Transferable skills
Attention to detail
One of the most important skills as a security officer is detecting if anything seems out of the ordinary. They must always be aware of their surroundings and look for anything suspicious. Security officers should know what activity is unusual and act on it immediately if it poses a threat to the public.
Patience
The majority of the time security officers are working, they may not have many tasks to perform besides waiting for a situation to happen. They often spend long periods standing in the same place, so they should be patient while they wait for an incident requiring their attention.
Physical fitness
A security officer should be physically active and ready to detain a suspect if necessary. They may need to run to catch an intruder or secure a suspect until the police arrive. Security officers should maintain a high level of fitness and strength for these situations.
Communication
Security officers may encounter many people in their job, including suspects, the public and emergency personnel. They should know how to listen to others to obtain the required information and be able to clearly communicate directions. A security officer must also know how to calm or comfort people in challenging situations.
Decision-making
There may be minimal time to react in an emergency, so security officers should know how to quickly assess a situation and make a quick and effective decision. This could include deciding if a person is a threat to themselves or others or choosing which person to pursue if there are multiple suspects in an emergency.
For more information on transferrable skills in the security sector, visit Indeed.com
