Top security guard skills to look for in candidates
Top security guard skills include hard skills, which are necessary to carry out job duties, and soft skills, which are traits that set candidates up for success. Use the list as a starting point for developing your own skill requirements.
1. Customer service
Included in 22.55% of security guard job postings
Security guards must often monitor the actions and activities of customers, so they benefit from strong customer service skills. In a job description, you can list specific abilities, such as making customers feel welcome, responding to their concerns or remaining professional when working with difficult customers. Asking one or two customer service interview questions is a good way to determine if candidates possess these security officer skills.
2. Communication skills
Included in 19.34% of security guard job postings
Security guards typically interact with other people every day, relying on communication skills. In your job description, you can list characteristics of strong communication skills, such as active listening, interpreting visible demeanor, providing clear commands and instructions and expressing ideas clearly in writing.
Many parts of the hiring process, from exchanging information to chatting during interviews, will give you an opportunity to assess candidates’ communication skills.
3. Security
Included in 14.95% of security guard job postings
While candidates can learn how to perform specific job duties through training, security guards who enter their roles with basic security knowledge may be able to work independently sooner.
Depending on the nature of your open position, you may wish to list topics like loss prevention, data security, conflict resolution and the use of force as required knowledge in your job description. Including a few security questions in interviews can help you determine whether candidates possess relevant security-related security guard skills.
4. Military
Included in 11.07% of security guard job postings
Military service can provide useful work experience for prospective security guards, so you may want to consider adding “previous military experience a plus” or similar language to your job description.
One way to determine how well a candidate’s military experience potentially prepared them for a security guard position is through Military Occupational Speciality (MOS) codes. These unique codes correspond to specific military jobs and are searchable online on the websites of each of the US military branches. You can look for the MOS codes on candidates’ resumes or ask what their job code was on an application or in an interview.
5. English
Included in 8.01% of security guard job postings
Being fluent in English is important for most security guard positions. As a result, employers may wish to include “English competency” or “English fluency” in the skills and qualifications sections of their job descriptions.
To assess English skills, administer a pre-employment test.
6. Law enforcement
Included in 7.76% of security guard job postings
Previous work experience as a law enforcement officer can provide candidates with both hard and soft security officer skills. Including language like “previous law enforcement work experience or coursework is beneficial” in your job description can attract candidates with relevant work history.
On a candidate’s resume or application, look for evidence of law enforcement or criminal justice training courses, certificates and degrees, and check resumes and applications for related job titles, such as police officer, probation officer or correctional officer.
7. Computer skills
Included in 6.83% of security guard job postings
Depending on the nature of your position, your new hire may need to use computers on the job. Compile a list of the specific software and hardware that your new hire will utilize on the job, and determine whether it’s necessary to list specific ones in your job descriptions, such as “familiarity with email software” or “experience using word processing programs.”. You can also ask candidates to list software and hardware they’ve used in the past.
8. Writing skills
Included in 3.99% of security guard job postings
Security guards often need writing skills to complete incident reports and other tasks. Adding something like “the ability to write concise, detailed and easy-to-understand reports” in your job description can help you attract quality candidates. You can assess writing skills during the early stages of the hiring process by examining candidates’ cover letters and resumes or by administering a skills test.
9. Microsoft Office
Included in 3.16% of security guard job postings
If your organization uses Microsoft Office, you may wish to put language like “proficient with Microsoft Office” in your job description. Some candidates may list Microsoft Office experience on their resumes. When they don’t, you can ask a simple yes or no question during an interview to determine if they’re familiar with it.
10. Computer literacy
Included in 3.15% of security guard job postings
Computer literacy, the basic understanding of how to use a computer, is another valuable skill for security officers. In a job description, you could describe this skill as “knowledge of how to use a PC, printer and scanner.”
To help you gauge practical computer skills, ask candidates to describe their previous experience using computers and to provide specific examples of tasks they have performed.
11. Report writing
Included in 2.56% of security guard job postings
Report writing is among the most essential security officer skills. You can describe it as “demonstrated skill at writing detailed incident reports” in your job description. A great way to assess a candidate’s ability to write effective reports is through a writing sample. Have the candidate watch a short video that depicts an incident. Then, ask them to write a report that summarizes what took place.
12. Bilingual
Included in 2.12% of security guard job postings
If you serve a customer base that includes many non-English speakers, being bilingual can help your new security guard communicate more effectively. You can list something like “fluency in English and Spanish required” or “fluency in English and Arabic preferred” in your job description.
One way to check for bilingual skills is to ask candidates if they’re fluent in more than one language on an application or in an interview. You can also assess bilingual skills through a second experiential interview conducted entirely in the language.
13. Project management
Included in 1.91% of security guard job postings
A security officer may play a role in developing strategies, policies and procedures related to security. If your open position includes similar duties, you may wish to add project management skills to your job description, describing it as “ability to complete projects in a timely manner” or “previous experience developing emergency plans.”
Asking interview questions that require candidates to outline the steps they’d take to solve a hypothetical problem can help you assess project management related security guard skills.
14. Financial acumen
Included in 1.88% of security guard job postings
Financial acumen is the term for an understanding of financial management. While security guards typically don’t need in-depth knowledge of finance, adding something like “previous experience managing a budget” or “understanding of cost control strategies” to your description can help you attract candidates who possess basic financial acumen.
