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5. CAREER PLANNING FOR PROTECTION PROFESSIONALS



3. While it is usually easy to see why someone

has been successful in a career, it may not

be evident why someone did not succeed.

“Nobody gives you a scorecard when it comes to

a career.”



EDUCATION

Education is the cornerstone of career placement and advancement. There are rare exceptions where advancement to the most senior

level has occurred without advanced degrees,

but for the most part, in today’s market, a

degree is essential. There are over 100 colleges

and universities offering degrees or programs

in security management and over 1,600 that

offer criminal justice degrees or programs.

Furthermore, many of these academic institutions offer online programs, enabling access for

more “nontraditional” students.

Additionally, education enables a broader

view of the industry and the various disciplines.

It helps people to see how their job functions,

however exciting or mundane, contribute to a

larger mission. Education helps prepare students to lead others and manage the mission.

Education is an essential career component.

Unfortunately, it is not always easy to determine exactly where education helps one to

advance. Holding a degree or certificate may or

may not aid one in getting a job. Generally, the

degree experience should help prepare one for

the process of preparing a résumé, researching

employers, and being interviewed. Employers

look favorably upon persons that have demonstrated the commitment and personal organization necessary to obtain a degree.

But in many cases, having a degree does not

automatically open doors. There may be other

qualifications that the employer seeks, such as

experience, licensing, or certification. A degreed

individual may become confused and discouraged when finding that their education does

not automatically get them a position.



Persons with college degrees tend to obtain

higher-paying jobs, yet this is not always easy

to see. The career ladder they follow is not simple. College graduates may not see the immediate benefit of having a degree. It may take them

several years and several jobs for the degree to

really help them advance. After all, there are relatively few “requirements” but many “expectations,” meaning that while the degree may not

be required, it is expected.

The jobless rate for college graduates is much

lower than the rate for non-graduates. This

holds true in both boom and bust economic

climates. During good times and bad, degreed

persons have significantly lower rates of unemployment. Earnings are also much greater for

graduates. Graduating from high school creates

a wage jump of about 32%; some college experience without a degree increases wages approximately 13%. Graduation from college increases

salaries around 77% (Leonard, 2009).



TRAINING

Training is a structured learning experience

designed to enable one to perform a specific

task. Employees who are trained can perform

tasks more efficiently and more safely. Training

aids employers by increasing the effectiveness

of employees. Training also increases the communication between employees and management. It helps to give the employees a better

idea of management’s expectations.

Training also reduces the fear and frustration

employees face when confronted with problems

on the job. Training prepares them for the job

and thus they feel more confident. As a result,

training generally reduces employee turnover.

Employees are more engaged when they have

received adequate training.

Professional organizations such as the British

Security Industry Association, the International

Foundation for Protection Officers, and the

Electronic Security Association (formerly the



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EXPERIENCE



National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association)

support training efforts. The International

Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has been a

staunch advocate of training. The IACP launched

various training initiatives such as the Training

Keys: short instructional memos on specific

topics. These keys could be easily delivered to

classes of police officers by a supervisor. Finally,

ASIS International launched a “Standard on

Security Officer Selection and Training” to ensure

that hiring standards were met and training

addresses all the areas that it needs to address.

While professionals have supported training

both within professional organizations and as

individuals, there are many issues involved in

providing training.

Training is expensive for employers to provide.

Aside from the instructional costs, the employer

is paying employees for their time yet not directly

benefiting from it, as the employees are being

paid for non-productive time while they are

learning. This situation has helped to propel the

growth in distance learning. Distance learning

helps one avoid many of the costs associated with

training as well as with scheduling problems.

Distance learning also helps individuals to learn

on their own; some contract security firms and

police departments have embraced this concept.

These organizations provide motivated employees with the option of professional growth.

Anyone serious about pursuing a career

should seek out training on their own. Doing

so helps them to learn important skills. It also

makes them more attractive to employers.

Trained individuals may save an employer

money on training costs. In some areas it is

becoming increasingly common for people to

send themselves through a police academy so

that they are more certain of landing a police

job. A person who has completed training on

their own also stands out as someone who is

motivated and employers generally wish to hire

only the most motivated of personnel.

As completing training costs time and

money, taking an instructional program should



be thought through beforehand. The costs and

benefits should be weighed. Finding out what

employers think of the training is important.

Lengthy, extensive training classes must be

scrutinized before enrolling in them.

There is a common mistake made by people

completing training at a police academy (which

is several months in length and costs thousands of dollars) which is assuming they are

guaranteed employment. While this will help

one to get a police job, it does not guarantee it.

