There are many different avenues a career in security can take. This article focuses on the ever-expanding bar and restaurant industries, detailing some of the skills needed, taking a brief look at salary and outlining what tasks you will be expecting to fulfil on a daily basis.
Education and Qualifications
If you’re thinking of a career in bar or restaurant security it is likely you will need to have graduated from high school or hold an equivalent diploma, as well as having had at least one year of experience working in the security industry. In most cases, you will also need to have a license from a recognised security guard training institution. Sec-curity Safety Center offer professional training courses approved by the government, and at competitive rates. The specific qualifications you will need vary state to state, so make sure to investigate exactly what the state you intend to work in requires.
Security Guard Duties
There are a number of tasks which you will be expected to be qualified to fulfil in your role as a bar or restaurant security guard.
Your main role will be as front of house security/door supervisor, in which you will need to:
- Be able to greet guests in a friendly, welcoming manner whilst still monitoring your surroundings and being prepared to calmly solve conflicts and prevent them from escalating.
- If a scenario unfolds which is getting out of hand you will need be able to decide when it is appropriate to contact emergency services and act within your training to best protect your employer’s establishment, keeping guests and employees safe.
- This includes assessing the risk of fire and maintaining composure in emergency situations, leading evacuation procedures with efficiency and employing crowd control techniques.
- You will most likely be trusted to lock up and ensure that all alarms have been set, in doing so reducing the risk of theft and protecting the establishment’s property, stock and valuables.
- You will also need to be apt at scanning surveillance footage, with a keen eye for discrepancies and suspicious activity.
If you meet these requirements, you stand a good chance of getting a job in bar/restaurant security, in which the average salary is around $26,000 per year.