What Does a Security Agent Do?

Security Agents guard the entrance and exit of a building, watching CCTV footage for unusual activities, and holding trespassers until authorities arrive. Being a security agent is usually a shift-based job and can sometimes last overnight. Security Agents must have first aid knowledge and basic skills with self-defense.

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Security Agent Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real security agent resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Respond to accidents, provide basic first aid and/or CPR and complete accident investigation reports.
Provide additional security patrol for numerous school events.
Monitor the facility using CCTV while simultaneously performing dispatch duties.
Establish efficient CCTV monitoring standards by distinguishing still cameras from controllable cameras.
Complete estate security using perimeter patrol and highly advance electronic surveillance and advance intrusion detection systems.
Maintain a standard of punctuality and dependability of attendance and retain myself cleanliness, tidiness, neatness and appropriately attire.
Provide armed escort for ATM repairpersons

Security Agent Job Description

Perhaps the hardest question to answer when deciding on a career as a security agent is "should I become a security agent?" You might find this info to be helpful. When compared to other jobs, security agent careers are projected to have a growth rate described as "as fast as average" at 4% from 2018 through 2028. This is in accordance with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What's more, is that the projected number of opportunities that are predicted to become available for a security agent by 2028 is 40,600.

On average, the security agent annual salary is $35,179 per year, which translates to $16.91 an hour. Generally speaking, security agents earn anywhere from $23,000 to $52,000 a year, which means that the top-earning security agents make $19,000 more than the ones at the lower end of the spectrum.

Once you've become a security agent, you may be curious about what other opportunities are out there. Careers aren't one size fits all. For that reason, we discovered some other jobs that you may find appealing. Some jobs you might find interesting include a protective officer, officer, armed guard, and public safety officer.

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Security Agent Jobs You Might Like

5 Security Agent Resume Examples

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Douglas Sullivan Security Agent Contact Information Newark, NJ (610) 555-3952 dsullivan@example.com Skills Client Property Emergency CPR Communication Staff Members Hospital Grounds Performance Evaluations Cctv Property Damage Customer Service Employment History Security Agent 2017 - Present Andrew International Services Newark, NJ Performed and executed emergency actions as well as maintained emergency contact information. Respond to all emergency emergency medical treatment until the Fire Department arrived on scene and/or legal matters until law enforcement arrived. Provide security services to Detroit Public Schools, Hospitals and Government Buildings. Performed physical security assessments and supervised civilian contract security officers. Prepared and presented briefings on security policies and various physical security topics to DOC officials, and Regional Security Officers. Reviewed physical security requirements and ensured their proper implementation; authored various security related correspondences for own or Group Leaders signature; Security Guards Dispatcher 2014 - 2017 SOS Security New York, NY Responded and assists others in emergency situations in a calm and effective manner. Provided security services to visitors and employees, ensured the security of the building and it's facilities. Write daily activity reports of every activity on site. Issue keys and radios, monitor CCTV cameras and assist Supervisor with computer input/output. Security/Customer Service 2004 - 2014 SOS Security New York, NY Coordinate with the supervisors/officers during any medical, mechanical, structural, employee issues or emergency. Create detailed incident reports and daily activity reports (DAR). Patrol facility or stand post as instructed. Oversee CCTV, conduct site radio check. Education High School Diploma 2004 - 2004


David Greene Security Agent Contact Info Denton, TX (860) 555-3090 dgreene@example.com Skills EMSAppropriate ActionFederal LawsSecurity ServicesProceduresPhysical SecurityUnarmed SecuritySecurity OfficersSubordinate UnitsResponder Employment History Security Agent 2020 - Present G4S Secure Solutions Denton, TX Handled, as well as evaluated emergency situations. Secure Facility Monitor any suspicious activity Give information to visitors and consumers Maintain safe and secure environment Provide unarmed guard services at gated community in Paradise Valley Az. included patrol of interior written incident reports and use of cctv cameras and dispatch center. Campus Security Officer 2012 - 2020 Andrew International Services Denton, TX Provide campus wide safety and security services for campus community members and university's physical property. Possess current First Aid & CPR certification. Provide traffic control when needed for mall or law enforcement. Field Training Officer 2006 - 2011 JPMorgan Chase Denton, TX Trained new Cadets in TSA regulations and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) knowledge. Developed knowledge of FRLE policies, procedures, the Bank's organizational structure and building layout. Conducted training on all law enforcement positions aboard the installation up to Watch Commander. Education Master's Degree Business 2011 - 2012 University of North Texas Denton, TX Bachelor's Degree Marketing 2003 - 2006 University of North Texas Denton, TX