Additionally, state Police Officer Standards and

Training Commissions generally place a time

limit on completing an academy and finding

employment. A police academy graduate may

have only 2 years to find a job or be decertified.

The students must know themselves and the

employment market before going into debt.

Another pitfall, which some young people fall

victim to, is taking the wrong courses. Some people take all manner of martial arts and firearms

training. While this is desirable in moderation,

job seekers should beware of potential employers branding them as “Martial Arts Masters of

Mayhem” or “gun nuts.” In some employment

settings this is the “kiss of death” for job applicants. Martial skills should be bundled with

other competencies such as first aid, firefighting,

customer service, writing, research, and so on.

One solution to obtaining training is through

volunteer work. Volunteer fire companies and

ambulance services provide training to their

members. There are also occasions when agencies that offer services to crime victims or disaster

relief will train volunteers. While the Red Cross

is well known, there may also be local organizations that will offer training to volunteers.



EXPERIENCE

Experience in a particular field or in a position is one of the most cited criteria or qualifications for employers. A quick search through



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online job boards or job openings will reveal

that the majority of the positions requires a

“minimum” number of years of experience. If

experience is not required for a particular position, there are often other qualifying criteria

such as education, certification, or skills listed

as a prerequisite.

Internships are an excellent way for a student

to gain experience in the security and/or criminal justice industry. Employers are much more

inclined to hire an intern with no or limited experience than a permanent employee with no or

limited experience. The significant differences are

the internship has defined employment dates,

the intern is more closely supervised, and internships are often unpaid.

Two new Web sites have been recently launched

to connect employers and students with internships. The Web site www.securityinternships.com

provides a listing of security internships listed by

employers with both a proprietary and contract

security staff. The Web site www.criminaljusticeinternships.com provides a listing of criminal justice

internships with local, state, and federal agencies.

Both Web sites offer more than just a listing of

internships. They offer résumé templates, scholarship information, career news articles, and a

listing of other valuable Web sites.

There are times when career planning

involves a transition into another field or discipline. For example, a security director may

want to transition into audit or compliance.

While these two fields are loosely related, the

transition may be smoother if it occurs within

the same organization. It is more difficult to

transition into another field or discipline at

another company or organization.

Volunteering is another approach to filling

the experience void in one’s résumé. Volunteer

work can sometimes be performed for nonprofit organizations such as churches or civic

organizations. It can also be offered by different

departments in one’s employing organization;

an employee may volunteer to perform work

outside of their department. This gives them



volunteer experience, something to put on their

résumé, and references for future jobs.



LICENSING/CERTIFICATION

With some positions a license is required.

This may be at the state, provincial, or county

level. In some cases, there are also cities that

license security and police personnel.

Research into career options must include

licensing requirements. There are almost always

licenses required for armed security personnel. It

is also common to license those who offer investigative services on a contractual basis (private

investigation). Some jurisdictions license alarm

installers, security consultants, personal protection specialists, door supervisors in clubs, and

locksmiths.

Certification is another valuable addition

to the résumé and skill set of security professionals. Almost every security discipline and

security society or organization has their own

certification and it is worthwhile to seek out

and obtain the relevant certifications.

There are more recognized certifications than

others, but as with educational institutions, it is

important to vet the certifying body to ensure

the validity of the certification.

To be a well-rounded professional, certifications in areas other than security contribute to

success. For instance, a certification in public

speaking, finance, accounting, or computers

can provide additional opportunities and salary

increases.



NETWORKING

Networking with security industry experts

can excel the progression of security professionals. Networking can begin at any career stage and

is advantageous to both young and experienced

security managers and executives. Networking

can occur during industry conferences, through



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social mediums such as LinkedIn, and through

professional associations. It also occurs through

job experience, various job assignments, and

meeting people through employment.

All too often, networking is considered a

tool to find employment. Although it is advantageous to network with industry peers and

colleagues to search for a security position,

networking has many other benefits beyond

finding the next job. It allows one to reach out

to others for assistance with solving a complex

problem or to benchmark a process or procedure. Networking also enables one to stay upto-date on industry news and trends. In this

respect, networking aids in finding jobs. It also

helps in succeeding at those jobs.



JOB SEARCH

Online job searching has surged in the past

decade. The Internet allows for an unprecedented number of jobs to be listed by employers

and searched by applicants. There are large companies such as monster.com and careerbuilder

.com that list job openings for every career and

discipline available. There are also niche job sites

that focus on specific industries.

Before a job search can be started, a résumé

must be constructed. A résumé is often the

first exposure an employer has to an applicant.

