Denida Zinxhiria
Founder & CEO
Athena Worldwide LLC
Athena Academy
Nannyguards®
Proud Member of International Security Driver Association (ISDA)
Things to consider before you hire an Executive Protection team aka Bodyguards
To all CEOs, celebrities, VIPs and high value individuals…
At some point in your careers, you will most likely find the need to retain, or at the very least, inquire about close protection services for yourselves, your loved ones and possibly for those you employ closest to you.
Now, the list of companies and corporations that provide these type of services is quite lengthy and, while at first they all appear very impressive, you need to be thorough as you take a deep look at them and the ideals and morals they represent. Again, you are searching for the perfect fit that best protects yourselves, your families, employees and all things that you need secured and confidential.
A quite disturbing trend as of late has been the repeated posting of pics with you as the client, at your locations and in front of your vehicles, private planes, residences, etc. while boasting about the details of who you might be, what was happening or other items of a secure nature. Now, this is entirely unacceptable no matter what the terms or conditions of their employment may be with you. You, and all that that may encompass, are to be secure, confidential and invisible for all intents and purposes. Period.
Social media has become the source of all communications amongst a great number of these entities and this in turn has led to a trend of exposing enormous amounts of confidential client information when it is not only unnecessary but highly unprofessional and, frankly, childish. At times, it has even been portrayed as “marketing” when, in it’s true form, it’s nothing more than schoolyard bragging.
So, when researching a prospective organization that you perceive may be the one you will choose, a thorough search of all related social media should be performed. The company’s sites, the reviews and even the social media sites of any/all possible employees that you might hire from their corporation. If they are willing to expose their previous clients with seemingly reckless abandon, you will most likely be the next celebrity/VIP pic that hits the Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn circuit and that is, I’m quite sure, not your desire at all.
Many companies will show an endless supply of “tactical” pictures, extreme condition photos, worst case scenario snapshots, etc. Please understand that most of the organizations are composed of a large number of former military members, former LEO/SWAT members and private security contractors who have “been there & done that”. But it is always wise to remember that while these skills are highly advantageous should everything go tragically wrong in your day, these type of days should never happen if the proper planning is performed which is completely above and beyond the “hard skills” as they are often referred to.
Another highly recommended item is a detailed NDA and total social media blackout for all involved. Leave nothing to chance and be very clear regarding the seriousness that this represents to you and the severity of disciplinary action should it be violated. Again, you and all you hold most dear are to be secure, confidential and private and definitely NOT on the front page of a local newspaper, tabloid, media page or out to the highest bidder.
Always remember this…You came looking to us with your concerns and fears, placing your overall well-being in our capable hands. With that in mind, you should always feel protected, safe and secure from anyone or anything that might wish to harm you. And that harm should NEVER be at the hands of the very people whom you have so willingly trusted to provide the very best security, protection and peace of mind.
Denida Zinxhiria Grow
Founder & CEO
Athena Worldwide
Athena Academy
Nannyguards
http://www.athenaworldwide.com
At Athena Worldwide we are industry leaders for promoting, training and staffing female bodyguards internationally. With our affiliate offices, we can provide world-wide close protection and executive protection services for entertainment professionals, politicians, CEOs, Royal Families, journalists, clergy and corporate personnel. Want to find out more about female bodyguards? visit www.athenaworldwide.com
The importance of Emotional Control in the Workplace for Executive Protection Operatives
Usually I write articles based on my experience as a security professional but this one will be addressed from another perspective. That of the person who has a degree in Psychology and has also spent many hours studying behaviours. I would like to combine my two educational backgrounds and discuss how specific behaviours can negatively affect the security industry.
If you are a service provider, you must always have in mind that people you employ and place with clients are the people who represent your brand. Their mistakes will harm you more that it will harm them. Most companies are losing contracts due to toxic or unprofessional behaviour of their operatives. No matter how good a CV looks on paper, attitude and behaviour at work are crucial when you place someone to protect another human being who has his/her own personality traits. Placing the right candidate with any specific client goes much beyond hiring a good HR manager, especially when your company is handling contracts of thousands of dollars and clientele of specific social, financial and celebrity status.
We all are aware of the ongoing news reports and social media posts regarding the complaints of some colleagues about their former clients, claiming how their clients were ‘’rude’’, ‘’cold’’ and ‘’non friendly’’. Now, these people worked for well known companies, so someone obviously thought they would be ok to be hired and placed with specific clients. The fact that they can so easily speak on public forums makes you wonder if NDAs were signed at all before hiring. Again, just one interview and a CV are not enough when you hire someone, especially in this line of work.
