/biz/ - Business & Finance

I did this for four years.
Ultimate Security is a good firm, G4S is shit, but huge, so yeah.

Only look for corporate security, unless you enjoy wearing a 10kg itchy stabproof vest and cheap polyester uniform with a stupid hat, chasing shoplifters for £7-8 an hour, or standing around for 12 hours contemplating suicide.

Corporate security is office buildings, which means maybe one argument a month with some shirty cunt who would piss his pants if you weren't wearing a uniform.
£10-15 per hour in a prestigious building in a city centre.
You may get a nicer uniform, sometimes tailored to fit.
If not, slowly replace their polycotton shit with a nice suit or blazer and decent shirts, buy used if you have to.
Officially, you're not supposed to, but building managers and some security managers will usually ask no questions and secretly admire you for looking smart...

Understand it is 95% image here, body language tone of voice, shiny shoes, and if you are sloppy, you will get moved to 'standby', taken off site, or end up in retail (see above) act like a police cadet or ex-military officer.
Seriously.
The other 5% is keeping your mouth shut and psychology.
In my experience, literally 90% won't even bother to learn or use the radio procedure properly.
Seriously.

Don't stay in security for longer than 3-5 years or you will become suicidal/boring/a sociopath.
I am deadly serious.

If you want to make serious money, Close Protection (bodyguard) is the top money, and you can get into private military or borderline mercenary work.
Money can easily be thousands a week in that line of work...danger money but varying degrees of risk.

Look on job boards, but don't be afraid to aply directly.

Any specific questions other than that?

>>672045
Aren't you able to just use your laptop and pretty much play WoW for hours?

I've met autists who are skinny as a twig yet work security and don't do jackshit.

A little bit interested in that private military/mercenary work. Is that like going to war for money? Seems too dangerous to be worthwhile. Could you give more information?

>>672045
Thank you, i was worried it would be to late for anyone to reply but im glad someone did and with such detail. So just a few questions:

1:so... radio doesnt mean shit then? the teacher i had spent maybe a whole hour on that subject.

2: It IS important to seem really professional then? because what they were teaching me was really the opposite. mind you, half the guys just wanted to be door supervisors for clubs.

3:Whats the best place to get my close protection with eventually? was with 'Get licensed' for the door supervisor license but the close protection corse was £1500 or something, is there anywhere else that will do it?

And finally, most important to me, i got my SIA license filled out and finally my ref number for the post office, said somewhere i have to pay £300 or somethinging for the actual license card, can you explain that please?

>>672048
>aren't you able to just use your laptop and pretty much play WoW for hours?

Depends on the site requirements/position - like if you are desk-based (glorified receptionist) or whatever. But generally most shifts are 'split shifts' - days one week, nights the next, and on nights yeah, you can usually read a book, use your laptop or even get a nap if there is more than one person there. One guy set up an internet business and did that all night, pretty fucking smart, you can't lose!

Each site is going to have it's own perks, I got a 100% test score so was in the top 2% of passes, so got sent to a sweet site with a lot of perks and high pay.

>autistic/skinny/jackshit comment
What are you asking here?
It's mostly image, like I said, look like serious business and the uniform does the rest...

>private/mercenary
Usually this is ex-military, but like I said you can work your way into this through close protection.
This varies in scope, Mostly it's legit - just nervous journalists, charity workers, medic staff, businessmen, politicians, who have to travel or work in sketchy regions like the Middle East or South America.

Once in that line of work, if you are working in danger zones and using weapons anyway, contacts for mercenary work or 'freelancing' or side work in that area usually develops naturally if you express interest.

>is that like going to war for money?

As opposed to going to war for fun?
All soldiers get fucking paid, son.
You're basically a hired thug though.
It is dangerous, which is why I said it's danger money. Double-crossings and set ups are common, since your only loyalty is a paycheck.
It's highly illegal/shady.

You get the added fun of your own government disowning you or charging you if caught.
If the other side don't kill you first.

Some high-risk life insurance firms will *off the record* and *under the table* hire a 'security consultancy' to offer 'compensation' (bounty) for safe return of a client.