Furthermore, the employer or recruiter spends

less than 30 seconds reviewing a résumé. This

signifies the importance of an impressive résumé

in getting an interview for a position.

There are two formats for résumés: functional and chronological. A chronological résumé

focuses on the time format of experience. It

typically lists employment and other activities

according to dates, with the most recent listed

first. A functional résumé doesn’t focus on dates;

rather, it focuses on a narrative style of skill sets

and experience.

A widely recognized resource for job searching and résumé writing is Knock ’em Dead Job



69



Search and Knock ’em Dead Resumes, both written by Martin Yate.

The objective of the job search and résumé

is to provide an opportunity for an interview.

Arguably the most important process in landing a position, the interview is where the final

decision to hire the most qualified and best candidate occurs. Nothing should be overlooked

during this process.

Preparation for the interview should be thorough and well thought out. It is important to

research the employer to ensure the applicant

knows the history of the company and is upto-date on any recent news such as mergers,

expansion, stock price, awards, and so on. In

addition to researching the company, the applicant should drive to the interview location the

day before to ensure that directions are accurate

and to notate the amount of travel time.

Social networking sites are being used more

frequently by employers to screen applicants. It

is imperative for an applicant to scour through

any social networking site they are members of

to ensure any pictures or videos that could be

deemed inappropriate are removed prior to the

application process.



CAREER ADVANCEMENT

Career progression goes beyond education

and experience. Security professionals have

attributed their successful climb up the proverbial “ladder” to credibility, leadership, and

interpersonal skills. These qualities and skills

develop over time and require an investment

of time and energy devoted to a career path.

There are four approaches to reaching career

objectives: become a resident expert on a security topic, develop a personal brand, cultivate a mentorship, and establish a network of

colleagues.

Excel at one’s current job tasks. While the

knowledge, skills, and abilities required for

a supervisory position differ from those of a



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subordinate, people who don’t “shine” will not

be promoted.

Being visible is important. Joining committees and taking on additional projects is one

way to do this. Mach (2009) states that it is

advantageous to work across your organization.

Richardson (2009) states that there are four

strategies that can help security professionals

advance on the job: becoming an expert in some

area; developing a personal brand; finding a

mentor; and networking.

Become an expert in an area that is needed.

A retail loss-prevention officer who masters

interviewing, a casino security professional

who can design camera systems, or a protection

officer at a high security facility who becomes a

software expert are all in demand. Becoming a

reliable source of information or expertise gets

one noticed. It opens up opportunities to work

on special projects and meet new people.

Develop a brand. A brand is a unique style.

One person may project himself as an innovator.

Another may be a researcher. Still another may

excel at social relationships and politicking.



Find a mentor. Mentors are important. They

provide guidance and insight. They enable the

person being mentored to grow on their own

into new levels of competency. They aid the protégé in gaining additional areas of competence.

Sponsors are another means of helping one

advance in their career. A sponsor is someone

who brings along a subordinate when they

themselves obtain a promotion. Sponsors may be

chosen to head up a different division of an organization. Care must be taken in choosing a sponsor. Sometimes sponsors fall out of favor within

an organization. A sponsor who is on the wrong

side of politics is not a good sponsor to have. In a

similar vein, a sponsor who is not very ethical is

a liability. Ethics is crucial in this regard.

In some cases, promotion within one’s

employment organization is simply not happening. This may be due to a small number of

positions being available. It may also be the

case that the persons holding those positions

are not leaving them. In these situations, one

either has to be satisfied staying where they are

or seek employment in another organization.



EMERGING TRENDS

Enrollment in colleges and universities is

at an all-time high. Employers are streamlining processes and asking employees to do more

with less. When employers hire, they have

the ability to be more selective and seek out the

most qualified candidate. A reduced workforce

and an influx of applications for open positions

increase the competitiveness of the candidates.

Experience and education are two of the most

important areas that set candidates apart.

Emergency management is closely related to

security and homeland security. Emergency or

crisis management has been a career field that

has rapidly expanded over the past several years.

There are many career opportunities available with

government, private, and nonprofit organizations.



In addition, academia has noticed this trend and

consequently there are a growing number of colleges and universities that offer a degree or program in Crisis or Emergency Management.

Job searching and applying for jobs are

increasingly becoming online activities. It must

be noted, however, that there is a major role

for interpersonal, face-to-face interaction. The

practices of investigation, asset protection, and

so on, are interpersonal endeavors. They cannot be completely performed electronically.