While the majority of the industry will say that speaking publicly about your client is unacceptable and unprofessional behaviour and that it also breaks the code of the confidentiality, there seems to be an alarming trend regarding security providers reporting their former clients or talking about them in public.
Now there are many reasons why someone may choose to do so. One, it can be to sell his/her story. Many news media outlets and reporting outlets are paying a lot of money for stories like this. Two, that person found his/her inner writer and are writing a book about that client, again bedtime gossip sells. Three, by going public, they believe they can gain publicity and attention for future employment. Although many serious and high class companies will never hire someone like this, there will always be that one company who will see nothing wrong with it and place this person with another client. Unfortunately, ethics and professionalism in the security industry don’t mean the same for all of us. While at least some positions have the minimum requirements, apparently for others, there don’t seem to be any ethical requirement standards at all…
While specific company or personal ethics seem to vary quite a bit, and discussing the three mentioned reasons above appears to have no worth, there is another valuable and important trait that we can identify with and improve significantly. This is the inability, of some people, to control their emotions in the workplace. These people have a very specific view of how people should treat them, and anything different makes them unable to process their feelings and they cannot control them. They feel hurt, insulted, or perhaps someone was unfair to them and they want to talk about it publicly to gain attention and receive a pat on the back.
As we mentioned earlier, since all of us have different definitions when it comes to ethics and professionalism in security industry, many will see no problem. No issues in posting pictures with their clients (jeopardizing their safety), talking about their private moments, what they saw or heard while working for them or basically breaking every rule of the client’s confidentiality. If the client doesn’t trust you, you will be gone and with you a contract for the company you were working for.
Now let’s focus on our topic: Emotional Control in the Workplace. According to Gross’ definition, (1999), ‘’Emotional control can be thought of as a facet of emotion regulation, but refers primarily to attempts by an individual to manage the generation, experience, or expression of emotion, and/or one’s emotional responses’’. In other words, emotional control is each individual’s ability to manage emotions that may be disturbing, disagreeable, hurtful, insulting, and being able to remain calm and effective at his/her performance. As human beings, we are emotional and we cannot suppress our emotions, but we can learn how and when to manage them. It is ok to be hurt or bothered by specific words or behaviours at work, but how you control your emotional response to a specific trigger is very important for your efficiency and professionalism at work. How many of us, in the course of our day, have been told or asked to do something and we thought…
‘How can he/she talk to me like that?’
‘Who he/she thinks he/she is?’
‘That is not why I was hired!’
And I am sure many of us have been angry, sad, insulted etc.
Someone may ask why it is important to manage our emotions at work. Before answering that, we first must explain how emotions work. Humans are emotional creatures, and our brain was designed for survival and perpetuation of our species. The Amygdala is the portion of the brain that is responsible for our emotions and basically works as our brain’s radar for threat. Now threat can have different meanings, not only physical threat but it can also be when we hear something we don’t like or we don’t agree with, or something that may challenge what we knew and believed up until that moment. When the amygdala detects a ‘’threat’’ we have the so called ‘amygdala hijack’ or ‘emotional hijack’. During this state, we cannot innovate, we cannot learn anything new or process new information, and we rely on old behaviours or patterns. During this hijack, we cannot focus on our professional tasks or duties because our brain will primarily think about what is bothering us at that moment. Also our memory is highly affected, and we will recall only that which is most related to the incident/threat and not other things that may be important for our work. Now, as security professionals, being tasked with someone else’s security, can you see how being able to manage your emotions at work can affect your performance and why it is important? I’m sure you can see it. And keep in mind that many studies performed around the world have proven that being able to manage your emotions competently brings substantially better business outcomes.
As a security professional, you will spend most of your time being the shadow of a person who is paying you. That person has his/her own life beliefs, ethics, attitude, emotions, life worries, etc. How that person addresses you is his/her choice, right or wrong. However, how you react to it and manage the feelings associated with their behaviour is your responsibility. Have in mind that while your job is to protect them, they are not your ‘buddy’. They have their own job/responsibilities of keeping sales and numbers up, creating new products, making sure pay checks to employees are paid at the end of the month, and other important obligations. They have so many issues to deal with and you are not one…You are to be a help, not a hindrance. Professional protection, not a ‘Buddyguard’!
