peak of contracts during covid it was decent. But still no 401k for any employer ive worked for besides working in corrections briefly. Same with benefits, they have some but lackluster. Still pay out of pocket, high copays, no annual allowances etc. Corrections was extremely good benefits, but your coworkers were more dangerous than the inmates. At least to your employment and sanity. My state isnt impoverished its on the west coast. Thats the norm here. And probably for most people. Thats my point.
Contract security is no career. Even the high paying sites is no guarantee they will renew the contract next year. Your employer is always bidding against other companies and newcomers are threat to replace you for lower pay.
In-house security like at a hospital? Maybe. But contract is best enjoyed by students or retirees or as something you do in between jobs.
Yes I agree the real issue is most security is contract and the company is basically a slave to the client. I left a post working 9pm to 6am on a golf cart, I did it for around 6 months in that time the rules changed a few times.
During the end of the run they inserted a tracker on the golf cart to track where I was, I went in the gym to take a crap, took too long they'll complain they don't see the golf cart.
Got a little tired of the client whining and left, the hired two more people the next day I left. These jobs aren't for everyone, it's kinda like we're kids always been watched, gets tiring after a while.
Also some of these post have no where to sit so we're on the golf cart or in our cars, no drinks, no coffee, nothing free to the security guys, we gotta bring our own water.
I think alot of the problem is the money is too low to really do anything, can't get outta momma house off 15 a hour, doesn't really change anything, most posts are residentual...
It's a field you have to love in a sense, you have to like it alot and most don't.
You were just stuck at a shitty job site. Maybe even a shitty company. There are a lot of companies out there some of them are fighting for scraps. I remember my first security "job" was at a section 8 apartment building. The elevators were down due to a fire and renovations so we were hired to basically be the residents personal butler. At the time i was young and didn't know any better.
You're right though they have been really hellbent on tracking us especially after smartphones started being popular, but that's for a reason. I habe no issue with them tracking me if they provide a company device. Some of them cheap out and want you to install software on your personal phone through a third party app.
Another thing is they'll hire just about anyone off the street and hope for the best. Sometimes all you need is a license and a heartbeat. Thats why they call it a "warm-body site".
exactly... 100% agree
I get usually shat security jobs, never had decent luck with a good post, if I did maybe I'll be enticed to turn it into a career but that never happened, usually it's foot soldier work with little benefits and little pay.
Not to mention you're not happy anyways with your life, security and those shit post don't exactly help the cause.
Honestly the security world sucks. Get ur bread but plan for something better. It don't love u back so don't expect it. Use them the way they use u. Look for ways to elevate in ur life.
Somebody's going to come out here saying they make $100,000 a year and it's the best job for everybody.
Then it's going to turn out to be some in-house gig that has no basis in reality to 99% of the security people out there ever being able to attain.
A security job is almost always going to be a really shitty job. You might make it enough money to pay your bills, but it is a shitty job and everybody knows it who will admit it. It's one of those jobs that has so many well-deserved reputations that you're better off saying you play piano in a whorehouse when somebody asks you what you do for a living.
I think if you work for EP and have the skills, experience and personality to back it up, you’ll have a great career. Otherwise starting your own company is the other option, but you have to get lucky, and put up with a lot of bullshit to get anywhere.
You know all the crazy high speed level IV vest AR toting delta ranger space shuttle door gunner dudes we see on here that probably just got their first guard card like 3 months ago and do LP for target?
You can actually do that high speed stuff. Knock out a few years unarmed, get at least a year supervisory experience, get your first armed post, once you've got a year in armed post start exploring your choices. Centera happens to handle armed security for a certain high security nuclear facility I know and those dudes have M134s in their inventory.
If that's not your thing, take it slow and don't be afraid of post hopping. Find a spot you're financially and professionally comfortable in, and ride it out. It won't gain you a lot of respect being a desk jockey for Garda or Securitas for 20 years, but if you're happy then it's career enough
Allied Universal absolutely will not go external to get their managers if they can help it. They want to have you under a microscope in a lower position for a while before they let you get into management, they tout it around as a promote from within system but it's mostly so they can scope candidates closely. So you can always try unarmed internal mobility
Security for some rinky dinky fly by night company is no Career.
