Hiring the wrong security guard can cost your firm in more ways than you might expect. Poor professionalism or communication can frustrate your clients, putting contracts at risk, while high turnover drives up recruiting and training expenses.
Even your strongest guards can feel the strain if they have to cover for underperforming colleagues, which can hurt morale and lead to burnout, making it all the more important to spot red flags early when hiring security guards to protect your firm, your team, and your clients.
Security Guard Red Flags in Resumes and Personal Statements
Security guard applicants may show their unsuitability for a role through their resume content or formatting.
1. Incomplete or Inconsistent Employment History
Candidates who have frequent job changes with no clear explanation can be unreliable, and these gaps, or long stretches of unemployment, can indicate a candidate has a difficult personality, a lack of work ethic, or personal issues that could negatively impact their performance as part of your security firm.
Conflicting dates or duties across resumes and supporting documents, as well as overly vague descriptions of prior security roles, can also be red flags suggesting the security guard may be misrepresenting their experience or avoiding accountability for prior positions.
At the same time, reviewing employment gaps calls for nuance.
Some gaps have reasonable explanations, such as temporary personal circumstances or time spent pursuing certifications, and the candidate may still bring value to the team.
If the rest of the resume appears consistent and aligned with the role, the candidate can be moved forward to the interview stage, where they have the opportunity to address these gaps and provide context.
2. Weak Understanding of Security Responsibilities
Through their CV and personal statement, a security guard applicant may unknowingly demonstrate that they do not clearly understand the responsibilities expected of them.
For example, they may list responsibilities in broad or inflated terms like “managed security for multiple sites” without specifics or make statements that reveal a misunderstanding of client-facing expectations, like emphasizing “being in charge of everything” instead of following protocols.
Some instances may be due to a lack of experience, and when hiring for a junior role, this can be addressed with online training during orientation, shadowing other employees, and close supervisory oversight.
An inexperienced guard may have more optimistic views of their role, but there’s a key difference. If they seem to glamorize the role, particularly through their personal statement, and use words or phrases like “being a hero on every shift,” or “always in control of situations,” this could indicate the wrong type of personality for the role, which could lead to poor judgment on post, conflicts with clients or colleagues, and noncompliance with protocols.
On the other hand, a guard who simply shows honest gaps in knowledge while expressing willingness to learn, adapt, and follow procedures may still be a strong candidate and develop into a reliable security officer with proper guard training.
3. Poor Quality Documentation and Attention to Detail
A messy, unprofessional CV with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors can make a security guard applicant less desirable for your firm. As guards are expected to complete detailed, professional reports, if they do not take the time to refine and polish their CVs, then they may not have the attention to detail and diligence needed for the role.
Low professional standards can reflect poorly on your company, causing client dissatisfaction and even risking liability issues if a report is not correctly completed. When a CV shows carelessness and inconsistencies, it can show that the candidate may struggle with accurate reporting and maintaining professionalism through written documents.
Security Guard Red Flags That Appear During Interviews
Even with a professional resume with strong credentials and experience, a security guard candidate may still prove to be an improper fit for your firm during their interview.
1. Poor First Impression
The first red flag that can appear during a security guard interview is arriving late. Unless they have a genuine explanation, a late security guard applicant could be showing you that they lack reliability and respect for schedules.
Candidates who appear rude, dismissive, or inattentive to staff or the environment, such as ignoring greetings or failing to introduce themselves properly, also raise concerns. Early behavior often mirrors how a guard will show up for shifts and interact with clients or colleagues.
Interviewers need to pay close attention to visual cues during interviews, because these are harder for candidates to control than their words or tone. Research has found that visual behaviors, like posture, gestures, facial expressions, and overall composure, can reveal genuine individual differences that reflect how a person typically acts outside the interview setting.
When observing these subtle visual cues rather than solely relying on verbal cues, such as rehearsed answers or scripted descriptions of past experience, interviewers gain insight into candidates’ likely workplace behavior, beyond what is communicated verbally.
2. Lack of Professional Presence
Guards who do not show care in their appearance or presence during interviews can signal low effort or a lack of professionalism. For example, showing up poorly groomed, with unkempt hair or facial hair, or wearing wrinkled, ill-fitting, or overly casual clothing.
Interviewers can test adherence to rules by establishing a dress code for security guard candidates. Doing so helps reveal whether applicants can follow instructions and demonstrate the attention to detail required for security roles.
3. Weak Communication and Listening Skills
A dependable and proficient security guard will have good verbal and interpersonal communication skills, which can be identified during their interviews.
Some signs of weak communication and listening skills include:
- Mumbling or speaking too softly
- Overusing filler words, such as “um” and “like”
- Rushing answers and tripping over their words
- Speaking in vague sentences without clear examples
- Interrupting questions or responding before the interviewer finishes
- Difficulty explaining past actions or decisions
- Repeating themselves or providing inconsistent details across answers
- Avoiding eye contact while speaking
- Struggling to paraphrase or summarize information when asked
- Using overly casual language or slang
Some minor issues can be chalked up to nervousness, which is generally excusable, as some guards may be calm and grounded during their duties but show hesitancy during interviews. Research shows that interview anxiety is not predictive of later job performance, and companies can end up passing over qualified, high-performing candidates with interview anxiety in favor of less suitable ones.
Firms must consider the overall pattern and consistency of communication, distinguishing between candidates who are momentarily nervous and those who consistently struggle to convey clear, organized thoughts.
When a candidate demonstrates potential but has difficulties in communication, targeted communication training can be provided after hiring to help them meet professional standards and effectively interact with clients and colleagues.
Negative Attitude Toward Past Employers or Clients
A security guard candidate’s attitude toward previous roles and companies reveals a lot about their character. Those who blame others and use dismissive language when asked about their work experience can be unreliable or difficult to manage. They may take little ownership of their mistakes, which can create friction among your other employees and disrupt team cohesion.
If they show discontent with rules, perhaps by saying that some policies were unnecessary or criticizing the way their previous company operated, it can indicate resistance to structure and supervision. An attitude such as this can manifest on post in several ways.
A guard may refuse to follow instructions or question protocols inappropriately, undermining established procedures, and passing the blame for incidents instead of taking responsibility. Negative interactions with clients or colleagues can create tension, and consistent complaining can harm team morale.
Interviewers must also remember to consider how a security guard applicant’s personality will impact other team members, as the entire workforce, not just the new individual being hired, can have reduced productivity and increased workplace tension.
Hiring Security Guards Who Fit Client Expectations
The hiring process should never be taken lightly, but some firms may focus only on qualifications and experience without looking closely at how a security guard candidate’s attitude, actions, and choices during the hiring process can reflect their likely behavior and professionalism once hired.
When hiring security guards and looking for red flags to avoid, security firms can filter out unsuitable candidates and build a professional, reliable team that delivers positive client experiences and reinforces trust in the firm’s services.
Building a strong security team doesn’t stop at hiring. If you want to develop your guards and improve overall performance, invest in online training courses to sharpen skills and ensure your team consistently meets the highest standards within their roles.