Once, one of our clients used obscenities while speaking to one of our colleagues. While the colleague was literally in tears (Imagine a security professional being in tears in front of the person he is protecting) and decided to quit that day, he failed on several fronts. One, to think that the client may have had a bad day, (Which later on, we found out he had just received the news his ex wife had filed for a divorce) and Two, the client is NOT our friend, and his/her reaction to anything may be, and most likely is, the result of something unrelated to us and not to be misconstrued as such. In this case, the client later apologized, which is rare, but some will not.
No matter what type of client you happen to be providing services for, always keep in mind, the client doesn’t have to be friendly to you, or care how your morning or night has been, doesn’t have to say hello or good morning or even converse with you at all! At the end of the day, it is not personal and it cannot be taken as such. This may very well be how they see social interaction. While it may seem rude for someone not to say hello, for them it may be natural. For them, you are just another employee. Also, have in mind that you will be in contact with many people in their lives of varying backgrounds and levels of power. The client’s wife, PA, butler, nanny or general public all may say something, at some point in time that will upset you. Also, never forget that emotions are highly transferable and someone may have had a fight at home with his/her children or significant other and carried all those emotions to work.
An emotional outburst at work can take your focus from performing your duties best and show you are incapable of controlling your own feelings. Being insulted or feeling you are not treated fairly will probably make you feel angry and anger will increase your heart rate. According to a study done by Prof Cynthia Fisher from Bond University, School of Business in 1997, the most common negative emotions experienced at work are frustration, worry, anger, dislike and unhappiness.
Should we repress or suppress our emotions? No. Can you manage them? Yes, we all are able to minimize those emotional hijacks. Most of us are highly aware of what can trigger our emotions. We know what topics, or events can affect us emotionally. So paying attention and being able to recognize when those signs of destructive emotions are starting to build, we have more chances to stop an emotional hijack. Here are some techniques:
- Know your triggers. This can help you to recognize what upsets you.
- Be respectful. If a person is rude, there is no need to react to it with rudeness and feed it. You can remain firm and professional without being aggressive. Most of the time, those people will calm down once they realize that they are the only one in the room shouting or being rude.
- Use exercise to blast your anger. Hit that treadmill, set some PR’s, roll on the mats… exercise will help to release any physical tension in your body.
- Never bring your negative emotions from home to work and vice versa. What happens at home stays at home and what happens at work stays at work.
- Clarify the situation. Many times it was just a miscommunication or misunderstanding.
- Use the 10-seconds rule. If you feel your temper rising, count to 10 to recompose yourself. If needed and if possible, get some distance and excuse yourself from the situation, reassuring them you will get to this matter as soon as possible.
- If for some reason you had an emotional outburst, apologize to anyone involved with it and take responsibility by recognizing you reacted badly.
- Speak about the incident to your supervisor. If there are behaviours, language or incidents that are irritating you and you are not able to see past them, then you should seek another position with another client. Either way, inform your company regarding any incident. Most of the times companies are not aware of a situation until it becomes unfixable.
- If you are a service provider, make sure you do an internal audit regularly regarding operational effectiveness of your operatives. Ask them, listen to them and also be ready to place them somewhere else if they seem burned out by a specific client/detail.
At the end of the day, keep these in mind, 1) the client is not your buddy, 2) it is not personal, 3) clients need to see that the person assigned to their protection not only is physically trained for the hard task but also he/she is emotionally stable, calm when all else is chaotic and can show restriction and strength when necessary.
If you are interested to learn more about Emotional Control in the Workplace contact us today at info@athenaworldwide.com
Denida Zinxhiria Grow
Founder & CEO
Athena Worldwide
Athena Academy
Nannyguards
http://www.athenaworldwide.com
At Athena Worldwide we are industry leaders for promoting, training and staffing female bodyguards internationally. With our affiliate offices, we can provide world-wide close protection and executive protection services for entertainment professionals, politicians, CEOs, Royal Families, journalists, clergy and corporate personnel.
Want to find out more about female bodyguards? visit www.athenaworldwide.com
What kind of a security business leader are you?
Over the last 10 years, I have written a few hundred articles and granted interviews related to protective work within our industry. I have almost always addressed topics of interest from the perspective of a Close Protection Operative or directed advice or opinions toward the CPO.
As threats change with the times, the topics of discussion must change and occasionally we have to address an old topic from a fresh perspective. This article is directed to the security company Owner or Manager and addresses a more mundane yet equally important topic: INTEGRITY.
What many company owners and managers will tell you they are looking for when hiring someone to work for them (and represent their companies), is loyalty, dedication, hard-working, punctual, positive attitude, team player, ethical, honest, law abiding, professional. It shouldn’t be surprising but many employees are looking for the same qualities in a company’s top leaders.