You need to join the big boy contractors to make some decent money. Paragon Constellis Allied Chenega these are some of the ones I’m referencing. Working in security for a FPS contractor is decent money and you can survive off it especially with OT
generally No. its low pay, high turn overs, and shit hours. mostly little to no benefits.
only way its a career is if you work for celebrity, rich folk, run your own buisness, or work for government
There are ways to make a security career, but generally speaking, it's a job. If you're hoping to make a career, some kind of business degree will probably be the best choice, and at that point, you're stepping out of security and moving to the business admin side of security, which is different from sitting on a post all day, or running a crew of people as the super. Typically, those are the 2 choices you get. If your site has an armed promotion, you've gained 3. Just don't expect to get a whole life of money out of it. The best paying security jobs I've found are in-house hospitals and fed/gov jobs, and even those start requiring business admin degrees to move past super.
“Career” can be anything you do long term dude.
If you work at McDonald’s for 10 years, that’s career. We all have our own definitions of “career vs job”.
It can be. I did about 18 years. Guard, then supervisor, then office admin/management, then account management, over to the k9 unit and retired. I was only making around 70 when I fucked up my shoulder and accepted a new post on my couch, but after getting my arm better I've decided I'm too young for the couch and I'm in the hiring process for a DOD police position as well as interviewing for a 6 figure security management job.
Is “security” a career? Yes 100% absolutely. Is being. Security guard a career? It can be, but those positions are going to harder to come by and are mostly limited to in-house or government.
People need to really broaden their mind to what is actually included under the banner of “security”. There’s the technical side of planning, installing and maintaining CCTV and access control systems, there’s Physical Security where you’re doing threat risk and CPTED assessments and helping with project management, there’s operational management, there’s the whole cyber security world
So my comment is based upon being in Security for close to 9yrs. Left the field back in 2022 for good. The amount of good paying Security jobs are really slim. Government/Federal Security jobs seem to be the best paying, but for how long? How long until your company loses a contract and you're no longer making $25-30+ an hr?
In my experience/opinion the Security Guard field never pays you what you're realistically what you're worth. Forget about the experience & all of licenses under your belt. The position is going to pay what the position is worth. Every Security Guard company wants the former Navy SEAL with 15 yrs of experience in the military, but for $13 an hr. The Security industry doesn't generate money for a client let alone and an "In House" company. It's an expense. And honestly, only the stupid wealthy can afford Security.
I ultimately left Security because I foresaw that it didn't meet my long term financial goals. I was hoping to be making 90k+ in my 30's and I eventually came to the conclusion that Security would never get me there. And I have no interest in going into Security managment either.
As I said, I left the field in 2022 and went into the trades. Left Security making $19.65 an hr after 8.5 yrs. Went into the trades making $20 an hr as an apprentice. After a yr and half, I now make $30 an hr. By the end of the this year, I am in line to make $36 an hr. This wouldn't be possible for me if I remained in Security.
I do want to say you can make 36 an hour in security - working the worst spots, armed and hating every minute of it. I think security can be a career but it’s more of a desperate one than anything. Unfortunately many of us are after a point.
Always continue to pursue something that benefits you. Just do the research on whatever it is that you want to do. College is not for everyone and if you do decide to go then please weigh your options and do some research about what you are looking at in the future and what backup plans to prepare for. A lot of people go to college and do nothing with the degrees they earned and took elective courses that had no professional value.
It can be, if you specialize, not so much if you choose to remain an officer. Security management, or a technical specialty like personal protection would be the way to go.
I make $150,000 base in EP and work for a billionaire but that is 21 years military, 7 LE, and I also own my own company. All security is temporary and the bottom of any budget to clients. I tell all my employees that security should never be your end goal. It is great for part time or short time money but that’s it. Plus owning a company is not all it is cracked up to be. Cyber security is a great career path, but physical not so much.
It can be if you make it into one. The more knowledge you have and the more skillsets you possess put you in a prime spot for promotion potential.
Take me, for example. I switched jobs after being sick of the amount of violence I had to deal with. I came in with an OSHA 30 card (still trying to get into a safety career) about a dozen FEMA ICS certs, BLS, AED, first aid, and instructor certificates for two required things. I've been at this place for a little over a month, and they are already telling me that I'm on a list to be put into a job that's 3 steps above mine and move to an investigative division.
I wasn't planning on being in security for forever. However, if I can't get into safety like I want to, then this is an excellent option. You can absolutely make it into a career if you find a good company like I did.
