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What is an unarmed security guard and how to become one
An unarmed security guard is a safety officer who surveys and monitors a property to keep it free of illegal and criminal activities.
They work on a flexible schedule, which includes long hours at night and on weekends. To make sure that the property is secure, they routinely scan the premises. And aside from patrolling the area, the unarmed security guard keeps a close watch on the premises through closed-circuit TV cameras.
Other responsibilities of the unarmed security guard include updating security logs and verifying guests' identities. If they find suspicious and felonious persons, they may interrogate, report, and even detain them until the proper authorities arrive and put them under custody. And they must react accordingly to other emergencies.
To pursue this line of work, candidates must have at least a high school diploma. Companies often subject candidates to a training period and thorough background checks. Because the job requires stamina and physical strength, employers prefer physically fit applicants.
What general advice would you give to an unarmed security guard?
Jill Myers
Director of the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration
Avg. Salary $32,946
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 3%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.60%
Asian 5.68%
Black or African American 15.19%
Hispanic or Latino 17.78%
Unknown 5.33%
White 54.42%
Genderfemale 34.12%
male 65.88%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Unarmed security guard career paths
Key steps to become an unarmed security guard
Explore unarmed security guard education requirements
Start to develop specific unarmed security guard skills
Skills Percentages Unarmed Security 27.92% Patrol 21.15% Law Enforcement 16.29% Medical Emergencies 6.18% Unarmed Guard 5.59% Complete relevant unarmed security guard training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New unarmed security guards learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an unarmed security guard based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real unarmed security guard resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming an licensed unarmed security guard usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you don't need to pass an exam to become a licensed unarmed security guard in most of states. 30 states require unarmed security guards to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Alabama - - Licensed Personal Security Officer Maryland - - GUARDS Alaska Specific course required - Security Guard Arkansas Specific course required State exam required Private Security Officer (PSO) California Specific course required State exam required Security Guard Registration Research unarmed security guard duties and responsibilities
- Train and certify in CPR and in properly using an a
- Experience in route management, ATM replenishment, and vault inventory, processing currency deposits (large amounts).
- Replenish ATM's, remove paper jams - money jams, make sure that assign ATM locations are working properly.
- Conduct daily activity reports; monitor the CCTV system; sign visitors in/out; conduct daily rounds (perimeter check).
Prepare your unarmed security guard resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your unarmed security guard resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an unarmed security guard resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable unarmed security guard resume templates
Build a professional unarmed security guard resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your unarmed security guard resume.
Apply for unarmed security guard jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an unarmed security guard job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first unarmed security guard job
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Average unarmed security guard salary
The average unarmed security guard salary in the United States is $32,946 per year or $16 per hour. Unarmed security guard salaries range between $23,000 and $45,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do unarmed security guards rate their job?
Unarmed security guard reviews
The pay is not worth what you have to do sometimes
Meeting a lot of different people have helped people in this job
Protecting people and the property where I’m sign at.
There’s nothing about the officer that I don’t like
Yes because is a job that deal with helping people that your help and there's a wonderful happiness while working properly and helping people at the sometime.
One sometimes people will not like you but they need a help from you but to me a don't call it anything now because I know the status of the job even in a building I have work in that area as a security guard department with my license from United Arab Emirates.
Updated January 8, 2025