Most of us as Managers, CEO’s, CFO’s, COO’s, or other Owners fail to remember that when our company is awarded a contract and we hire people to work for us, our organization’s integrity is judged by, and dependent upon our employees. So as important as they are to us, why did they suddenly resign?
Most successful protection organizations are managed by company Owners, Managers or CEOs who have been operatives at some point in their careers, so it should be hard to understand how they would neglect their employees, but it does happen all the times, and I do understand.
Below I will try to point out some issues that allow for a toxic work environment for both employers and employees which lead to turn over and poor loyalty.
Each company has its own vision and goal. The question is: are you as the creator or guardian of that vision as loyal to it today as you were on day one? Are you loyal to the people who work for you, to what your company represents, to the profession? Or are you ‘’bending’’ your own work ethic or clouding your company’s vision for that monthly check? Great operatives sometimes work for organizations that have cut corners, lagged behind in paying their employees, failed to support their employees, siding instead with the client, and forcing employees to quit before it was time to give them a raise. If you think that your employees won’t quit and inform everyone they know (including your competitors), about your conduct, you are wrong.
Are you on time with your responsibilities toward the people that work for you? Are they getting paid for their working hours/days expenses and benefits on time? “I HAVEN’T BEEN PAID BY THE CLIENT YET” is not an excuse for not paying your operatives on time. Operating a business and hiring people means you have a specific amount of capitol you must set aside to insure payroll. Failing to achieve payroll independence probably means you are mismanaging your profits and maybe your company. Do you return phone calls promptly? Do you promise performance raises at 6 months of employment and then wait for the employee to beg you for it at 7 months?
Are you honest regarding employment contracts? There are companies who practice “Shadow Contracting”, which uses two sets of terms: one for the clients and one for the operatives. The difference between the two are the services promised to the client within the terms of service and what the operative believes they are signing up for in pay, working conditions, risk and support. In most cases, the client is unaware of this.
Additionally, when you hire a CPO, you informed them about the initial threat assessment, so until they get their foot in the door and deal in real time with the client and his environment and do their own assessment they have to rely on what you know. As we know, in our line of work, the threat level is, in part, what sets the cost for our services. Some organizations will not inform an operative of the real threat level in order to pay the operative less.
Are you a law abiding professional? Unfortunately we have seen people with criminal records running security businesses or Managers who don’t mind hiring employees who have prior problems with the law or regulatory authorities, who add them to their company administration or to their CP teams.
These decisions initially affect the CP effort but quickly destroy the trust and loyalty in the organization as a whole and eventually the Client relationship.
Are you a team player? I have heard the phrase “I want you to see our company as your family”, many times. This is a hollow statement because:
- They already have a family.
- They are usually under a contract with a time limit
- They will never feel like family when your family and friends are in all of the key positions or in charge of the operations.
As a business owner, manager or CEO you have to think ahead and take care of your people. Some contracts require assignments in distant cities or other countries. Those people, who work for you, protect your client and basically make money for you and are away from their homes and families, possibly in a different culture, unfriendly country or in a domestic environment which tests their patience, fidelity, fitness and temperament. Are you focusing on what the CP needs to succeed 20 or 30 or 60 or 90 days into their assignment? Are you watching for complacency and prepared to replace or rotate your CPO’s if complacency or boredom becomes apparent? Did you remember to add this possibility in the client’s contract and explain that the CPO the client starts with may not be the one they end up with?
Do you regularly check to insure that your CPO’s do not exceed 10 hours a day in service and that they receive proper time for rest or rehabilitation or training or fitness? Did you put these terms into the contract? Did you secure a retainer?
Recently, I was made aware of a female CPO that took an assignment in a country she had not worked in before. She took the assignment with a signed contract which she was awarded because of her experience working with and protecting children. She was promised a weekly bi-weekly paycheck, time off, 10 hour days, clothing, food, lodging, travel and other allowance “reimbursements” and was furnished equipment. Within 30 days, she was behind 2 paychecks, out of personal money due to not being reimbursed, was working 18 hours a day, was being berated daily by the client’s wife, not allowed to discipline or correct a spoiled child and was not accustomed to the local exotic diet which was her only source of food, resulting in her being sick and under nourished much of the time she was in the country. Additionally, she was not able to leave once she decided to do so and had to work an additional 4 months before finally being paid an adequate amount of money to allow her to “escape”. She has not yet been paid the balance of what is owed her and has no legal means of demanding or recovering her earnings. The company is still in business and continues its practices. It has no loyalty and the internet is now peppered with negative comments about it.