Additionally, the job search and acquisition processes require in-person abilities. One will be

limited without a personal network. In addition,

job candidates who don’t do well in interviews

will not be hired.



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SECURITY QUIZ



References

Alexander, D. (2009). Achieving diversity: A battle for the sexes.

Ͻhttp:/

/www.info4security.com/story.asp?Ͼsectioncodeϭ

10&storycodeϭ4121598&cϭ12 Retrieved 02.12.09.

Bixler, S. (1992). Professional presence: The total program for gaining that extra edge in business by America’s top corporate image

consultant. New York, NY: Perigee.

Choi, C. (2009, February 1). Signing up for an online degree?

Know the costs. York Sunday News, 2E.

Cosgrove, S. (2007, January 28). Grades are great—but grads

need skills. York Sunday News.

Ford, W. (1999). The accelerated job search. Walnut Creek, CA:

Management Advantage.

Goulet, T. (2008). How to get credit for your ideas at work.

Ͻ http://msn.careerbuilder.com / Ͼ Article/MSN-1692Workplace-Issues-What-Gets-You-Through-the-Workday/?

cbsidϭ43d7d1cf28254e729bd0131b1fb8522a-280787170VI-4 & sc_extcmp ϭ JS_1692_advice & cbRecursionCnt ϭ

2 & SiteId ϭ cbmsn41692 & ArticleID ϭ 1692 & gt1 ϭ 23000

Retrieved 11.23.08.

Hopson, J. L., Hopson, E. H., & Hagen, T. (2009, March 15).

Speak up to your supervisor. York Sunday News.

Jones, L. (1992). The encyclopedia of career change and work issues.

Phoenix, AZ: Orynx.

Leonard, C. (2009, January 25). A degree still pays. York

Sunday News.

Mach, S. (2009). World-class customer service: The key to York

College’s success. York, PA (January 13).

Richardson, C. (2009, February 1) “Steps Toward Career

Success” Security Management Magazine, 53, 91–92.

Yena, D. (1987). Career directions. Homewood, IL: Career directions: A special edition of Johnson & Wales University.



Resources

The Electronic Security Association (formerly the National

Burglar & Fire Alarm Association; www.alarm.org) sponsors a variety of educational programs with the purpose

of representing, promoting, and enhancing the growth

and professional development of the electronic life safety,

security, and integrated systems industry. In cooperation

with a federation of state associations, ESA provides government advocacy and delivers timely information and

professional development tools. There are various certification programs for alarm installers, technicians, and

related electronics professionals.

The National Partnership for Careers in Law, Public Safety,

Corrections and Security was initiated in 1999 with funding from the U.S. Department of Justice. The Partnership

exists “to build and support career development programs and systems that ensure seamless transitions by

linking and integrating secondary and post-secondary

education, professional certifications, and organizational



71



recruitment, employment, training and retention systems.” The Partnership provides career information

to students and others. Additional information can be

accessed at www.careerclusters.org.

Internships in security can be found at www.securityintern

ships.com.

Internships in criminal justice can be found at www

.criminaljusticeinternships.com.



S E CURI TY QU I Z

1. Which of the following best describes the

importance of career planning?

a. Meet with parents and friends to

determine which career is best

b. Job shadow a professional currently in the

field of one’s potential career

c. Complete a self-evaluation study that can

be found on the Internet

d. None of the above

2. When earning an education what are the

most important considerations?

a. Determine if the college or university is

accredited

b. Gain work experience through internships

or volunteer work

c. Maintain a satisfactory grade point

average

d. All of the above

3. On average, how much of a salary increase

do college graduates earn over noncollege

graduates?

a. 77%

b. 58%

c. 84%

d. 35%

4. Why is experience such an important

component of your résumé (choose the best

answer)?

a. Experience provides exposure to scenarios

and interaction not available in the

classroom

b. Education is more important than

experience and it is not necessary

c. It demonstrates a high level of motivation



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5. CAREER PLANNING FOR PROTECTION PROFESSIONALS



d. A job allows the student to earn money

while in school

5. On average, how many certifications should

one obtain?

a. 8

b. 4

c. 9

d. None of the above

6. What is the difference between a functional

and a chronological résumé?

a. A functional résumé lists the functions that

you performed at a job

b. A functional résumé is a summary of

experience, whereas a chronological résumé

lists jobs or positions by dates of employment

c. There is no difference

d. A chronological résumé only lists

education and certification

7. When interviewing for a job, what preparation

is necessary (choose the best answer)?

a. Drive the route to the interview location

the day before

b. Research the organization

c. Be prepared to answer standard interview

questions

d. All of the above



8. Why do employers search social networking

sites for applicant information?