>>672137
Wow do you do that sort of work? Id love to do that too someday, sounds so exciting!

>>672063

1) Sorry, maybe I didn't make that clear - 90% won't bother to learn / use proper radio procedure, but you should, this is what separates you from the plebs and gets you noticed.
Most guards seem to fumble with the radio, let the battery die, forget to do radio checks (test) forget the NATO alphabet or never learn it properly (S for sugar? U wot m8) or use 'over' and 'over and out' or 'copy' properly.

2) wtf? What kinda course is this? If you want to get paid top dollar, have a good laugh and some banter with the boys when you're out of sight of public/tenants, but play it straight when in plain view. Bouncers are 90% meatheads who decided to get paid for fighting in pubs. Fuck that shit. Perks do include groupies and flirting with chicks a lot, especially girls who are 16-20.
But then there is getting bottled, stabbed or shot by cunts with something to prove.

3) that's about the going rate for that certificate, it is pretty intensive, some courses are £2k + but like I said, the earning potential is outrageous, and the burnout rate is high. It is standardized now.

Well, you paid for the course and training, but you have to pay for the actual card/licence.

>>672137
>>672166
Thanks for the reply. Yeah fuck that mercenary shit, I actually want to come home alive.

About the autist/skinny kid comment i was just saying I've met some people who worked security and they were uh... far from "menacing".

I'm kinda looking for a job right now anyway, should I spend like $200 to take the security course and get the license? I'm guessing it's a lot easier job environment/pay than most places and seems very beneficial if you do something productive in the mean time when you got downtime to use a laptop or w.e.

Any additional tips you could give in terms of looking for job, what looks good in an interview and fitting in?

>>672160
No, I got out of that years ago before I went insane or ended up killing someone for giving me shit...

Like I said, if you don't move upwards (management or your own firm)
Or move sideways (varied work, moving around sites until you find a perfect fit) you will turn into a boring cunt or a sociopath/borderline psycho.

You are either on high alert, or bored out of your skull, standing in a fucking hotel hallway or building lobby for hours on end.
Your highlight of the day may be using a mirror on a stick to check for devices under a car, sweeping a room for bugs, or tasting food for a nervous Arab.

Make no mistake, if it all kicks off, you are a bullet catcher and will probably be the first one shot.

But 99% of the time it is just down to how much threat you perceive rather than actually experience...

>>672189
oh i see. well obviously if i ever get in that sort of position ill remember that and keep some perspective.


thank you for taking the time to explain these things for me. once i get some money i will try to do the rest of the training they offered (CCTV training & handcuff training-i know how to use handcuffs but you have to be legit i suppose) and finally the close protection because i plan on having a career in the security since i finally found something i like doing (first time was working at at a site called St. Georges park near burton a few months back on behalf of an agency, blue arrow. Liked it alot!

I can still be accepted for jobs without the actual card yet right? I mean as long as i have my certificate and references that prove it...ive forgotten that part, sorry!

>>672199
No probs, anything else?

It's better to get the card, it makes things smoother.

The CCTV operator one is good, yeah, and the pay rate is often higher, up to £15-18 p/hr or so,
Remember there is often a lot of overtime available and it's usually double time.
Good money considering many go to college for a year or more for a lesser fixed salary.

Don't underestimate conflict management,. Body language and psychology though, most situations can be diffused with this.

Like I said, the perceived threat is higher than the actual threat, most situations won't come to anything, and if a guy is talking a lot and shouting, at you, let him run off some steam before you do anything...DON'T get emotional...

>>672242
please reply >>672188

>>672188
You don't have to be menacing, just capable and professional.
It's how you handle yourself and certain situations that determines your success.

You want me to tell you what to do?
Does it sounds attractive? Then why not?
I got into it when I was 26, I wish I had known about the pay and benefits/perks and how cushy most of it is when I was younger, like 18.

I was breaking my back working in shit tier jobs like construction and retail and courier work for a fraction of that pay...
And yes, you save a lot of mental energy and effort, and have considerable downtime to do your own shit.
Bringing a book or laptop is standard, one guy would play games on his laptop on nights, one would watch movies (3 or 4 a shift) one would swap patrols with other guards and sleep for three hours, one guy had his business, one would watch porn all night and go smoke a joint every couple hours, etc

You could do a lot worse, and it's definitely better doing it while you're young.