If you see fallacies in your corporate hiring and management practices or are experiencing a high turnover in CPO’s or your management staff, spend some money on a private consultant. They can evaluate your practices for far less than what you are losing in lost contracts and overtime or training costs due to employee turn-over. Having the right people working for your company and stay with you for a long time is the best investment you can do.
End f the day, while you are running your own security firm take some time to remember where you came from and guard your reputation within the industry.
Why you are not getting hired? A recruiter’s perspective
This article will address the most common mistakes made by Protection professionals while searching and applying for jobs. I will not pull any punches here so if you don’t do well with constructive criticism or feel the need to argue with the scores of people I contacted to write this article, read something else. On the other hand, if you are not getting hired and are willing to consider that it might just be you, remain open-minded, and consider the following, you might just discover the reason you are reading this article instead of working.
I am no better than anyone else reading this, but I have been there, done that, learned from my mistakes and am sharing what I have learned with you. I wrote this in first person, so bear with me, there is a reason.
I as many others, started in this industry as an operator, progressed through years of working under and behind others, made mistakes, survived, and progressed to owning my own firm. I found so many “operators” in the industry that really didn’t know what they didn’t know and I began to teach. After many years as an operator and a business owner, I have learned firsthand what it takes to work as a successful security operative, how to find the right candidates for my company and what recruiters, other companies and clients are looking for in a real Operator or Protector.
Most recruiters have been operatives before. They are quick to identify the needs of both client and operative alike. While many will share with a client the reasons an operative was not picked, they seldom share those reasons with the operative.
In the security industry, it is extremely important to find the right candidate for the right job. Due to the nature of our services, we don’t have the privilege of making a mistake. I would rather interview and reject 100 qualified candidates to find the exact fit for my client, than have my client reject my choice even once.
Here is a collection of the top complaints from Recruiters, Protection firms and Clients. If any of these even remotely apply to you, it may explain why you are being passed over.
- You applied for a job that you are not qualified for.
Understand that time is extremely valuable and going through hundreds of Curriculum Vitae’s, or CVs, and Resume’s is both time consuming and labor intensive. Additionally, researching your background can be quite expensive, so please apply for a job you can prove you are qualified for. Viewing resumes from people with irrelevant experience or training brings to mind two things:
- a) You either don’t pay attention to details and what the assignment requires, or
- b) You are just sending out inquiries for any job vacancy.
If your only job is to find yourself a job, and that seems like a lot of work, imagine how it looks to me when I have to go through so many candidate’s CV’s and Resume’s, evaluate their information and narrow the field down to the 6 to 10 I will interview.
However, if you can see that you don’t have what it takes for the specific assignment, you can always send your CV with a note requesting consideration for any future opening that may come available’’. This is not only acceptable but actually leads to more offers than “padding” or falsifying a resume ever will.
- Pay attention to the whole job application process. PAY EXTRA ATTENTION TO WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR AND WHAT YOU SHOULD INCLUDE WITH YOUR APPLICATION.
Generally speaking, most job ads give you all the clues you need to apply and what you should include with your application. With this said, I prefer to receive ONE email or letter per applicant with all requested documentation. Failing to pay attention to the job description and application process and having to e-mail me 3 or 4 times for clarification or further instructions won’t get you hired. It will give me the impression that you either don’t pay attention to simple details or you can’t follow simple guidelines and directions. Either one will get your CV tossed in the trash. Dealing with hundreds of applicants by E-mail is tedious but having to search through hundreds to match three from the same candidate is impossible. I will delete the email. I need to keep track and have all your info in one e-mail.
- If you are asked to include a photo with your application that means a professional head shot or full body photograph.
I will emphasize the words professional photograph. Pictures taken in your home, during your training or holidays or those taken of you in the field are not considered professional. Neither are the ones you have cropped yourself out of. Professional means suit and tie for the men and business attire for the ladies. DO NOT WEAR SUNGLASSES in your professional photos. Avoid the ear pieces. If you are really on top of your game, you will seek out a professional clothier to help dress you. Meaning that you will not wear button-down shirts with a suit and that your tie is the right color and length and that your shoes and belt match….And ladies, avoid over applications of make-up and hair products. If you seem “high maintenance” in an interview or photograph, you will not be chosen for work. A team of Operatives and more especially the Client won’t wait on you to get ready. And don’t use a combat photo from Iraq if you are applying for a suit and tie position in an Executive security assignment.
