How to hire a Security

How to hire a security, step by step

Here's a step-by-step security hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a security job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new security
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Security do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your security job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a security for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A security's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, securities from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents security salaries for various positions.

   Type Of Security	Description	Hourly Rate
   Security	Security guards and gaming surveillance officers patrol and protect property against theft, vandalism, terrorism, and illegal activity.	$11-20
   Protective Officer	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... Show More	$13-27
   Protection Security Officer	A protection security officer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security within the premises to protect the employees and company assets. Protection security officers inspect the facilities and patrol around the building to identify unusual activities and monitor suspicious people... Show More	$12-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Patrol
   • Ladders
   • Property Damage
   • Good Judgment
   • Customer Service
   • Emergency Situations
   • Metal Detectors
   • CPR
   • STARS
   • Crowd Control
   • Transport Individuals
   • Safety Procedures
   • Loss Prevention
   • Incident Reports

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Administer first aide as needed and CPR.
   • Practice assertive alertness and interaction with guests and staff.
   • Job require driving, walking, and climbing stairs and ladders.
   • Gain training in CPR, first aid, and defibrillator usage.
   • Check ids and make sure no patrons allow any unauthorize entries into the building.
   • Work security for big events in deadwood check ids, check for wrist bands and watch for disruptions.

   More Security duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your security job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A security salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, securities' average salary in louisiana is 49% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level securities earn 47% less than senior-level securities.
   • Certifications. A security with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a security's salary.

   Average security salary

   $15.31hourly

   $31,836 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level security salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated April 27, 2025

   Average security salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	Washington	$41,330	$20
   2	California	$40,206	$19
   3	District of Columbia	$38,007	$18
   4	Maryland	$36,842	$18
   5	Massachusetts	$35,960	$17
   6	Oregon	$35,942	$17
   7	Minnesota	$35,887	$17
   8	New York	$35,563	$17
   9	Virginia	$33,902	$16
   10	Colorado	$32,708	$16
   11	Nevada	$31,450	$15
   12	Utah	$31,334	$15
   13	Arizona	$31,234	$15
   14	Illinois	$30,852	$15
   15	Kansas	$30,347	$15
   16	North Carolina	$29,859	$14
   17	Missouri	$29,257	$14
   18	Pennsylvania	$29,061	$14
   19	Michigan	$27,910	$13
   20	Texas	$27,084	$13

   Average security salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Microsoft	$83,212	$40.01	16
   2	IBM	$63,983	$30.76	11
   3	Google	$54,095	$26.01	68
   4	General Dynamics Mission Systems	$52,141	$25.07	7
   5	Jacobs Engineering Group	$50,484	$24.27
   6	Seattle Seahawks	$49,451	$23.77	2
   7	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$48,541	$23.34	166
   8	Brigham and Women's Hospital	$45,918	$22.08	1
   9	Booz Allen Hamilton	$44,640	$21.46	68
   10	Holton-Arms School	$43,821	$21.07
   11	Credit Suisse	$43,471	$20.90
   12	Salesforce	$42,273	$20.32	15
   13	UC Merced	$41,988	$20.19
   14	Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants	$40,950	$19.69	10
   15	United Service Technologies	$40,944	$19.68	1
   16	Willdan	$40,823	$19.63	14
   17	AEG	$40,738	$19.59	20
   18	Hyatt Hotels	$40,574	$19.51	55
   19	HEI Hotels & Resorts	$40,569	$19.50	5
   20	Mars	$40,014	$19.24

4. Writing a Security Job Description

   A security job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a security job description:

   Security job description example

   Perform protective and enforcement functions in a courteous and restrained manner in coping with emergencies, undesired conduct, disturbances and threats to life and property to maintain a safe and secure environment.
   
   + Spend majority of shift on foot patrol, walking, climbing stairs of the interior and perimeter of the hotel to observe and identify potential security and safety risks or undesirable conditions. Requires verbal communication using pager and two way radio, bending, stooping and kneeling.
   
   + Maintain order in the hotel, dealing with the welfare of guests, and assisting with door lock problems. Coordinate expedient response to emergency conditions such as fire, fire or safety hazards and threats to life and/or property in a calm, rational and persuasive manner. Handle undesired conduct and potential violations of hotel policy as warranted for the security and safety of hotel guests, associates, patrons and property. Requires grasping, lifting and or carrying or otherwise moving persons, packages, luggage, wheelchairs and safety equipment using manual dexterity of hands.
   
   + Watch for suspicious persons entering, exiting, or loitering around building. Conduct walk through observations of entire hotel. Promote safe work practices.
   
   + Answer security telephone and safety hotline calls and respond in a timely manner based on priority.
   
   + Observe the security monitors for any unusual activity and in the case of suspicious behavior report directly, via radio, to the supervisor on duty; report any alarms similarly.
   
   + Memorize and monitor life safety system installed at property including layout of entire building, alarm pull stations, location of fire extinguisher and sprinklers.
   + Comply with attendance rules and be available to work on a regular basis.
   
   + Perform any other job related duties as assigned.
   
   + Must be able to work a flexible schedule to include nights, holiday and weekends.
   
   Must have the ability to communicate in English. Self-starting personality with an even disposition. Maintain a professional appearance and manner at all times. Can communicate well with guests. Must be willing to "pitch-in" and help co- workers with their job duties and be a team player. Thorough knowledge of the layout of the building, function rooms, and some knowledge of the city and surrounding areas. Ability to stand, walk and/or sit and continuously perform essential job functions for duration of shift. Hearing and visual ability to observe and detect signs of emergency situations. Ability to perform tasks requiring bending, stooping, kneeling, and walking significant distances between and within buildings on the property. Ability to grasp, lift and/or carry or otherwise move goods weighing a maximum of 150 lbs. Sufficient manual dexterity in hands. Ability to climb stairs and ladders at a rapid pace. Ability to perform duties within extreme temperature ranges. Experience Required
   
   Florida Security License D & G , CCW required
   
   + Benefits
   
   + Free Parking
   
   + Matching 401-K
   
   + Room Discounts
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
   
   The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right security for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with securities they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit securities who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your security job on Zippia to find and recruit security candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with security candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new security

   Once you've found the security candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new security first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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