First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of security workers and security guards.

What you'd actually do

• Advise employees in handling problems or resolving complaints from customers, tenants, detainees, or other persons.
• Apprehend or evict trespassers, rule violators, or other security threats from the premises.
• Assign security personnel to posts or patrols.
• Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency, such as fire, bomb threats, and presence of unauthorized persons.
• Develop and document security procedures, policies, or standards.
• Explain company policies and procedures to staff using oral or written communication.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors; you're around people constantly. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0.7% of first-line supervisors of security workers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are take-charge, organized and detail-focused and hands-on.

Related careers

• Transportation Security Screeners
• Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
• First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
• First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
• Detectives and Criminal Investigators
• First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

Quick questions

How much does a first-line supervisors of security worker make?

The median pay is $26.90 per hour — roughly $56,000 a year, with the real range running from about $17.93/hr (10th percentile) to $44.35/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a first-line supervisors of security worker?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a first-line supervisors of security worker actually do all day?

Advise employees in handling problems or resolving complaints from customers, tenants, detainees, or other persons. Apprehend or evict trespassers, rule violators, or other security threats from the premises. Assign security personnel to posts or patrols.