The reason you may be asked to provide a professional photo is that in some cases, depending on a client’s needs, we want to make sure your image and body posture can blend in or fit with the specific detail. No we are not interested to see if you are handsome or pretty. In many cases the client may request someone taller or shorter, or that the Operative not have facial hair. The Client may be wanting a person with lighter or darker features or to not have a military appearance in order to blend in to the environment. Also, when we ask for a photo that means a recent one, (no older than 1 year). It should reflect your current appearance. If I grant you an interview and you do not look like your photo, your interview will be very short and your resume will go in the trash as soon as you leave. Photo-editing is not acceptable. It is the same as lying.
- Be extremely honest with the information you provide in your CV.
If you have attended training from which you don’t hold a certificate or you have been working for companies you can’t name, DO NOT include them in your CV. Most reputable agencies or firms verify a candidate’s training and professional background. In fact, most Firms have the phone numbers and names of the major training providers and we all know or know of each other. So if you can’t back up your training and employment claims with a certificate or reference letter, then don’t include it.
- Be honest when I ask you why you left your previous assignment. If I ask you how much you were making on your previous assignment, it may have nothing to do with what I am offering you now, so answer honestly. I may ask you this to determine if you were out of the job due to budget cuts, contract ending or because you didn’t fit in well. It is possible that you may have either been terminated or you quit for some good reasons. Being terminated due to budget cuts or the contract ending is acceptable but being fired because you made critical errors in judgement or because you were toxic to the team or working environment will keep you from being hired. If you did make a mistake that can be explained, you may want a letter from a supervisor or previous employer to detail the events on your behalf.
Be diplomatic. This means, don’t toss out accusations about your former employer or client. Keep a professional tone and give only professional justifications. If you are blaming your former employer or team manager for being unprofessional or unfair to you, this may be seen as an excuse for your conduct.
If I ask you how much you were making in your old job, make sure you provide a 100% true statement. No I’m not the IRS and I’m not interested to see how much you were making and how much you were declaring. I ask that question for two reasons, a) see how much you ‘’sell your services for’’ and b) to see if you will be honest. I have had people giving much higher pay rates than what they were actually earning and when I asked to see an old invoice or check stub, they couldn’t or wouldn’t produce it.
- If I ask you details about your previous client or employer, I have a good reason.
I want to see how much information you are willing to share. Your answer to these questions should be “I prefer not to answer a question that would compromise mine or my previous client’s integrity or the safety of the client or the team currently in place there.” This shows candor, honesty, integrity and class. Also during this interview, I want to see how you respond. Can you hold a simple conversation? Your professionalism is measured by appearance, integrity, oral and verbal communications skill and references.
- Changing companies every few months doesn’t look good on your CV but it is not a death sentence if you can explain it.
If we see candidates that change companies often, that is not the same as changing clients in the same time frame. In either case, you should be ready and able to explain the reasons for having multiple employers.
- Have a properly printed resume
Your resume is my first impression of you. It is the first tool I use to determine your eligibility for employment. It is extremely disappointing to see someone with exceptional experience who presents a poorly written resume. Errors in spelling, grammar, font size, letter and paragraph spacing, paper quality and color are al determiners to a lack of detail. Many security operators will spend thousands of dollars on a close protection training course and education in technical qualifications, then Hundreds more on clothing to enable themselves to work in the protective services industry, and then fall short when it comes to gaining employment because they have a poorly written resume or “CV”.
In order to be successful in gaining employment it is important that an employer, when reading a CV, gains an accurate picture of the person they are reading about. The CV should highlight the operator’s key skills, if former military, then maybe operational experience or if not then transferable skills to the workplace such as leadership and management. Understand that there is a real difference between a CV and a Resume’. In very general terms, a CV is what you can do, what you have done and how you are qualified, and a Resume’ is who you have done it for.
- Have a good, positive and professional presence during your interview. Present yourself professionally.
If you want to be considered as a professional then you have to start looking and behaving like one. When it comes to your appearance, have a clean cut look, if someone is going to hire you to be close to important clients and dignitaries then he/she must be sure you can blend in with the environment. I always recommend being clean cut. You can always grow your hair back but you can’t shave it off in the interview. If you are used to having a beard or mustache and don’t want to shave it, it is appropriate to ask the employer what is acceptable. If they prefer clean cut, do not try to qualify their request, just shave. And please loose the pony tail and hair gel. Both suggest that you have a weak self-image. Be aware of personal hygiene, it is sad how some people think it’s acceptable to have a specific natural body scent or unpolished shoes or dirty or jagged fingernails. If you are operating in some PSD assignments, it is acceptable but not if you are operating in Corporate Security or for Executive Protection in the western world. And in this case make sure you invest some money in professional and comfortable suits and shoes. Those will be your work tools along with your firearm. Ignoring details in your appearance is seen as a sign to how you will operate.
