How to hire an unarmed security officer

How to hire an unarmed security officer, step by step

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

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

What does an unarmed security officer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The unarmed security officer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an unarmed security officer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an unarmed security officer that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of unarmed security officer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Unarmed Security Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Unarmed Security Officer	Security guards and gaming surveillance officers patrol and protect property against theft, vandalism, terrorism, and illegal activity.	$11-19
   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... Show more	$12-49
   Security/Customer Service	A security/customer service is primarily in charge of enforcing security protocols in business establishments to prevent theft and protect properties and individuals. Part of their daily responsibilities is to patrol areas, keep an eye out for any suspicious activities or behavior, monitor security systems and cameras, and conduct regular inspections... Show more	$11-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Customer Service
   • Unarmed Security
   • Emergency Situations
   • Law Enforcement
   • CPR
   • Security Services
   • Safety Hazards
   • Property Damage
   • Fire Hazards
   • Incident Reports
   • Patients
   • Security Systems
   • Pedestrian Traffic

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain a fully stock first aid, CPR and a pack.
   • Check ids and contract of all rental cars going out of budget rental car.
   • protect client and client assets, observe and report, CPR train, first aid train ,
   • Patrol hospital and grounds to ensure a safe and secure environment for associates, patients and their families and visitors.
   • Maintain alertness during duty period.
   • Experience dealing effectively with de- escalating aggressive behavior in patients.

   More unarmed security officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your unarmed security officer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An unarmed security officer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an unarmed security officer in Mississippi may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level unarmed security officer usually earns less than a senior-level unarmed security officer. Additionally, an unarmed security officer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average unarmed security officer salary

   $15.14hourly

   $31,496 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level unarmed security officer salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average unarmed security officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Minnesota	$40,468	$19
   2	California	$39,913	$19
   3	Washington	$38,795	$19
   4	District of Columbia	$37,567	$18
   5	New York	$37,155	$18
   6	Massachusetts	$36,250	$17
   7	Oregon	$35,169	$17
   8	Colorado	$34,895	$17
   9	Nevada	$34,483	$17
   10	Utah	$34,145	$16
   11	Virginia	$32,212	$15
   12	New Jersey	$32,140	$15
   13	Missouri	$32,094	$15
   14	Illinois	$31,811	$15
   15	Maryland	$31,798	$15
   16	Arizona	$31,282	$15
   17	Wisconsin	$30,662	$15
   18	Pennsylvania	$30,121	$14
   19	Oklahoma	$29,251	$14
   20	Michigan	$29,071	$14

   Average unarmed security officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Inter-Con Security Systems	$39,482	$18.98	313
   2	Brightstar	$36,684	$17.64	2
   3	Tri Cities	$35,630	$17.13	11
   4	Cleveland Clinic	$35,428	$17.03	16
   5	Henry Ford Health System	$34,367	$16.52
   6	Sampson Regional Medical Center	$33,642	$16.17
   7	BJC HealthCare	$33,582	$16.15	15
   8	1st Security Bank	$33,510	$16.11	31
   9	Bon Secours Community Hospital	$33,414	$16.06	26
   10	Indian Rivers Behavioral Health	$32,944	$15.84
   11	City of Charlotte	$32,889	$15.81	7
   12	guardian security systems	$32,852	$15.79	9
   13	Choctaw Casinos & Resorts	$32,387	$15.57
   14	The Henry Ford	$32,115	$15.44
   15	RWJBarnabas Health	$31,909	$15.34	10
   16	Choctaw Nation Of Oklahoma	$31,456	$15.12	12
   17	Monarch Casino & Resort	$31,279	$15.04	10
   18	Defense Technologies International	$31,255	$15.03	9
   19	Placers	$31,143	$14.97	1
   20	Green	$31,100	$14.95	5

4. Writing an unarmed security officer job description

   A good unarmed security officer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an unarmed security officer job description:

   Unarmed security officer job description example

   Job DescriptionUnarmed Security Officers -Flex – $18.50/hr - Hiring Immediately!
   
   

   HIRING IMMEDIATELY

   Sunstates Security is currently hiring Full-time Flex Unarmed Security Officers in the Georgetown, TX area. 2nd and 3rd shift {including weekends} posts are available and offer a starting pay rate of $18.50/hr , - with weekly pay.

   Requirements:

   • Full Covid-19 Vaccine Required

   • Texas Level II Unarmed Security License in hand.

   • Training/Licensing available for eligible candidates.

   • 1 Year of Unarmed Security experience. Preferred

   • 2 Years of Customer Service experience.

   • Reliable means of transportation.

   • Reliable means of communications.

   • Must have open availability to work any day including weekends and holidays as needed and willing to work overtime as required.

   • Knowledge of Access Control Systems, CCTV Systems and Alarm monitoring.

   A Security Officer may perform a multitude of duties as specified by the Post Orders and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). The Security Officer will read and become extremely knowledgeable of Post Orders and SOP, and will be able to act quickly and efficiently according to such directives. Sun123

   
   
   

   Join one of the fastest-growing and largest privately-held security companies in the U.S.! Since 1998, Sunstates Security has established a reputation for providing excellent customer service and quality work environments while being recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers in 2021 and 2022. At Sunstates Security, we're committed to hiring, developing and retaining a diverse and exceptionally qualified workforce. As a result, our employees are skilled, knowledgeable and dedicated to providing clients with flawless security service and the peace of mind that comes with it.
   
   We work hard to recruit and to retain the best and the brightest people for each client and every site location. We instill in our employees the Sunstates promise to provide a safe, disciplined and friendly work environment with an opportunity for career advancement.
   
   If you're searching for a career with challenging and rewarding opportunities, we invite you to explore the possibilities at Sunstates Security. As a proactive security partner for some of the country's leading companies and organizations, we provide careers for talented people to become part of a successful, growing company.

   
   
   

   Only candidates who meet our rigorous employment standards and who are excellent matches for open positions (as personally verified by Site Managers) are invited to join our security team.
   
   We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and supporter of our military veterans!

   
   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find unarmed security officers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any unarmed security officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level unarmed security officers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit unarmed security officers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 unarmed security officer

   Once you've selected the best unarmed security officer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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How much does it cost to hire an unarmed security officer?