Sharpen Your Skills And Your Resume

Brush up on your skills and get some more bullets for your resume. To be competitive in this job market you will need to keep things fresh. A enormous amount of knowledge for these jobs is perishable over time as any one in law enforcement can attest too. With allot of this kind of hands on training it would be prudent to periodically take refresher courses. Even something as simple as CPR training is a good example. Plus it looks good on your resume that you completed it for the forth time last month. I’m not going to delve into officer safety, that is another topic all together. Rather this is a listing of classes, courses and schools to use in down times or as refreshers or for someone new to physical security. These sites are for armorers courses which can really make your resume more appealing to potential employers http://www.colt.com/law/armorerschool.asp, http://www.berettausa.com/communities/le_mil/training.htm, http://www.fnmfg.com/train/m16/m16arm.htm, http://www.nrahq.org/education/index.asp, and http://bwtrainingcenter.com/moyock/MYK_courses.html. If your interested in becoming an armorer try taking the manufactures courses if you can. These courses tend to have a bit more credibility and some jobs will require armorer certification on specific weapons. These are just a few of the armorers courses out there to participate in. There is also the tactical side of physical security which encompasses a huge range of training. http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/index.html?WT.srch=1&gclid=CJLlnpCDqZQCFQQbFQodsXcsuQ, http://www.spectacserv.com/, http://www.tacticalintel.com/training.html, http://www.asp-net.com/training.html, http://www.personalsafetytraining.com/ocat.php, http://www.policeone.com/weapon-retention/ . These are just a few of the thousands of courses and training available to most people in the physical security industry.

Getting Started Part 3

Here are some useful job sites to open accounts and post your resume with. First I’ll start with http://www.usajobs.gov/ . This site is good starting point because it taps into all of the government federal agencies job listings. The downside of this site is you need to be familiar with KSA’s and the federal pay scales and each agency has its own complex, tedious method of application. The upside is it’s federal so that means they will typically honor federal service towards retirement and the benefits are a little better. The jobs listings also usually pay a little more for physical security but not in all cases. The next group of sites are agency specific sites. The first is https://chart.donhr.navy.mil/ .This is the good site for physical security job listings but, once again there is a confusing federal pay scale listings. http://acpol.army.mil/employment/ Is another good site but a little more tricky because you have two juggle between this site and another https://cpolst.belvoir.army.mil/public/resumebuilder/builder/index.jsp to post your resume and apply for jobs. The site https://www.avuecentral.com/casting/login/loginMain.jsp?agency=USFS is worth mentioning because allot of agencies and commercial jobs are gravitating to this site . It also has a unique feature which enables its users to create a virtual resume. I have just hinted on the hundreds of federal agency sites. Now on to some of the commercial sites that are note worthy. The site http://www.militaryhire.com/ is a good site but is intended for military only but, it lets you see which companies are looking at your posted resume. Most other job sites make this a pay premium perk. http://www.clearancejobs.com/ Is worth looking into but, it leans more to the techy side of physical security. Industry specific sites are http://www.g4s.com/usw , http://www.chenega.com/ , http://www.alutiiq.com/ , http://www.doyon.com/, http://www.triplecanopy.com/triplecanopy/en/home/, http://www.blackwaterusa.com/, http://www.securitas.com/us/en/, http://www.loomis.us/default.aspx, http://www.assetprotectionassociates.net/,In doing some extensive research online of state employment opportunities I came across the best state site I’ve seen for employment in Physical Security. They not only list state jobs but also list any government jobs as well as private company listings for careers in law enforcement. http://www.ndworkforceconnection.com/jobbanks/joblist.asp?session=jobsearch&geo=3801000000&t=q&ff_show_no_salaries=1&gtype=ogrp&ogrp=33&ff_keyword_option=1,%202&VR=  The upside to some of these companies is you can make huge profits in short amount of time and have the flexibility to live were ever you want. The down side is the benefits are mediocre at best and the jobs are short lived. These would be excellent jobs for retirees or young single people. And finally onto the old staples http://www.monster.com/, or http://www.careerbuilder.com/ which I personally have had more luck with but, use what works for you . Spread the word for your resume and make the web work for you.