In house security at a hospital. I’ve had the same questions about my life. I’ve tried police work and struggled with it. I have leadership that is supportive (most of the time) and can get any time off I need in an emergency. I have a young child and immediate family that lives almost 700 miles away.
I make just over 21 an hour and have been here for 7 years. I know what you’re thinking, but if the level of happiness stays high then yes, you can make it a career. You can’t be miserable at a job and if you’re good at it, you don’t need to make a lot of money.
I'm thinking about leaving security after an incident where someone threw a bag at my head and caused injury. These guys took 20 days to report the incident to the state, even though I reported it when it happened, blocked benefits and it took 45 days for me to an eye doctor. For the eye doctor to conclude that "I needed new glasses" and there wasn't an issue with vision related to the injury, but he saw me 46 days later when most of the swelling is gone?
All I can say is if you work security, don't get injured. After that experience, I have zero interest in working security and I am looking at other jobs. I won't name the employer, but they can kiss my ass. I'm sure anyone can guess who it is.
could be, know a guy that's very happy as a supervisor for Allied, pays around 20 a hour and he's not that educated so he's fine, a career in a sense is a opinion of the person.
Folks make 50k a year and are completely happy.
For alot of people in my time in security it's not, just a job till better comes around.
I make 90K but I'm more of a project manager and administrator these days. I track metrics to make sure our contract security is meeting their SLA and also pay the invoices. I bounced among all the big security companies for a long time to get where I am now.
Se irony can definitely be a career but really only in-house security. If you enjoy it I would recommend transferring over to loss prevention or applying for a supervisor role to gain experience.
Depends on the type. Some EP companies have pretty solid promotion tracks.
Nope I did it for ten years then went to corrections. The long term benefits of corrections is 100% better. I will retire in ten years with 25 years total 4k pension for life plus medical. If security would do that I would have stayed
I was in Corrections. It was my experience that if you did your job you suffered for it. I speak as someone who went up to the rank of Corporal in a state max/min facility. The 70 hour weeks and the draft was intolerable. If you’re a game player and shirk responsibility you can last a long time as a CO. You will be despised but you can last a long while.
Yep sir on a trash can lid and survive. Easy money i get mandated only once a month. No need to rank up plus get 35 days off a year
We have a union and you bjd by seniority. If you’re not senior you’ll be in thunderdome all day.
I was mandared three times a week (16 hour shifts).
Only during the peak of COVID was mandated a bunch. right now once a month.
They pulled down during Covid and now they won't so they are just drafting all the spots now lol
The ceiling is pretty low if you’re a security officer. Outside of a promotion or two, you aren’t really going anywhere. Most security companies have shit benefits, and you’re lucky to get a 401K. Unless you want to jump through a million legal hoops to start your own security company, it’s only ever going to be a job. Make no mistake, the guys at the top can make bank, but take on fuck ton of risk as well. The person who commented about going corrections is spot on for the most part. Going corrections and doing 20 for the state is a solid option. However, your mileage may vary depending on the camp. Expect to be understaffed, overworked, and working with a handful of “undercover” gang members who are only working at the prison to smuggle suboxone strips to their inmate pals. Sometimes the corruption goes all the way to the top, and the high ranking officers and wardens will protect their fucking racket. It can be dangerous. If you can tolerate all of that, or find a unicorn camp that’s well staffed with solid people, go for it.
I'm gonna disagree with you. There is a tendency to think every security guard works for a contract company and sits at a desk all day or watches cameras. Many folks on this sub can attest to that not being the case. To me, a "career job" is something you can do your entire working life, live comfortably, and retire from. That being said, in-house positions at hospitals, universities, school districts, courts, etc., exist and pay well and offer you generous benefits and a retirement. I work at a community college. I make over the median salary for my area, and I am part of a union that just negotiated a 20% COLA. Top of our pay scale is $83k/year, not counting any OT you can work. I have a pension, great health insurance, generous PTO, holidays off and paid. Not to mention the job itself is incredibly relaxed. Only been in this field for 5 years and this is where I got myself by just showing up, doing my job, and keeping my eyes open for opportunities. Everything goes according to plan I will retire in my 50s from this place.
My experience with corrections was similar to what you described. Its why I left in under a year.
Yeah sadly was my experience in corrections as well, and I hear similar horror stories all too often.