To assess this skill, consider administering a basic financial or mathematics skills test as part of the application process.
15. Spanish
Included in 1.55% of security guard job postings
If you have Spanish-speaking employees or customers, “fluency in Spanish and English” may be important to include in your list of required skills for security guard positions. As previously mentioned, conducting an experiential interview entirely in Spanish can be a good way to assess how fluent a candidate is in the language.
16. First aid
Included in 1.54% of security guard job postings
Security guards may be called upon to assess people who become ill or injured on your premises, so having basic first aid skills can be highly beneficial for candidates.
You may wish to list first aid certification from an organization like the American Red Cross as a qualification in your job description. You can also ask a tell me about a time interview question, such as, “Tell me about a time you administered first aid when someone was hurt or sick. What was the outcome?”
17. CCTV
Included in 1.53% of security guard job postings
Closed circuit television or CCTV is the term for a closed-loop surveillance system used to monitor the interior and exterior of a building. If your business has a CCTV system in place, consider listing “knowledge of how to operate and troubleshoot CCTV equipment and systems” in your security guard job description.
You can determine whether candidates have experience monitoring or using CCTVs through skills listed on resumes or interview questions.
18. Management
Included in 1.51% of security guard job postings
If your new security officer will supervise other security guards, you may wish to add relevant management skills like “ability to coach and assess employees” or “understanding of how to motivate a team” to your job description. Asking manager interview questions is a simple way to assess these security guard skills.
19. Conflict management
Included in 1.38% of security guard job postings
Preserving peace within the workplace is a key responsibility for security guards, making conflict management an important skill. Consider adding a phrase like the “ability to resolve conflicts safely and effectively” to the qualifications list in your job description. To assess these skills for security guard positions, ask a relevant behavioral interview question.
20. Microsoft Excel
Included in 1.18% of security guard job postings
Because security guards may need to utilize Microsoft Excel to track incident reports, monitor inventory levels for loss prevention and complete other tasks, you may wish to list something like “ability to use Microsoft Excel to create and update basic spreadsheets” to your job description. To evaluate this skill, ask security guard candidates Excel interview questions.
21. Microsoft Word
Included in 0.98% of security guard job postings
To add this skill to your job description, you can say something like “understanding of how to use Microsoft Office to write reports and policies.”
If your organization relies on Microsoft Word, ask candidates interview questions that assess their proficiency with the software, such as, “Can you describe a time when you used Microsoft Word to create a complex document?” Alternatively, administer a skills test to evaluate their capabilities directly.
22. Driving
Included in 0.93% of security guard job postings
Security guards may need to drive a company-owned security vehicle from location to location. If driving is a part of your security officer’s assigned duties, consider listing “valid driver’s license” in your job description. To assess driving skills, consider doing a background check or asking interview questions about their driving experience.
23. Organizational skills
Included in 0.78% of security guard job postings
Organizational skills can help security guards maintain a tidy security desk, track important paperwork and juggle all their assigned duties.
To describe them in a job description, you can use language like “ability to create and use an incident report filing system” or “ability to maintain a well-organized, neat work area.” You can assess organizational skills through targeted interview questions and by asking references to rate candidates’ organizational ability.
24. Supervising experience
Included in 0.76% of security guard job postings
If your new hire will supervise other security guards, list something like “previous supervisory experience desirable” or “one to two years of previous supervisory experience required” in your job description. During an interview, ask situational interview questions related to supervising others, such as, “How would you encourage your team to adapt to a new security policy?”
25. CPR
Included in 0.72% of security guard job postings
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving procedure performed when a person isn’t breathing or their heart has stopped. Because security guards may need to administer CPR in emergencies on the job, you may wish to list “active CPR certification from the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association or a similar organization” under skills and qualifications in your job description. Look for mentions of certifications on resumes or ask candidates about their certification status.
Other top security officer skills in demand
Here are 22 additional skills for security guard job postings that you may want to consider including in your job description.
26. Hospitality: Included in 0.50% of security guard job postings
27. Time management: Included in 0.50% of security guard job postings
28. Windows: Included in 0.41% of security guard job postings
29. Loss prevention: Included in 0.38% of security guard job postings
30. Human resources: Included in 0.37% of security guard job postings
31. Microsoft Outlook: Included in 0.36% of security guard job postings
32. Hotel experience: Included in 0.30% of security guard job postings
33. Leadership: Included in 0.28% of security guard job postings
34. Analysis skills: Included in 0.28% of security guard job postings
35. Microsoft PowerPoint: Included in 0.25% of security guard job postings
36. Typing: Included in 0.24% of security guard job postings
37. Office experience: Included in 0.21% of security guard job postings
38. DoD experience: Included in 0.21% of security guard job postings
39. Basic math: Included in 0.18% of security guard job postings
40. Mobile devices: Included in 0.17% of security guard job postings
41. Hospital experience: Included in 0.16% of security guard job postings
42. IDS: Included in 0.16% of security guard job postings
43. Employee orientation: Included in 0.14% of security guard job postings
44. Supply chain: Included in 0.13% of security guard job postings
45. Contracts: Included in 0.13% of security guard job postings
46. Heavy lifting: Included in 0.13% of security guard job postings
47. EMT experience: Included in 0.12% of security guard job postings
¹Indeed data (US), January 2023 – Dec 2023