On an additional note, just because you don’t own a company doesn’t mean you can’t print some business cards. You never know who you might meet. People that can be potential clients for you or can forward your contact details to other people, potential employers or even contacts in the field who you need to work with such as Law Enforcement, all deserve a card. I have heard many stories of colleagues that after talking with people, had to offer their contact details only to have to hunt for a pen and a paper….and yes, I have made the same mistake myself when I first started working in the security industry. I still remember the embarrassing situation when I met an ambassador who was thrilled about female close protection services and when she asked for my contact details I wrote on a napkin. I have only made that mistake once. If you use a card, keep it simple and professional. Avoid bold or aggressive. Many colleagues use a plain card on thick stock simply stating the person’s name and a telephone number. That number rings to a 24 hour call center which then forwards the message to the person. More on this in another article. Stainless steel cards are cool but if you present bold and arrogant, you will be seen as such. Bold might get you lucky and get you an assignment to work alone but you will never be hired by anyone if you appear arrogant.
Concerning E-mails:
Use an email address that you use only for business. It should contain at least your last name to make it easier to search for you. Avoid e-mail addresses that reflect weapons or martial arts or other fieldcraft in the address. (Afganfighterdude.net…)Avoid using AOL, Yahoo or Gmail accounts for employment inquiries as these appear adolescent. If you use Linkedin, for a posting of your professional life, never contact the client or potential employer this way. Choose instead to communicate with them through E-mail and encourage them to do the same.
- Pay attention in your network appearance and activities.
It is sad but people in the security industry who are affected by personal issues sometimes can act unprofessionally. Do not to take part in on-line forums ‘’fights’’ or talking bad about other colleagues or companies. You need to remember that before you are hired, you represent yourself. After you are hired, you represent everyone you have ever worked for. These days companies and clients are monitoring social network sites and if they see you posting unprofessional comments about other people or companies, they will assume that you will do it to them. Regardless of how unfair you might have been treated by a colleague, a client or a company you must always act and talk professionally about them, even after your resignation or dismissal. Avoid posting pictures or comments about your social or family life, conquests or challenges. These lend the viewer to visions of substandard moral or security behavior, and can unfairly influence them when considering you for a higher level security assignment.
- Be serious if you want to proceed further with the selection process.
You will have all the needed job details to decide if you are interested in proceeding further. Think it through completely before committing to contacting someone for an interview. We don’t like to have spent our time with people who decide not to show up on a later interview. If you have other proposals and you would like to think about it, let me know. If you decide not to proceed, call us. This can go a long way if you decide to contact us again for future opportunities. There is nothing we appreciate more than an honest conversation.
- In the beginning of this article I mentioned that I am not working for you, BUT I am working with you. I am a recruiter. As such, disagreeing with me or harassing me over the contents of this article won’t help your cause. I have spent a lot of time talking to those who hire you. I am but the messenger here.
As a recruiter I am paid by the company or a client to find the right candidate to fill a job. I am not paid to get you a job. There are also guidelines I have to work within so if you get passed over, it is not personal.
Having been in this industry as an operative and agency owner I have a good sense of what the current market is looking for, what the standards are, and what the pay rates are. If you have what the company/client is looking for, I can try to negotiate your fee with them. I can also advise you or guide you during your application process, so diplomacy, patience and consideration is expected and appreciated.
- Be polite
It sounds so simple but many candidates fail to be polite during and after an interview. A simple thank you is more than enough. Even if you don’t have what the current company/client is looking for I can help you with another job opening if I see that you are a genuine and polite professional. Also, handling rejection with grace and good manners can land you an offer from the person that just turned you down.
Build a good relationship with your recruiter. If you are transitioning from military or Law Enforcement to private security, note that we do understand how stressful this can be for you, not to mention when you have bills to pay or families to feed. What does not work is calling or emailing me twice a week to complain about how badly you need a job. I know you may be desperate but so are several hundred others. In this case, the squeaky wheel does not get the grease. I will flip past 30 resumes that came in a month ago and place an operative that came in this morning just because the candidate is the right height and has manners.