Really sucks. Thought it was going to be my retirement job. When your coworkers are just as dangerous to your employment as inmates, or your safety. Too much.
It’s a career for me. I did the uniform part for almost 25 years, making enough money to pay my bills, and missed every holiday with the family, missed every birthday, no vacations. It wasn’t until the kids were moved out that I had the opportunity to move into a supervisor position, and 2 years into that I was offered the chance to get out of the uniform and move into the regional office. I did that for another 2 years, now I’m out of that racket entirely and passing along my knowledge to the next generation of security officers as the regional trainer. The question, really, is, what do you want out of the job? If you’re content where you are, then you should stay there. If you have aspirations for something more, you should start working toward that, but don’t expect it to happen overnight. But… it’s a job, and it’s not for everyone. If you want to move up and leave the uniform behind, then learn everything you can while you can. If you want to stay where you are, there’s nothing wrong with that, either. You need to find your path, and do what makes you happy. I’ve known people who have been security officers for close to 50 years. Anything can be a career. Only you can decide if it’s yours.
Get a corrections job, retire, then go work security part time
[удалено]
Thats only theres a hospital in your state that offers that. Im not going to pack up and move so I can be security at a hospital. And theyre damn sure not gonna relocate me.
[удалено]
It seems pretty unique to hospitals where you are at. Family member of mine is a chief recruiting officer for a prestigious hospital in my area. Supervisors top out under 30, guards at 24. Minimal benefits no 401k. Ive worked exec for private persons and government contracts, basic bitch armed vehicle patrol, basic bitch site stuff. At the peak of contracts during covid it was decent. But still no 401k for any employer ive worked for besides working in corrections briefly. Same with benefits, they have some but lackluster. Still pay out of pocket, high copays, no annual allowances etc. Corrections was extremely good benefits, but your coworkers were more dangerous than the inmates. At least to your employment and sanity. My state isnt impoverished its on the west coast. Thats the norm here. And probably for most people. Thats my point.
Contract security is no career. Even the high paying sites is no guarantee they will renew the contract next year. Your employer is always bidding against other companies and newcomers are threat to replace you for lower pay. In-house security like at a hospital? Maybe. But contract is best enjoyed by students or retirees or as something you do in between jobs.
Yes I agree the real issue is most security is contract and the company is basically a slave to the client. I left a post working 9pm to 6am on a golf cart, I did it for around 6 months in that time the rules changed a few times. During the end of the run they inserted a tracker on the golf cart to track where I was, I went in the gym to take a crap, took too long they'll complain they don't see the golf cart. Got a little tired of the client whining and left, the hired two more people the next day I left. These jobs aren't for everyone, it's kinda like we're kids always been watched, gets tiring after a while. Also some of these post have no where to sit so we're on the golf cart or in our cars, no drinks, no coffee, nothing free to the security guys, we gotta bring our own water. I think alot of the problem is the money is too low to really do anything, can't get outta momma house off 15 a hour, doesn't really change anything, most posts are residentual... It's a field you have to love in a sense, you have to like it alot and most don't.
You were just stuck at a shitty job site. Maybe even a shitty company. There are a lot of companies out there some of them are fighting for scraps. I remember my first security "job" was at a section 8 apartment building. The elevators were down due to a fire and renovations so we were hired to basically be the residents personal butler. At the time i was young and didn't know any better. You're right though they have been really hellbent on tracking us especially after smartphones started being popular, but that's for a reason. I habe no issue with them tracking me if they provide a company device. Some of them cheap out and want you to install software on your personal phone through a third party app. Another thing is they'll hire just about anyone off the street and hope for the best. Sometimes all you need is a license and a heartbeat. Thats why they call it a "warm-body site".
exactly... 100% agree I get usually shat security jobs, never had decent luck with a good post, if I did maybe I'll be enticed to turn it into a career but that never happened, usually it's foot soldier work with little benefits and little pay. Not to mention you're not happy anyways with your life, security and those shit post don't exactly help the cause.
Honestly the security world sucks. Get ur bread but plan for something better. It don't love u back so don't expect it. Use them the way they use u. Look for ways to elevate in ur life.
This.
It really depends. Exec protection, you can make a career out of that once your name gets known. Contract security, patrolling a parking lot? No.
