Traditional Jobs Boards don’t understand security industry specifics.

I shake my head in despair at some of the absolutely awful ways that so many of the big jobs websites display security industry vacancies.

Looking at things objectively, I suppose that most of the big recruitment services need to use a “one size fits all” approach to advertising vacancies. Sadly, when it comes to the UK security industry, this approach never works, and one size never ever fits the needs of Security Officers.

So much of the basic essential information required for any job in the security industry, is missing or misleading. Here are some of the things that drive me bananas…..

Correct job titles.

So many Job Boards insist on putting I.T. or engineering jobs in the security section because they do not know what to do with them. How many times have you seen a job advertised for a “security manager” or “security supervisor” only to reach line 279 of the job description, where it finally points out that that the employer is actually looking for a cyber security manager or a security equipment installation supervisor. If you need a cyber security, information security, or security engineering professional, say so in the job title!

Pay rate.

Many potential employers still get away with not listing pay rates. Failing to display the pay rate on offer, or rolling out the usual, “competitive salary” or “rate dependant on experience” garbage, means to the reader, “don’t bother, the pay is going to be abysmal, move on to the next.”

Front line security professionals are currently scandalously underpaid. Fact. So think. You are not recruiting cyber security leads here, or information security managers, for whom a remuneration package can range from £50k to £170k p.a. or more and for whom the promise of a “competitive salary” will mean something totally different, maybe even the joy of being able to trade up their 2-year-old BMW 5 series, this year.

Without putting an hourly rate, or an annual salary, front and centre in an ad, a job seeker in front-line security simply won’t know if the pay offered is enough to get him or her to and from their place of employment, whilst being able to feed the family and keep up with the rent or mortgage payments. If the figures do not add up, decent candidates will not apply. If the figures are not even displayed, you’ll be very lucky to get anyone interested in the job at all, no matter how wonderful you may think it is.

State the genuine average weekly hours, and contract type.

Another rather shady thing that seems to be creeping into security job ads is quoting a fantastic hourly pay rate, but forgetting to mention that it is only for a 40 or 42 hour week. For decades, security officers have been able to earn passable salaries by working long hours and even putting in overtime. Taking this away from officers may seem like a wonderful way to help their “work life balance” but believe me, there is no work life balance, if you don’t earn enough to live on, or to support your family.

If the contract offered is “Zero Hours” say so. The “flexibility” offered by these contracts do not provide the consistency or security that many with commitments require.

Where is the place of work?

Your potential new recruit may not be able to run a car or afford an all-zones London Transport Travelcard or regional equivalent. Only saying that the place of work is in London, or the West Midlands area may potentially mean unacceptably long journey times, or excessive and unviable travel costs. If the site is based in Romford, Essex, say so! Not East London or Southeast England, even if you are trying to attract more applicants.

What do you need the security officer to do?

Be specific. If you need an officer to perform a high-end corporate reception and access control role, just say so. This can be done with a standard Security SIA Licence.

If you need someone to monitor licensed premises as any part of their duties, you will need to ask for an officer with a Door Supervisor’s licence. If any of this “monitoring” requires CCTV surveillance of public areas, then an SIA CCTV Operators Licence will also be needed.

If you require a security professional to perform close protection of clients, security driving or HNW residential security functions, then look at officers holding a valid SIA Close Protection licence.

Please note: Security Industry Authority Licences and the statutory training designed for them, are for different roles. They are not in some “order of excellence” or ranked by superiority. Let’s be absolutely clear, someone with a Close Protection Licence may be as unsuitable for a corporate security role as a Security licence holder would be for protecting a Head of State. If you need a security officer to work in your local retail store, or at the reception in your office, please do not require them to have an SIA Close Protection license. Even James Bond wouldn’t have much of a clue what he was doing, and probably wouldn’t work for £10.50 an hour anyway.

Be realistic and honest with your requirements for the role.

Consider important relevant experience, training and qualifications that may assist with the performing of the role advertised, or be beneficial for the department or your staff in general. Insisting that all applicants must have a minimum of a university degree, or a masters, is frankly absurd, unless the role was of an important strategic nature for which a relevant degree would be a distinct benefit. Favouring an applicant that has a “Desmond” (ask a graduate) in Art History from the University of Deptford, over someone with a few years’ experience in a similar role to the one required, is all too common at the moment, and words cannot begin to convey the stupidity of the job poster.

Summary.

• Please use the correct job title.
• Always clearly post your pay rate, and frequency of payment. (If you are at all embarrassed by the rate you want to pay, good. You clearly do not understand the importance of security. Carefully think about the level of responsibility that you are asking for, and the value of that function to your business!)
• Always post the location of the assignment.
• Clearly state the sector of the industry the vacancy is in. (Corporate, retail, event, construction, education, warehousing, licenced premises, monitoring and control room, mobile patrols, keyholding, close protection etc……)
• Be specific about the responsibilities and duties that are to be performed.
• Be honest and genuine in the requirements needed to apply for the role.
• Be flexible during your selection process. Officers may work shifts and very long hours, and have important commitments in between, so please be mindful when arranging interviews or discussions.
• Do not forget to list any company benefits. Things like sick pay, SIA Licence funding, PDP schemes, Free uniform, Flexible pay systems, Discount schemes, Onsite parking, Subsidised travel etc, all go a long way to sway recruits in your direction, when pay rates are similar.

Want to see how it should be done?

Take a look at https://www.get-licensed.co.uk/jobs and get an idea of what a security industry Jobs Board should look like, from the industry experts.