David Greene Security Agent Denton, TX (860) 555-3090 dgreene@example.com Experience Security Agent2020 - Present G4S Secure Solutions•Denton, TX Handled, as well as evaluated emergency situations. Secure Facility Monitor any suspicious activity Give information to visitors and consumers Maintain safe and secure environment Provide unarmed guard services at gated community in Paradise Valley Az. included patrol of interior written incident reports and use of cctv cameras and dispatch center. Campus Security Officer2012 - 2020 Andrew International Services•Denton, TX Provide campus wide safety and security services for campus community members and university's physical property. Possess current First Aid & CPR certification. Provide traffic control when needed for mall or law enforcement. Field Training Officer2006 - 2011 JPMorgan Chase•Denton, TX Trained new Cadets in TSA regulations and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) knowledge. Developed knowledge of FRLE policies, procedures, the Bank's organizational structure and building layout. Conducted training on all law enforcement positions aboard the installation up to Watch Commander. Skills EMSAppropriate ActionFederal LawsSecurity ServicesProceduresPhysical SecurityUnarmed SecuritySecurity OfficersSubordinate UnitsResponder Education Master's Degree Business2011 - 2012 University of North Texas•Denton, TX Bachelor's Degree Marketing2003 - 2006 University of North Texas•Denton, TX

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Security Agent Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 17% of Security Agents are proficient in Customer Service, Patrol, and Emergency Situations. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Good judgment, and Observation skills.

We break down the percentage of Security Agents that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Customer Service, 17%
Provide exemplary customer service in airport terminal while making sure that all passengers have valid identification and are authorized to board flights
Patrol, 17%
Perform routine patrol of interior and exterior checks at AMBU Facility, a manufacturing warehouse for emergency medical equipment.
Emergency Situations, 10%
Collaborated with the Police and Fire departments responding to all emergency situations by adhering to company policy and procedural guidelines.
CPR, 9%
Trained in First-aid, CPR and AED usage (maintained on a yearly basis) and utilized said training as needed.
Loss Prevention, 3%
Completed Loss Prevention shift summary/daily activity report and maintained confidentiality of all Security/Loss Prevention and property reports/documents.
Safety Hazards, 3%
Identify potential safety hazards and report to Supervisor; provide exceptional guest service.

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"customer service," "patrol," and "emergency situations" aren't the only skills we found security agents list on their resumes. In fact, there's a whole list of security agent responsibilities that we found, including:

The most important skills for a security agent to have in this position are communication skills. In this excerpt that we gathered from a security agent resume, you'll understand why: "security guards and officers must communicate effectively with others, even in stressful situations." According to resumes we found, communication skills can be used by a security agent in order to "maintain communications with facility management and loss prevention. "

Another commonly found skill for being able to perform security agent duties is the following: good judgment. According to a security agent resume, "security guards and officers must be able to quickly determine the best course of action when a dangerous situation arises." Check out this example of how security agents use good judgment: "provided good customer service to airport patrons. "

Security agents are also known for observation skills, which can be critical when it comes to performing their duties. An example of why this skill is important is shown by this snippet that we found in a security agent resume: "security guards and officers must be alert and aware of their surroundings, and be able to quickly recognize anything out of the ordinary." We also found this resume example that details how this skill is put to the test: "preformed observation and compiled reports of all activities on property, including daily reports, incident reports and contact reports. "

A security agent responsibilities sometimes require "patience." The responsibilities that rely on this skills are shown by this resume excerpt: "security guards and officers may need to spend long periods standing and observing their environment without distractions." This resume example shows how this skill is used by security agents: "completed interior and exterior hospital patrols, perform fire drills, assist hospital staff, patience, and visitors as needed. "

See the full list of security agent skills.

Before becoming a security agent, 34.2% earned their bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree, 4.0% security agents went for the extra education. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, some security agents have a college degree. But about one out of every four security agents didn't attend college at all.

The security agents who went onto college to earn a more in-depth education generally studied criminal justice and business, while a small population of security agents studied general studies and psychology.

Once you're ready to become a security agent, you should explore the companies that typically hire security agents. According to security agent resumes that we searched through, security agents are hired the most by GardaWorld Federal Services, Allied Universal, and Colorado Convention Center. Currently, GardaWorld Federal Services has 49 security agent job openings, while there are 12 at Allied Universal and 11 at Colorado Convention Center.

But if you're interested in companies where you might earn a high salary, security agents tend to earn the biggest salaries at Inter-Con Security Systems, University of California, Berkeley, and UC Santa Barbara. Take Inter-Con Security Systems for example. The median security agent salary is $51,430. At University of California, Berkeley, security agents earn an average of $47,800, while the average at UC Santa Barbara is $47,354. You should take into consideration how difficult it might be to secure a job with one of these companies.