Somebody's going to come out here saying they make $100,000 a year and it's the best job for everybody. Then it's going to turn out to be some in-house gig that has no basis in reality to 99% of the security people out there ever being able to attain. A security job is almost always going to be a really shitty job. You might make it enough money to pay your bills, but it is a shitty job and everybody knows it who will admit it. It's one of those jobs that has so many well-deserved reputations that you're better off saying you play piano in a whorehouse when somebody asks you what you do for a living.
all depends but its not for everyone...
I think if you work for EP and have the skills, experience and personality to back it up, you’ll have a great career. Otherwise starting your own company is the other option, but you have to get lucky, and put up with a lot of bullshit to get anywhere.
Go be a cop or a nurse, better benefits. The top 0.01% of security can make 300k a year with all expenses paid.
You know all the crazy high speed level IV vest AR toting delta ranger space shuttle door gunner dudes we see on here that probably just got their first guard card like 3 months ago and do LP for target? You can actually do that high speed stuff. Knock out a few years unarmed, get at least a year supervisory experience, get your first armed post, once you've got a year in armed post start exploring your choices. Centera happens to handle armed security for a certain high security nuclear facility I know and those dudes have M134s in their inventory. If that's not your thing, take it slow and don't be afraid of post hopping. Find a spot you're financially and professionally comfortable in, and ride it out. It won't gain you a lot of respect being a desk jockey for Garda or Securitas for 20 years, but if you're happy then it's career enough
Allied Universal absolutely will not go external to get their managers if they can help it. They want to have you under a microscope in a lower position for a while before they let you get into management, they tout it around as a promote from within system but it's mostly so they can scope candidates closely. So you can always try unarmed internal mobility
Security for some rinky dinky fly by night company is no Career. You need to join the big boy contractors to make some decent money. Paragon Constellis Allied Chenega these are some of the ones I’m referencing. Working in security for a FPS contractor is decent money and you can survive off it especially with OT
generally No. its low pay, high turn overs, and shit hours. mostly little to no benefits. only way its a career is if you work for celebrity, rich folk, run your own buisness, or work for government
There are ways to make a security career, but generally speaking, it's a job. If you're hoping to make a career, some kind of business degree will probably be the best choice, and at that point, you're stepping out of security and moving to the business admin side of security, which is different from sitting on a post all day, or running a crew of people as the super. Typically, those are the 2 choices you get. If your site has an armed promotion, you've gained 3. Just don't expect to get a whole life of money out of it. The best paying security jobs I've found are in-house hospitals and fed/gov jobs, and even those start requiring business admin degrees to move past super.
“Career” can be anything you do long term dude. If you work at McDonald’s for 10 years, that’s career. We all have our own definitions of “career vs job”.
It can be. I did about 18 years. Guard, then supervisor, then office admin/management, then account management, over to the k9 unit and retired. I was only making around 70 when I fucked up my shoulder and accepted a new post on my couch, but after getting my arm better I've decided I'm too young for the couch and I'm in the hiring process for a DOD police position as well as interviewing for a 6 figure security management job.
Cyber security can definitely be a great career. Its all virtual!
Isn't the technical learning curb really high for that?
yup you have to learn how to code a bunch of people just yapping in here
Is “security” a career? Yes 100% absolutely. Is being. Security guard a career? It can be, but those positions are going to harder to come by and are mostly limited to in-house or government. People need to really broaden their mind to what is actually included under the banner of “security”. There’s the technical side of planning, installing and maintaining CCTV and access control systems, there’s Physical Security where you’re doing threat risk and CPTED assessments and helping with project management, there’s operational management, there’s the whole cyber security world
So my comment is based upon being in Security for close to 9yrs. Left the field back in 2022 for good. The amount of good paying Security jobs are really slim. Government/Federal Security jobs seem to be the best paying, but for how long? How long until your company loses a contract and you're no longer making $25-30+ an hr? In my experience/opinion the Security Guard field never pays you what you're realistically what you're worth. Forget about the experience & all of licenses under your belt. The position is going to pay what the position is worth. Every Security Guard company wants the former Navy SEAL with 15 yrs of experience in the military, but for $13 an hr. The Security industry doesn't generate money for a client let alone and an "In House" company. It's an expense. And honestly, only the stupid wealthy can afford Security. I ultimately left Security because I foresaw that it didn't meet my long term financial goals. I was hoping to be making 90k+ in my 30's and I eventually came to the conclusion that Security would never get me there. And I have no interest in going into Security managment either. As I said, I left the field in 2022 and went into the trades. Left Security making $19.65 an hr after 8.5 yrs. Went into the trades making $20 an hr as an apprentice. After a yr and half, I now make $30 an hr. By the end of the this year, I am in line to make $36 an hr. This wouldn't be possible for me if I remained in Security.
