How to hire a security guard for your business

Part of owning and operating a business is doing your best to protect what you’ve built. Security services provide a barrier that deters threats like burglary, vandalism, and harm to employees and patrons.

In recent years, businesses nationwide have seen increased risks, with new threats like “flash rob” incidents on the rise and clever burglars bypassing measures like security doors by breaking in through the walls of neighboring businesses.

The right security services, including security guards and vehicle patrols, could help to deter and mitigate such risks, especially when paired with video surveillance.

However, before you commit to heightened security measures, it’s essential to know how to hire a security guard. Finding a trained and experienced provider that meets your needs is the key to a safe business and peace of mind.

Determining your security needs

Businesses have various security needs. Perhaps you need to address after-hours burglary or taggers who vandalize your business. Or maybe you’re concerned about preventing robbery incidents that put your staff and customers at risk.

Skilled security guards can help mitigate these issues, but before you hire them, you must understand your specific needs first.

Why should you hire a security guard?

The risks and challenges you face in protecting your business will influence the kinds of security services you choose. When it comes to the need for security guards, there are several questions you must answer before starting the hiring process. For example, does your risk level warrant armed security officers, or will unarmed support suffice?

You should also consider when crimes in your area or at your specific business occur. Do you need a full-time security detail to address security concerns 24/7, or will a part-time patrol be enough to ward off vandals and burglars?

Who hires security guards?

Different types of businesses rely on security services to protect their facilities and assets and the people within. If you run a commercial venture like a retail store, event venue, or corporate office, it’s easy to apply various solutions that can be tailored to your needs.

Depending on your business or institution, you may also want to explore specialized services designed to meet the needs of healthcare facilities, school campuses, malls, industrial sites, or government facilities. Anjanette Hebert, Vice President of Healthcare at PalAmerican Security, notes that her team is trained in verbal de-escalation protocols and has convinced patients to comply with instructions given by clinical staff. They also use video technology to patrol campuses and spot potential issues remotely.

Identifying risks for your business

Personal experience is often the impetus for hiring an armed or unarmed security guard. When an incident occurs, or your business becomes the target of ongoing crimes, stepping up security is a logical response.

However, you don’t have to wait for the worst to happen. Pay attention to how crime in your area affects other businesses or facilities, especially those like yours. 

If criminal activity is on the rise, proactively hiring security professionals could prevent your business from becoming a crime victim. Carefully monitoring crime trends can prove helpful here: If late-night robberies are trending near your property, it would be wise to hire an overnight guard.

Key qualities to look for in a security guard

When hiring a security guard, there are several important qualities you should look for, including:

• Training, licenses, and certifications.
• Physical and mental fitness.
• Background and experience.
• Trustworthiness and integrity.

The best candidates will meet state licensing requirements, have the requisite training and experience, be fit to do the job, and have a moral compass that allows you to trust them with access to your property.

However, there are some mistakes you should avoid when hiring security guards, according to Hebert:

• Failing to hire diverse teams. Diversity fosters different perspectives. A homogeneous team may overlook certain risks or nuances that a more varied group would identify.

• Neglecting to assess soft skills. Guards often interact with the public, which means skills like communication, empathy, and situational awareness are equally important as technical or physical skills.

• Not clearly defining the scope of work before determining the skill set required. This helps ensure the hired guards have the right expertise for the role. Without this clarity, you risk hiring guards who may not meet the necessary requirements.

• Believing all security experience is the same. Security roles vary widely, from patrolling commercial properties to securing events. Assuming that any type of security experience fits every role can lead to mismatches in skill sets.

Training and certifications

The security you hire must be fully trained. This includes basic training courses to ensure that they’re capable of handling the demands of the average security job. It also includes the education they need to obtain state licensing. With ongoing training for advanced placement, including online and practical courses, security professionals can offer the best possible services for each client.

Candidates will also need specialized training for the specific industry, client, or facility they’re assigned to protect. For example, Hebert says you may need to look for qualifications like CPR, AED, First Aid certifications, and training in areas like de-escalation. Some industries benefit from guards trained in areas like trauma-informed care in healthcare and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in the education space.

Physical and mental fitness

Security guards must be well-trained in the appropriate use of force and understand their legal boundaries within their jurisdiction. For example, in some regions, private security guards can only detain those suspected of a crime until law enforcement arrives. The use of physical force during this process can lead to legal repercussions. 

As well, physical force should only be considered the security guard has determined that a threat cannot be de-escalated using verbal intervention.

Physical and psychological fitness is critical, not just for effective performance,but for the well-being of the security professionals themselves. Therefore, when recruiting for security guards, ensure the job description is inclusive of the physical requirements necessary to meet the expectations of the job. For positions with a high physical demand, consider requiring the successful passing of a medical physical exam or job requirements of lifting up to 25 lbs. It has also become best practice to conduct some form of psychological assessment for candidates who will carry firearms.

Hebert notes a few ways to determine whether a security guard will respond well in high-stress situations. “The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior,” she says. “So asking questions about how they’ve responded to specific situations in the past can reveal how they might respond in the future.”

Background and experience

Previous experience in a similar line of work is a good indicator of how a candidate will perform. A military or law enforcement background is ideal, as is prior employment in the security sector. An understanding of the laws and regulations around the limitations of private security is necessary to ensure you remain compliant.

Trustworthiness and integrity

Business owners and managers must trust the security professionals they hire to protect their facilities and those within them. Hiring managers should use the interview process to establish a sense of commitment to honesty and integrity.