View more details on security agent salaries across the United States.

If you earned a degree from the top 100 educational institutions in the United States, you might want to take a look at Securitas AB, Securitas AB, and U.S. Security Associates. These three companies have hired a significant number of security agents from these institutions.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious security agents are:

GardaWorld Federal Services49 Security Agents Jobs
Allied Universal12 Security Agents Jobs
Colorado Convention Center
11 Security Agents Jobs

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What Protective Officers Do

A protective officer is in charge of preventing theft and damages in stores and other establishments. Among their responsibilities include monitoring alarm systems and surveillance cameras, patrolling areas, keeping an eye on suspicious activities and behavior, developing strategies to enforce security protocols, and responding to distress. There are also instances where they must conduct inspections and produce reports. Furthermore, as a protective officer, it is essential to coordinate with law enforcement should the situation require.

In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take protective officer for example. On average, the protective officers annual salary is $5,350 higher than what security agents make on average every year.

While their salaries may differ, one common ground between security agents and protective officers are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like customer service, patrol, and emergency situations.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. A security agent responsibility is more likely to require skills like "safety oversight," "hotel guests," "aoa," and "front desk." Whereas a protective officer requires skills like "patients," "criminal justice," "vehicle inspections," and "security industry." Just by understanding these different skills you can see how different these careers are.

Protective officers receive the highest salaries in the professional industry coming in with an average yearly salary of $38,169. But security agents are paid more in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $37,992.

The education levels that protective officers earn is a bit different than that of security agents. In particular, protective officers are 1.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a security agent. Additionally, they're 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of an Officer?

An officer is responsible for managing the daily operations of the assigned area, ensuring its peace and security by monitoring and reporting unusual and suspicious activities. Officers are the ones enforcing strict safety protocols and procedures to maintain the order within the premises. They also coordinate with law enforcement agencies in conducting appropriate investigations for any violating cases. An officer must be highly-knowledgeable of the law policies, as well as possessing excellent leadership skills to manage the members under the officer's patrol.

Now we're going to look at the officer profession. On average, officers earn a $17,327 higher salary than security agents a year.

While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties. We used info from lots of resumes to find that both security agents and officers are known to have skills such as "customer service," "patrol," and "emergency situations. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, several resumes showed us that security agent responsibilities requires skills like "english language," "loss prevention," "safety oversight," and "federal regulations." But an officer might use skills, such as, "powerpoint," "law enforcement agencies," "financial statements," and "hr."

On the topic of education, officers earn higher levels of education than security agents. In general, they're 7.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How an Armed Guard Compares

Public relations assistants are professionals who are responsible for creating and distributing promotional materials to help clients increase their public image and awareness of their products and services. These assistants are required to help develop and distribute public relations materials such as brochures, pamphlets, newsletters, and sell sheets. They must handle all the communications of their clients to the public by supervising social media content, press releases, and emails. Public relations assistants must also gather materials to be used in trade shows or client presentations.

Let's now take a look at the armed guard profession. On average, these workers make higher salaries than security agents with a $8,010 difference per year.

Using security agents and armed guards resumes, we found that both professions have similar skills such as "patrol," "emergency situations," and "cpr," but the other skills required are very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers as shown by resumes from each profession. Some of those differences include the skills required to complete responsibilities within each role. As an example of this, a security agent is likely to be skilled in "customer service," "english language," "loss prevention," and "safety oversight," while a typical armed guard is skilled in "cash management," "national security," "law enforcement," and "traffic control."

Additionally, armed guards earn a higher salary in the non profits industry compared to other industries. In this industry, they receive an average salary of $40,152. Additionally, security agents earn an average salary of $37,992 in the hospitality industry.

Armed guards are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to security agents. Additionally, they're 2.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Public Safety Officer

Public safety officers tend to earn a higher pay than security agents by about $1,417 per year.

While their salaries may vary, security agents and public safety officers both use similar skills to perform their jobs. Resumes from both professions include skills like "customer service," "patrol," and "emergency situations. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a security agent might have more use for skills like "english language," "safety oversight," "federal regulations," and "hotel guests." Meanwhile, some public safety officers might include skills like "patients," "motor vehicle," "criminal justice," and "traffic control" on their resume.

In general, public safety officers make a higher salary in the health care industry with an average of $38,645. The highest security agent annual salary stems from the hospitality industry.

The average resume of public safety officers showed that they earn similar levels of education to security agents. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 0.0% less. Additionally, they're less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.0%.

Updated October 2, 2020