Getting Started Part 2

Drop the remote and start doing crunches and running again because the physical security industry usually requires a physical or some kind of fitness test or both to get hired.
Time to use that resume you slaved and toiled over as well as the other documents you digitally scanned right? First you need another email account. You need to name it with something professional. This will be your one stop nerve center for all job related stuff and believe me it can be a massive amount over time. Use this email account for job stuff only, It helps declutter your life involving your job. Job searching is a living, breathing on going process that keeps going on even after you get the job. It never hurts to have a plan “B” in the physical security industry. Who doesn’t want to make more money at a job closer to home. Allot of physical security jobs are contractual in nature and are not made for the long haul to retirement. This is the email you should list on your resumes and business cards. Keep a log or spreadsheet or whatever you use to keep track of all of your passwords and logins to all of your job related sites in one convenient place. When you start posting your resume or fill out there version of your resume you need to keep it constrained to physical security and not to other jobs you would like to do. It also helps to use specific job sites for specific variants of your generic physical security resume. You will know which job site by the jobs listed is the best fit for a variant of your resume. Keep copies of any new version of your generic resume that you tailor to a specific job posting and draw upon these for each different web site. What this does is makes your resumes more searchable for employers by having different keywords but yet still retaining the basic meat and bones of your generic physical security resume. Instead of having one blanket resume for all of the sites that human resource managers view once and discard. Keep all of your cover letters as well and apply the same philosophy by using a generic master copy. Don’t forget to use a decline letter as well. The physical security industry is is fast paced and changes to meet the current trends or needs, so don’t burn your bridges with potential employers. Ask them if there are any other jobs other than the one they offered that might meet your needs. At least it keeps a good rapport with hiring managers. Periodically check back with these sites to refresh your resume on there site. Some sites will stop syndicating your resume over a set amount of time.

Getting Started Part 1

You can start by gathering as much information as possible about your self to compile for your resume. Physical security can be different from other jobs in the application process because of extensive background checks and various other documents required by employers. Start compiling a list of address you resided in for the last ten years by date. You will also need to compile a list of at least five non family members to use a references, this includes there current address and phone numbers. You will also need addresses names and phone numbers of employers for the last ten years. Start gathering up all of your critical documents such as your birth certificate, social security card, graduation certifications, drivers license, DD214 or any other certifications you may posses. If you are former military or fixing to get out of the service make sure you have a copy of your SF86,Smart Transcript and all of your evals. If you don’t have one don’t worry it just makes the process faster. Try getting a copy of your current credit report, driving history and any criminal background data. Don’t make the mistake of thinking these things go away, employers will find it when they run a background check. Examples include speeding tickets, misdemeanors, bounced checks etc. If you have some of these things in your past like most people do. It wont be a big deal to the employer if you are upfront and disclose these things in the application process. It will be a big deal and you could have legal actions brought against you if don’t disclose the information. All physical security agencies run background checks in one form or another. Start making digital copies of your critical documents and store them in an secure location. These come in handy when you use online applications. All of this can seem like a lot of homework and it is but, you will need to be able to regurgitate any of the above data on the spot when you start the application process. Some jobs will require you to come in and fill out there applications instead of online so it really helps to do your homework first. Once all of this data is complete you can create your resume. Try to make it kinda generic so you can copy it and tailor it to the individual jobs. Some bonus tips too include would be any other languages you speak, any security clearances you’ve held or currently hold, any other licences you hold such as concealed weapons permits or CDLs or EMT certs and even a valid passport. It can also help to add “evals available upon request” this can give the perspective employer a track record of your work habits. If you leave your job try to get in the habit of having the employer give you a letter of recommendation. These are very good at impressing potential employers. You might want to consider paying for a security clearance if you don’t posses one or if you have credit problems or criminal citations there are companies that can help you clear these things off your background record but, these are costly and not all problems can be fixed and it is not necessary in all cases. Honestly it depends on the job. It can however open more lucrative opportunities in the physical security industry. Now that you have your resume finished you can start the searching and application process. Here is an excellent article entitled “Writing and Formatting a scannable resume” from the site http://resumepolice.wordpress.com/ .