Watch 'Harsh Times' - the scene with Christian Bale in an interview - just watch that - his body language and tone...

>>672242
yeah i noticed alot of the fellas i was training with in brum seemed to be doing it with the wrong mentality in my mind. like when we got to the test half i think most failed because they were thinking what they would like to do, not what people/businesses want them to do.

Like this big black fella was always aggressive when asked his response to things, like fighting cos there rude to you or something... our instructor was great though.

Dont get me wrong, i can tussle too if need be, but why bother if you can diffuse the situation? The dream for me is I want to do my shifts and go home to a wife and family, not end up in A&E getting a stabbing.

two guys on the course were ex-millitary and only they did the CCTV and handcuff course. Shame i didnt but i hope i can do it if i prove to my employer i want to do it with my earnings.

oh yeah another question is when i get invited to an interview, is a black suit best since thats what id mostly be wearing im guessing, in corporate and elsewhere i mean. I only ask because i have a nice Grey and blue suit but my black suits jacket is a waiter like jacket, so wonder if that would be a sound investment getting a good black jacket. nothing to flashy i guess?

>>672258
Ay thanks dude. I guess I'll go for it then. Was just a bit worried it'd be kind of hard to find a position especially since I don't have a car right now. Don't want to put in the time studying and paying buckaroos to not find anything :/

I guess it is easier to find a job doing that though due to the certification. Does one of those main companies just find the position for you basically? Or how does it all work

>>672261
Well, yeah, I'll admit, the first time someone got up in my face I was livid and he almost pushed me over the edge.
I managed to keep it verbal even though he was screaming in my face and giving it 'DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?' etc but then I technically threatened him once he got my blood up, and that could have cost me my job, but I had to walk away and let someone else take over because I had already overstepped the mark.

First mistake -I took it personally and let me emotions get to me - don't - many will talk tough because they want to push you into grabbing them or shoving them so they can sue for assault or get you fired.
All that toughtalk disappears and they will play the victim.

Do nothing Unless they lay a hand on you. You will come off worse, since you are trained and licensed, he is not.
Bear in mind, if it kicks off, remember there are eyes and ears and CCTV cameraphones everywhere, and the one with the calmest body language and tone will come off better on witness statements, in court or in the bosses office.

Once they touch you, in any way, all bets are off, you can grab them and pin them down or throw them out.

Grappling, armlocks, fingerlocks, headlocks, half-Nelson variations, these are the best approach, this isn't the Dog & Duck on a Friday.
Guards fuck up by getting into fist fights, that is a last resort, save your energy.

The suit colour?
Who cares?
One site had me in a grey suit and light blue shirt, dark blue tie, one had me in navy blazer and grey trousers, both for the same company.
Some sites like their own custom uniform.

Dress conservative, though, you don't want a dazzling tie or anything, you want nothing distracting from your serious-ass face,
Smile now and then when appropriate, don't fake it, just a sly smile and nod now and then to agree with they ask, as if you know the score.

>>672272
Well, you tend to get a lot of students or foreigners on short term visas here, plus the burnout rate is high, people get bored after a while and move on, if the company or site has high standards, often say, ten people get selected for a ten-man building, about half of those will either not fit in on that site, or get put somewhere else if they don't make the grade, or get fired.

The burnout rate or turnover is fairly high, since for some they are just between jobs or this is one of their first jobs, etc but once a good 'mix' is on a site, they want to keep you since you know how things work.

Basically, the security company will have a contract with the landlord / building manager, or directly with a company renting a building, to supply a guard, or say, 10 guards.

There may even be several security companies in one building, with different jurisdictions etc like one or two floors, etc

Oh fuck I almost forgot - the main CEO/MD of the company or the building manager holds more power than the security manager (your direct boss) If they think you look the part and handle yourself well, then he will want to keep you, and the security managers opinion is irrelevant, u less you seriously fuck up.