a. They want to find other candidates for

other open positions

b. Searching these sites provides a quick

and efficient way to learn more about

the candidate

c. To find a specific person’s résumé

d. Employers do not search social

networking sites on job applicants

9. There are four strategies for developing a

career; choose the one that is not a strategy.

a. Develop a personal brand

b. Network

c. Find a mentor

d. List one’s résumé on an online job board

10. What is one of the fastest growing fields

related to security?

a. Law enforcement

b. Homeland security

c. Private detectives

d. Contract security



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COMMUNICATIONS



Effective Communications

7 Security Awareness

Central Alarm Stations and Dispatch Operations

6



8



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C H A P T E R



6

Effective Communications

Charles T. Thibodeau



means that whatever was contained in the communicator’s original message is both received

and understood by the targeted receiver or

receiver group. The element of understanding

the message is the central focus of this definition, for without that element, communications

are blocked. Put another way, effective communications simply are nonexistent without a

two-way, mutual understanding of the message

being communicated.



CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

●

●



●



●

●



●



Definition of effective communications

Why effective communications is

necessary

The six essentials of effective

communications

How to address each audience effectively

Myths and misconceptions about

communications

Proper use of communication devices



DUE DILIGENCE BASED ON

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

Businesses are required by law to establish and

maintain what is called “due diligence.” In layman’s terms, that means operating their affairs

by paying particular attention to the best welfare

and interest of their visitor’s safety and security

needs. To meet this “due diligence” requirement,

businesses must focus on foreseeable real and perceived threats. Next, the law expects businesses to

warn people of danger and then avoid or mitigate

those threats that have a chance of materializing

and causing a substantial loss of assets, damage

to property, and/or injury to people.



EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

DEFINED

“Effective communications” is the faithful reproduction of a thought, idea, observation, instruction, request, greeting, or warning,

expressed in a verbal, written, electronic alarm

annunciation, or pictorial media, originated and

transmitted by a communicator or communicating device to a specifically targeted receiver or

receiver group. The term “faithful reproduction”



75



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6. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS



To comply with this mandate, businesses

must conduct perpetual risk analysis, vulnerability assessments, integrated countermeasure designs, security officer training, employee

security awareness training, and contingency

planning. However, without “effective” communications, none of these practices and procedures

could exist. Thus, effective communications are

a key element in assisting businesses in meeting

their mandate to provide proof of compliance

with required levels of due diligence.



CHANNELS OF

COMMUNICATIONS

There are four channels of communications

in any organization or company: top-down,

bottom-up, horizontal, and the grapevine. The

first three are essential for information to flow

in every direction. These are the formal and

official forms of communications. The fourth

form of communications found in most organizations is the grapevine, which consists of an

outgrowth of informal and casual groupings of

employees. Effective communications in any

security department requires all four of these

forms. They provide maximum performance

both during stable and predictable periods and

during times of stress.



THE SIX ESSENTIALS OF

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

Effective communications must be:

●

●

●

●

●

●



Timely

Complete

Clear

Concise

Factual

Accurate



This is a bare bones list of requirements. Certainly, the complete list includes other attributes,



but if these six factors are present, communications will be extremely effective.



CONSIDER THE AUDIENCE

Everyone communicates at different levels. If you are communicating with someone

who is many levels below your communication level, the message you are sending stands

a good chance of being misunderstood. In

addition, assuming that everyone speaks and

understands on your level is almost a guarantee that you will be an ineffective communicator. The midpoint between talking above your

audience and talking below your audience is

currently the seventh-grade level. If you want

perfect clarity in your communications, then

speak slowly, carefully choosing your words,

using no more than five- or six-letter words,

and choosing words that are commonly known.

In many cases, when asked to repeat a message,

the receiving person uses different words. Thus,

each time you are requested to repeat a message, say it in different words.

The security officer’s communications must

also accommodate the language difficulties

of an ever-growing ESL (English as a Second

Language) population. Spanish and French

are common, second to English, and there

is an ever-growing Asian population whose

languages include Korean, Laotian, Hmong,

Mandarin, and Vietnamese. The security officer

of the future may indeed need to be bilingual.

Another consideration is medically afflicted

people with communication impediments,

although there may be nothing you can do to

breach their communication difficulties. When

dealing with the deaf, blind, or people afflicted

with multiple sclerosis (MS), patience is your

greatest asset, and a strong commitment to help

these people will get you through it. Just be

persistent until you can find the way each one

communicates.



II. COMMUNICATIONS