15+ Pros and Cons of Being a Security Guard (Explained)

A security guard is a person who watches over their customer and their assets and guards them against the danger of assault attempts, violence, theft, and other risks. They inspect and patrol property against theft, fire, terrorism, vandalism, and other illegal activity.

They also provide security during the transportation of people and assets and for events.

They install alarms, controlled access equipment, and security devices in and around the premises. Though usually, they carry weapons to enhance overall safety and security and for protection. They may be unarmed.

Advantages of Being a Security Guard	Disadvantages of Being a Security Guard
Thrill and adventure	Longer working hours
Entry to places	Risk of life
Professional and social networking	Busy weekends and holiday
Develop and sharpen various skills	Low Pay
Job Outlook	Difficult Work
Future Opportunities	Maintaining reports along with being vigil

Advantages of Being a Security Guard

Opportunity to work with kids Thrill and adventure

This job is filled with thrill and adventure. Each day of a security guard is different. In the course of their career as security guards, they tend to work on more than one site.

This lets them experience various places and people. Moreover, by working at different sites one will be able to gain various skills like emergency intervention, involving investigation, supporting police, first aid, guarding foreign dignitaries, plainclothes work, and other security staff.

Entry to places

The advantage security guards have is that they have access to places where not everyone is allowed. As they are manning security they can enter most places of the site they are posted.

They get to experience things like VIP lounges, private villas of the famous & rich, bank vaults, backstages at concerts, and government establishments. They can see how things are managed, how famous and rich people live.

They are reported to use refreshments left by VIPs and pool Jacuzzi after being used by VIPs.

Professional and social networking

As they get posted at key events, offices, and residences of key importance, they get to interact with key people.

They range from doctors, teachers, lawyers, nurses, politicians, and business owners. They may get to know key people better as they have longer interactions. Most rich and famous people depend on them for their security.

This interaction with rich and famous people allows them to develop professional and social networks. These networks can be used for their personal advantages and professional careers.

Develop and sharpen various skills

As security guards have exposure to various tasks and businesses. They can explore the entire site. They experience how things get managed backstage.

The overhear what is going on in VIP lounges. As they are habitual keen observers, they are able to gain various new skills.

They may become versatile people. As they have longer exposure, they can easily sharpen their skill sets. Skills may be patrolling, customer service, team management, event management, and more.

Job Outlook

There are very few professions that are recession-proof. A security guard is one of those. Though it may appear overhyped and not a priority to several people.

Many professionals lose jobs, face pay cuts, or are sent to the bench during the recession. The professional outlook for several careers within the security sector is excellent.

Any threat or increase in security risks like terrorist attacks or other violent criminal attacks has created an urgent requirement for security guards who can guard people.

Banks Airports, shopping malls, casinos, key events, symposiums,s and a variety of other rich and famous people hire security guards to ensure their customers of a safe environment.

Future Opportunities

The career of security guard along with job security leads to a plethora of future career opportunities.

A security guard may start their career with entry-level security positions and can be promoted to the designation of security supervisor or in the case of a casino security staff pit boss.

Moreover, if they project themselves as qualified security staff while working for their company, one may be able to set up an independent firm as a private security provider.

Disadvantages of Being a Security Guard

Longer working hours

As their duty is to guard and provide security to persons or establishments. Their working hours are among the longest.

In the current world, where people are demanding four days working week or six hours per day, security guards are deployed six days a week or 12 hours a day.

As a security guard ends up working long hours but for most, it does not match up with their lifestyle. A security guard suffers from anxiety, stress, and digestive disorder as they have to stand or sit for most of their workday.

Risk of life

A security guard is exposed to violence during their routine working day. As they provide security or guard rich and famous or important establishments.

They get inherent risk which pertains to rich and famous or to important establishments. Banks and jeweler shops keep security guards for their safety. However, the guard who is providing security is exposed to risk.

The security guard provides security to the rich who get killed or hurt.

Security guards have to be vigilant, use safety accessories like bulletproof vests. However, despite training, accessories, and being vigilant, security guards may lose their life or get hurt.

Busy weekends and holiday

The actual work hour for security guards is challenging. In most cases, people who are posted as security guards are required to be in place of posting the entire night or throughout the weekend.

It leaves very little time for being with family members and friends. As security services are required each day of the year, security guards are usually required to work during weekends and holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Thus the security guard gets socially distanced from society, friends, and relatives.

Low Pay

Security guards do not earn a handsome package considering the efforts they put into their work. The security guards work in shifts around the year and most are paid a salary per hour.

As per available online surveys in 2020-21, security guards earned an average income of USD $ 30, 000.

It translates that half earn more than this amount and the other half earn less. Consequently, their income increases with experience, which is still lower as compared to that of other professions.

Difficult Work

All security guards maintain regular vigilance at their place of work guarding and reporting on any abnormality or skeptical activities and step in or call for assistance if there is an against the law incident.

The security guard has to be on vigil irrespective of the time, which is usually tough for the most part at night in dark and extremely hot, cold conditions or rainy season working alone.

For cutting costs, guards are given a large area to guard, it makes their task tougher.

Maintaining reports along with being vigil

Security guards need to maintain proper logs of incidents, visitors, and testing for their employers. They have to compile daily reports for briefing guards who are to be deployed at incoming shifts.

It is very tough as one has to do two tasks simultaneously. While both tasks need proper attention and a mistake may risk their life or job. The duty guard is to intervene when security guards witness illegal or undesirable activities in the area.

Often employers place security guards at a difficult place when they have to deal with aggressive, unruly, suspicious, irate or dangerous people.