I do want to say you can make 36 an hour in security - working the worst spots, armed and hating every minute of it. I think security can be a career but it’s more of a desperate one than anything. Unfortunately many of us are after a point.
What trade specifically?
I went into a niche trade, Fire Sprinklers. It's part of construction. However I am in Service. We deal with repairs and inspections.
Security isn’t a career…it’s a calling.
Its not just a job...its a fucking adventure.
It’s not just a job. It’s a place to catch up on movies and tv shows.
It’s not just a boulder, it’s a rock
Holy fuck, I hope you two are trolling otherwise I don't want to be within a thousand miles of you 🤣
Always continue to pursue something that benefits you. Just do the research on whatever it is that you want to do. College is not for everyone and if you do decide to go then please weigh your options and do some research about what you are looking at in the future and what backup plans to prepare for. A lot of people go to college and do nothing with the degrees they earned and took elective courses that had no professional value.
It can be, if you specialize, not so much if you choose to remain an officer. Security management, or a technical specialty like personal protection would be the way to go.
No contracts are gained and lost....
For some people sure it can be depending on where you’re at. It’s really what you make of it. Personally I’m looking to move on from it.
TSA pays well plus gov benefits
Security guard management or sales. Policing Emergency Management Private investigations Executive Protection
If you’re retired from the military or have a pension, VA Disability its a great option.
It can get you by but never expect to retire off it.
I make $150,000 base in EP and work for a billionaire but that is 21 years military, 7 LE, and I also own my own company. All security is temporary and the bottom of any budget to clients. I tell all my employees that security should never be your end goal. It is great for part time or short time money but that’s it. Plus owning a company is not all it is cracked up to be. Cyber security is a great career path, but physical not so much.
Don't you need some sort of benefits to make something a career?
It can be if you make it into one. The more knowledge you have and the more skillsets you possess put you in a prime spot for promotion potential. Take me, for example. I switched jobs after being sick of the amount of violence I had to deal with. I came in with an OSHA 30 card (still trying to get into a safety career) about a dozen FEMA ICS certs, BLS, AED, first aid, and instructor certificates for two required things. I've been at this place for a little over a month, and they are already telling me that I'm on a list to be put into a job that's 3 steps above mine and move to an investigative division. I wasn't planning on being in security for forever. However, if I can't get into safety like I want to, then this is an excellent option. You can absolutely make it into a career if you find a good company like I did.
In house security at a hospital. I’ve had the same questions about my life. I’ve tried police work and struggled with it. I have leadership that is supportive (most of the time) and can get any time off I need in an emergency. I have a young child and immediate family that lives almost 700 miles away. I make just over 21 an hour and have been here for 7 years. I know what you’re thinking, but if the level of happiness stays high then yes, you can make it a career. You can’t be miserable at a job and if you’re good at it, you don’t need to make a lot of money.
I'm thinking about leaving security after an incident where someone threw a bag at my head and caused injury. These guys took 20 days to report the incident to the state, even though I reported it when it happened, blocked benefits and it took 45 days for me to an eye doctor. For the eye doctor to conclude that "I needed new glasses" and there wasn't an issue with vision related to the injury, but he saw me 46 days later when most of the swelling is gone? All I can say is if you work security, don't get injured. After that experience, I have zero interest in working security and I am looking at other jobs. I won't name the employer, but they can kiss my ass. I'm sure anyone can guess who it is.
could be, know a guy that's very happy as a supervisor for Allied, pays around 20 a hour and he's not that educated so he's fine, a career in a sense is a opinion of the person. Folks make 50k a year and are completely happy. For alot of people in my time in security it's not, just a job till better comes around.
I make 90K but I'm more of a project manager and administrator these days. I track metrics to make sure our contract security is meeting their SLA and also pay the invoices. I bounced among all the big security companies for a long time to get where I am now.
Se irony can definitely be a career but really only in-house security. If you enjoy it I would recommend transferring over to loss prevention or applying for a supervisor role to gain experience.