4 Tips for Acing Your Security Guard Interview

Congratulations! You’ve scored an interview for an exciting role as a security guard with a professional security company. But even if you have all the experience in the world, interviewing for a new job can cause a lot of anxiety. Many people feel uncomfortable selling themselves and talking about their unique set of skills and experiences to a potential employer. 

No matter if you are newly entering the security industry or if you are a seasoned professional, you might benefit from these tips on how to ace your upcoming security guard interview. 

Like many things in life, preparation is key. Even the best and the brightest may be overlooked for a position if they come to an interview unprepared. Why? If a candidate does not prepare for an interview, an employer won’t feel confident that the candidate will be serious about the role and be prepared when they arrive on the job each day. 

4 Tips for Acing Your Security Guard Interview

Research the Company

Interviewers appreciate when candidates show that they are taking the job opportunity seriously. One way to demonstrate this is to research the company you are interviewing with. Your ability to include certain facts about the company in your conversation will show that you’ve put the time into preparing for your interview and that you care about your performance. 

Although it’s not necessary to know every detail about the company, there are certain pieces of information that will be vital to an informed conversation and allow you to ask impressive questions.

Study the following prior to your interview:

 

What is the mission and vision of the organization? What principles guide them in their work?

Who are the leaders of the organization? What are their professional and educational backgrounds?

Has the company recently been in the news? Are there any current events that directly impact the work of the company? 

Who are the company’s major competitors? What is the current competitive climate and how does the company stand out from the rest?

Does the company have a social media presence? What are some of the recent topics of conversation on their social media platforms? 

Know Your Résumé

Your résumé will get you in the door, but your ability to explain your experience and education clearly and confidently will get you hired for the job. Take the time to know your résumé in and out. 

Be able to seamlessly explain your responsibilities with each of your previous employers and emphasize the successes that you had in each role. Be specific when talking about your achievements by using numbers and anecdotes or highlighting awards that you have received.

Practice Common Interview Questions 

To have a successful interview, practice answering some of the most common security guard interview questions. Enlist a close friend or family member to ask you questions and provide honest feedback on your responses. When answering interview questions, it is always best to be confident, clear and concise. Rambling responses do not demonstrate confidence and can lead to miscommunication. 

Below is a list of common interview questions that you might encounter during a security guard interview. Practice answering these questions by relating your specific skills, character traits, professional experiences and successes in your responses. Providing supporting information will give your interviewer a more accurate picture of what they can expect from you as an employee.

Common Security Guard Interview Questions

 

What got you started in the security industry? 

Why do you want to be a security guard?

What do you believe are the most important character traits for a security guard? 

Why do you want to work for our company? 

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

How have you handled …. situations in the past? 

What would you do in …. scenario?

Why do you think you are ideal for this role?

What questions do you have for me?

Prepare Questions for Your Interviewer

An interview is not a one-way street. Both you and the security company want to determine if you are the right fit for each other. On the one side, they want to determine if you have the skills to do the job and the personality to fit in with the company culture. On the other side, you want to find out if they can provide you with a challenging position that provides training, opportunities to advance and whatever else is most important to you. 

Planning questions ahead of time serves other purposes as well. It allows you to demonstrate your preparedness and enthusiasm for the role. And it gives you the chance to ask well-researched, knowledgeable questions about the company. 


Ready to Ace Your Interview? 

With these practical steps, you should be well on your way to nailing your interview and getting the security guard job that you want. For more information about becoming a security guard and boosting your security guard résumé, read our post How to Get a Security Guard Job.  

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