Crafting a job description

When hiring security guards, your chances of finding the right candidate hinge on your ability to craft a clear and comprehensive job description. What must you include to ensure you don’t waste time on applicants who can’t meet your needs?

Your job description should provide a comprehensive outline of the role's responsibilities, required qualifications, key skills, and expectations. This will help attract suitable candidates and ensure they understand the position clearly.

Below is a sample outline of sections to include in a security guard job description:

• Job title
• Job summary
• Key responsibilities
• Qualifications
• Soft skills
• Technical skills
• Working conditions
• Physical requirements
• Compensation and benefits
• Application process
• Basic qualifications
• Duties and expectations
• Facility-specific security duties

Where to find qualified security guards

There are several ways to find qualified security guards including:

• Recommendations from industry peers.
• Ads on targeted job boards.
• Reach outs through social media.
• Partnering with security training institutions in your area.

But one of the best ways to procure the services you need is to go through a reputable security agency like PalAmerican. Our extensive services include tailored solutions to fit your exact business needs, whether you’re interested in hiring armed guards, finding a qualified senior security officer, scheduling mobile patrols, or ensuring rapid response in emergency scenarios. 

Start exploring your options for dependable security guard services today.

The interview process

Once you have selected a pool of candidates from the applicants, a robust interview process is vital to selecting the right candidate(s).

There are several important areas to cover in the interview process. Applications and resumes can provide key information, but asking targeted, behavioral-based questions will provide better insight into" a candidate’s specific experience, situational judgment, work ethic, and professional demeanor. Besides asking questions, you can get insight into these areas primarily by interviewing references from previous employers.

Here are some factors to consider:

• Has the candidate worked in your type of business before? 
• How have they responded to confrontation in the past, and how will they react in the future?
• Are they capable of de-escalating tense situations to avoid damage and personal harm? 

Asking prospective security officers the right questions can help you determine whether they’re a good fit for your company’s needs, goals, and values.

Hebert suggests asking specific questions that will directly indicate how a candidate will respond to the type of incidents you expect. For example, asking a candidate, "Tell about a time when," rather than "What would you do if?" is a better performance indicator. 

Sample interview questions

Here are a few sample interview questions that go beyond the resume to provide crucial insights into a candidate’s suitability:

• Why are you interested in this position, and what makes you the best candidate?
• What duties have you performed in previous security jobs that might apply to working for my company?
• Tell me about a time when you intervened with a verbally aggressive person who was making a complaint.?
• Describe a time when you were able to communicate successfully with another person even when that individual may not have liked you.
• When was the last time you had to act when there was no policy or formal procedure to do so?

Questions like these can help you better understand who a candidate is and the type of performance you can expect from them.

Interview red flags

Certain answers and behaviors during an interview could serve as a warning that a given candidate isn’t right for the job. For example, the inability to answer questions using specific examples or blaming others for circumstances that affected them are warning signs to be considered.

Watch out for candidates who are quick to get flustered during the interview or show other signs of poor temperament or bad judgment, such as getting offended if you bring up a shortcoming on their resume. Any candidate who disparages a previous employer or otherwise displays unprofessional behavior, such as complaining about prior coworkers, should also be considered questionable.

Vetting and background checks

Background checks are an important part of the hiring process, as they can tell you things a candidate may not reveal themselves. However, not all background checks are the same. It is important to understand if the process you are using is capable of checking the criminal background across multiple counties and states.

In addition to background checks, license verification and other required certifications are necessary in the hiring process. Drug screening security candidates is another common practice that may be required in some jurisdictions or industries. Businesses can eliminate the burden of navigating the recruiting and hiring process by working with a qualified security company that can hire and manage a qualified security team for you.

Training and onboarding new security guards

A thorough onboarding process will help ensure that new security hires understand your policies, procedures, and performance expectations. By clearly setting your expectations up front, you also set your new hires up for success and minimize the risk of miscommunication.

Effective onboarding is vital to the successful development of your security personnel.   A background in law enforcement or security is helpful but not sufficient to prepare a new officer to meet the expectations of your facility. In addition to the basic security training needed, include site-specific information about your business, the services offered, any vulnerabilities already identified, the policies and procedures security personnel are expected to enforce, and contact information for critical incident notifications.

The cost of hiring a security guard

As with any position, the costs of hiring security guards will depend on several factors, including your industry, experience required, and recruitment costs. 

For example, an armed security guard in the U.S. can earn $25 to $30 per hour in locations with the highest pay. The average salary security guard salary in the US is $17.68 per hour. If you use a recruiter, you can expect to pay 15–25% of the guard’s salary on top of that.

In addition to base salary, you’ll need to consider benefits like health insurance and 401(k) programs, which can vary greatly in cost depending on the program. Then, you may need to reimburse employees for education, certification, and uniforms, which could be $100–$200 per employee to start.

On the other hand, outsourcing to an established and reputable security firm like PalAmerican can save you time and money. For one transparent fee, a firm can deliver the reliable service you need while managing various expenses on its end.

Partner with PalAmerican for your security hiring needs

Once you’ve determined your security needs, you can begin the hiring process by creating a job description, interviewing and vetting candidates, and training your security staff. Alternatively, you can partner with a trusted security agency like PalAmerican to provide the capable professionals and reliable services you need with less hassle.

Contact us to learn more about tailored solutions for security guard services and discover why PalAmerican is an ideal choice for protecting your business.