- If you don’t fit a specific placement opportunity but you know someone who does, please make a referral! The recruiter as well as the potential candidate will both remember you. This will also go a long way in showing me that you have a positive teamwork mentality which is a great referral by itself for other opportunities.
Finally, I would like to point out that the job search and application process can be challenging and time consuming. There are many phases consisting of recruitment, civil and criminal background checks, physical and psychological testing, and meeting each specific company’s standards as a prerequisite of employment. Make sure you complete all the necessary steps and remember that the best time to look for a new assignment is while you currently have one.
Denida Zinxhiria
Founder & CEO
Athena Worldwide LLC
Athena Academy
Nannyguards®
Proud Member of International Security Driver Association (ISDA)
All for one, one for all….can you work and live by this motto?
Alexandre Dumas couldn’t describe better the importance of unity and solidarity within a team when he wrote one of the world’s most well-known historical novels, The Three Musketeers. In our line of work, we can see how important it is for all team members to work dedicated to one purpose (keeping client and team safe) and, as individuals, pledge support to the team.
However, too often what we witness is a far cry from team solidarity and unity. Instead of supporting each other, colleagues blame or undermine one another, not to mention the unethical characterizations from those who hide behind computer screens. With the Internet, we have seen a huge increase of those “flame wars.” Forums have been created mostly to “entertain” unemployed people who have nothing better to do than blame each other or those who can hold a job. Or networking groups that describe themselves as “raising the standards,” “networking groups,” or “sharing job groups’’ that only turn out to be people who want to advertise their services or products by pointing out other companies “wrong” actions. So-called prospective students interested in a class disingenuously raise questions about a company solely to attract negative comments about the company. This can go on for service providers as well.
Personally, I’m tired as hell and disappointed even more when I see some colleagues fall for this kind of networking. These days, you can’t be sure who is who behind a screen name. It is better to ask for and receive comments or opinions from people you know well and whose experience you can evaluate – not those who simply share what they heard or what they created.
Whether we like or dislike someone, we shouldn’t allow it to affect our professionalism. Our top priorities are client safety and mastering the art and skill of protection. But we also have a priority to the industry to which we have dedicated our lives. Loyalty to our colleagues falls within this, not the other way around.
As we all know, close protection is a profession that is unfortunately devoid of professional standards and requirements. Each country, and even each state, has its own licensing or training requirements, and in many cases no training is required at all. In light of this, you realize that you must work to solidify a team of people who bring different experiences, skills, training disciplines, standards, professionalism, culture, and ethics. It’s similar to the way a sports team or elite military unit must work through individual differences to become a uniquely cohesive team.
It is very important that team members promote and maintain strong working relationships with each other as well as the client, and, of course, others we may be in contact with, such as house personnel or office staff.
Some of the people you work with may have more or less skill and may be younger or older. In each situation, you must address issues with respect. Never offend anyone, for any reason, and never correct someone while someone else is present. If you believe they made a mistake, offer your advice and perspective. However, few people are receptive to advice from coworkers. If they refuse your help, respect them and leave it alone. If a colleague makes a sexual advance or even a comment that you are not comfortable with, address it quickly.
In our line of work, it is very important to immediately address issues. Later, you can do your research as a team and correct it. For any team, constructive criticism is meant to eliminate future problems.
Avoid conversations with colleagues on topics that trigger emotional responses like sports, religion, sex, or politics. No conversation on these topics can contribute to your client’s safety. The only conversation you should entertain is the one that adds to your client’s safety.
If someone is paying you (and others) and trusts you as a team and as individuals to protect his life, shouldn’t you show the same amount of trust toward your colleagues for your own life? When I work with others, which is 99 percent of the time, I want to be confident that those people have my back. I want to be confident that the person sitting next to me carrying a firearm can be trusted as a professional and as a person. Don’t you all want that? Now ask yourself: Can you offer that kind of trust level to your colleagues?
Indeed, our industry suffers from low standards, and the few good professionals are either trying to keep the level up or fighting to protect their image from the wannabes.
Change can come, but we all are responsible for achieving that. Unfortunately, security is not a one-man job – it requires a team effort. Many have tried and failed. They started with good motives, but ended up making the same mistakes as those they were fighting, because, at the end of the day, for them, money talked.
I hope for better and work toward it, and I will close this with Duma’s most famous motto: Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno.
Denida Zinxhiria
Founder & CEO
Athena Worldwide LLC
Athena Academy
Nannyguards®
Proud Member of International Security Driver Association (ISDA)
