Starting in the security industry is a good stepping stone.  So will you be armed or unarmed?

If its unarmed, definitely keep your eyes, ears, and nose open to anything and everything.  Documentation will be your best friend.  If armed add to that weapon retention.  I hate reading about someone losing their life because a perp grabbed their weapon and tok the officers life with it.  Develop a thick skin, the jokes can get pretty rough, but most are so child like, its almost humorous.  And depending on what type of site it is, I might be able to provide some more insight.

More or less you will be escorting viisitors so you should be fine. Good Luck

RescueNanny says ...

I just got hired today by a private security company and will be shown my site tomorrow.  Any advice, tips, tricks, what have you?

I'm pretty excited and hope to use this as a step forward into an LE career.  For right now though, it's good while I'm in school.

Use the experience to create job stability....I can almost guarantee that unless you get into some very speciaized security work...it's not the stepping stone many like to believe... do your job well, remember that your primary function is to OBSERVE & REPORT.... pay attention to details and get as much training as you can... and more than that...send me a PM....

Congrats & I hope all works out well....

Everyone made some good points..

Just remember to stay alert when you are on post. If you are not sure about something ask a co-worker or a supervisor. Learn as much as you can.

And remember don't let it go to your head..

You go girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If it is true that you will be dealing with visitors on  your shift, Learn to smile,Even when enforcing the rules.Grow a thick-skin for angry people,Who may take thier problems out on you, And always remember, If you Take pride in your job and uniform,You have all the authority you need.Strive to be a proffesional, And people will treat you with respect.

Congrats to you !  I am not a "uniform", I am a former 911 dispatcher but my father was a Police Sgt.  Will pass on some advise he passed to me when I joined the force.  He told me, always be aware of your surroundings regardless of where you are.  A Perp will always choose their Time, their Place and their Victim.  If YOU can take away their Element of Surprise, then you are at least 70% ahead of the curve."  I thought that was pretty true and well said.  Hope it helps you if you ever need it.  Good Luck and Stay Safe out there!

Congratulations on becoming a security guard . I have noticed some things that will help you in your career when dealing with the public and the general theme is protect yourself at all times . The first thing I learned is know your role and shut your hole. I know this seems backwards to you now but the less you say , is the less that can get you into trouble and it is easier to remember what you said and to whom. Be friendly but never get personal with anybody on the site , information is power , plus people will try to either try to slip things past you or use in there eyes a perceived friendship to get out of trouble . This is all a power play that you can not win so don't even, try invest your feelings on something off the clock. The next bit of advice is one that works on any job , think it ,don't say it . In this over the top time of Political Correctness anything you say will be taken out of context and used against you . Something as innocent as saying to a co-worker when a hot female walks by “ ya she look very suspicious I think she needs to be detained for questioning “ my co-worker smiles, slaps his hand and says “ ya you want to investigate that Gitmo style “ . The female is offended gets me and my co-worker thrown off the site . I come to find out latter was the female is part Arab and is a practicing Muslim . Remember anything funny is offensive to somebody , other wise for the most part its not funny. Another bit of advice is know what you are trained to do , at this point nothing . Security companies will make you go out and spend money on getting an expendable baton , OC spray , handcuffs and other weapons to make you look like you have the force to back your self up . In most states there are certifications to each and everything that you will throw on your duty belt . If you must escalate up the use of force continuum know what you can and can not do . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_force_continuum

the use of force continuum provides guidelines to what you can do in proportion to what the subject is doing . In security your going to provide your own training the one hour of OJT is not going to cut it if you plain to do more then Observe and report. If you carry weapons you must know how to use them and be able to back up in court how and why you deployed the weapon. I know the mentality of its better to be judged by 12 then carried by 6 but I know if I survive the fight I have to survive the court room too. If I even pull out my baton I expect to fill out paperwork . My last piece of advice is use your head , and understand you are not law enforcement , body armor does not make you superman and just do what you can with what you got . The reason I say your not law enforcement is that sworn officers have what is know as a duty to act which security does not . Security is for the most part is being a visual deterrent to crime, plus observe and report functions. Security is there to look good for the most part and if something goes down you handle what you can and if you can't you call the police. DON'T BE A HERO be safe use your head .