How to become a Corporate Security Officer
Becoming a Corporate Security Officer is a great way to open the door to the world of security. Before you can be considered for employment you will have to obtain the relevant license. The license required for this position is the SIA Door Supervisor Licence. This license will equip you with the skills that you need to properly carry out the duties of a Corporate Security Officer. They will help you learn about the essentials of security and how to efficiently carry out your role and maintain a level of professionalism at all times.
Course cost
The SIA door supervisor licence is a six-day course that also features multiple-choice exams as well as practical assessments. The training for the licence costs around £300.
There is also a licence fee to pay after training of £184.00 and it is valid for three years.
You can apply and pay for your license, at a local post office or online. The total cost of the course and the license is approximately £484.00 Some companies may also require that you have a CCTV Licence.
Legal Requirements
The SIA licence requires you to:
- Be over 18 years of age
- Have proof that you are allowed to work in the UK ( such as a visa)
- A criminal background check
- A mental health check
- Have passed your SIA course
Typical job description and responsibilities
The most important aspect of your job will be providing protection for the financial institution or corporation that you are assigned to. As such you can expect to have varying roles depending on the type of organisation that you are placed in.
Corporate Security Officer Duties and Responsibilities:
- Ensure that visitors entering the building are properly searched to ensure they pose no threat to personnel at your assignment.
- Log the names of those entering the building and recording the time that they leave.
- Respond to alarms and ensure that you can assist with emergencies.
As you will be dealing with many people in a corporate setting during the day you should be prepared to be professional and courteous but assertive when the need arises. You will also be a part of a team that should communicate well to ensure that all access points of the building that you are guarding are safe. Part of the job also includes patrols, especially when you are working at night and stopping any thefts from happening. It is a role that can vary quite a lot depending on where you are assigned.
Following training for this role, you will be equipped with the skills to:
- Conduct regular area patrols
- Complete security documentation
- Supervise and control access to your assigned location
- Communicate clearly with staff at all levels of organisation
Working Conditions
This position, like many others in security, demands that you maintain your physical fitness. That’s because you will be expected to conduct many different tasks during a normal shift. You can expect to be kept quite busy. However, since you will be working with a team you will still get adequate rest as needed but you can expect long hours in one location.
Some companies will keep you at a location for long periods as some clients don’t like too many personnel changes. This is especially true at corporations. Your observation skills should be impeccable. The corporation that you are assigned to will depend on your team for safety so that they can conduct their business without fear.
Skills and personal qualities required:
A Corporate Security Officer needs to be:
- Detail-oriented
- Physically fit
- A quick problem solver
- Able to quickly communicate with the rest of the team and coordinate accordingly
- Able to implement and follow the correct security systems
- Knowledgeable of licensing laws and health and safety regulations
- Able to write incident reports
Education required:
There are no specific qualifications such as GCSEs required to take your SIA course. However, because all you need is your SIA qualification you will be competing with a lot of people from countries around the world who have the right to work in the UK. You should have at least a strong command of English as you will be required to listen and understand situations as well as write reports and communicate with your team.
Benefits of the job:
There are many benefits to becoming an Area Relief Security Officer. Some of them include:
- Increased earnings as you learn more about the security industry
- Developing real investigative skills
- Learning more about the corporate world
- Learning how to respond to emergencies
Life skills they would acquire
Since you will be expected to be physically fit, maintaining your health both on and off the job can become an advantage to your overall well-being. You will also learn how to work as a member of a team. Sometimes you may be positioned at one site for long periods so you may develop new skills that apply to your level of concentration and focus.
You can also expect to:
- Develop observational skills
- Learn about property management skills
- Learn how to be more patient