Are Security Guards Losers?

Question

I've noticed that no matter where security guards is posted, they are not respected by anyone. Security guards are called COP-WANT-TO-BEs but this may not be the case. Not every guard aspires to be a cop. For example, I am 44 years. I work as a guard because there is nothing else out there. I have a B.A. in Sociology but have not been able to land a job other than security since graduating from college in 1994. What are your thoughts? Do you conisder security guards to be losers?

Answer 1

I work as a mall security officer and I believe that i am not a loser. I'm 19 years old and a college student, with no plans on becoming a cop. On the other hand, the public feels that we are a fat, lazy, cop-wannabe losers. The public does not respect security officers/guards and never will. States do not give private security firms any legal authority, which means we have no real authority to do anything. We cannot legally arrest anyone, we don't carry guns or batons. All we have is our voices and intimidation, thats about it. This is why private security companies spend so much money on making us look like cops, it's b/c intimidation and our voices is all we have. If we decide to pepper spray or put someone under citizens arrest, we are liable for our own actions, which means we may get sued directly and it comes out of our own pocket. Everyone i work with has grown to hate his/her job and distrust the people you work with. Everyone feels that the job is pointless, dangerous, degrading and a shame. You grow irritated knowing the fact that you are in no position of authority and your pretty much the people's *****. Hollywood with its recent movies on mall security has convinced the younger generation to hate, disrespect and laugh at security guards. Don't get me wrong I believe our job is an important one, but there is nothing in it for you, no incentives. Low wages, no authority, abuse by mall patrons, no training, no self-defense equipment, no legal protection, no nothing! I don't plan to work in mall security for a long time. I'm only their until i get my bachelors degree, then I move onto medical school or graduate school for higher education to guarantee that i will find a job. Trust me, what i do know is go to work, punch-in, then punch out at the end of the day. I stay away from trouble, i mind my own business, and i try to get through the day. The job is just not worth it

Answer 2

I was a security guard for 5 years and yes a lot of people view the job as a joke or a vacation where the only things you do is watch movies, and eat, and sleep on shift. And let me tell you, at least where I worked that is about all their was to do. I never slept on shift but most of the other employees did. I did catch up on a lot of movie watching though because that was literally all there was to do there. We were just there for liability reasons not because we truly served any real purpose to anybody. I got out about a year ago and landed a much better more respectable job. A situation you don't want to be in is where all your work history is pretty much based as a security guard and your trying to move up to a better job in another industry. I just happen to have a foot in the door at the time with the hiring manager where I work now so I feel very lucky I got out of the business. I've seen the life of the 40 year old security guard who has been doing it for 20 years, it's kind of depressing. You never want to be in a position where you want out of security guarding but it is all you know. Basically I liken security guarding to fast food workers, it's fine if that is all you can get or if your working your way through school but it's not a job I think most people actually want to be their career...but at the end of the day it's all about what makes you happy. If being the fry guy and burger king or being a mall cop makes you happy then your in the right job and if you stick around long enough you might just get promoted and make slightly more than you were. When I was a security guard, my supervisor made 68 cents more than me. lol.

Answer 3

I view security personnel with a professional mutual respect, just as long as they don't get in the way of an actual police investigation.



I understand that like me, they are out there doing a job, and while they may not be representing the tax paying collective, they are representing a corporation that puts money into it's employees hands, and the livelihood of those individuals depends on the watchful eye of the security guard.



As another poster already mentioned, the "badge heavy" security guards can be quite irksome. My wife and I were at the mall a few months back, right after Xmas, and we both stepped outside to have a smoke. A moment or two later the whirring sounds of a Segway came up from behind us and a bicycle helmet clad security officer told us we were too close to the mall's doors and we needed to move back another ten or so feet. We complied, but the security person had an attitude, as he was literally talking down to us.



Needless to say, it put a sour taste in our mouths for a little bit, but... I guess I'd have an attitude too if I was made to wear a silly get up and drive around the mall on a toy.

Answer 4

2

Answer 5

Depends on personal backgrounds



If a security guard is young, with a plan to be a police

Officer in future , or just a temporary job to collect tuition for future education, the guard is not a loser.



If the security guard is old, as long as he is a retired police officer, he is not loser



If a security guard is old and not a retired police officer, he is definitely loser.



Also, if a owner, manager, supervisor of a security firm was a security guard before, he may respect his employees, if he was not guard before, he may not respect employees

Answer 6

The only security officers I consider as losers are the ones that are Badge Heavy. I have respect for those who have authority where it is needed. Especially where safety is concerned. But I have met my share of those who forget they are just security guards and think they are police officers. It is too bad about your employment situation. But you are NOT a loser.

Oh yea by the way. I did security work for a few months about 20 years ago. I had to do what it took to give myself a home and food to eat. It was a good experience. I met some good people.

Answer 7

I am a Army veteran. I have a masters degree in business with 3.5 gpa. I am 37 years old. Ran my own real estate business and cashed out with 70k in the bank and multiple cars paid off. Now I moved to Chicago and work as a security guard as I did in college. I love it. I can work 60-80 hours easy. I read, watch TV talk on the phone, facebook, etc. I am not spending no money I earned in my previous business and make more than people that working for years. I do not do **** but hang out when and I am not at work out when I am at home. I can take a week off anytime I want. I can be mid level manager and make 40k a year. But I rather work to 2 security jobs for the flexibility and I can say **** You at anytime is priceless to me.

Answer 8

Short answer NO. There is nothing wrong with doing security and I was in fact a security guard throughout college. It was admittedly an easy job, however i enjoyed the autonomy of my position as well as the solitude. I was able to do my job, finish my education, interact with people, and get paid all at the same time... Whats wrong with that?

Answer 9

I am a Security Guard I don't think I am a loser because I am supporting myself and taking care of my kids. The people that criticize and judge me can hate all they want because at the end of the day I am paying my bills and I don't care what they say. HATERS GONNA HATE

Answer 10

I don't, but sometimes I do. They only fact that makes me think they are losers is because most security guards don't carry a gun. Though security guards do try to protect us, that makes them not so much of a loser.

Answer 11

Cops Are Losers

Answer 12

Sounds to me like YOU are a loser. If you have a B.A. in sociology, then why are you working as a security guard?? There's nothing out there? I know people who just graduated college and they got jobs instantly. Granted, they all had technical degrees, but it was your choice to major in something that is hard to find a job in.



Security guards at large generally don't do much, they are there more for prevention. Now bouncers at nightclubs are SERIOUS losers. They are on such a power trip. They think they can treat people like trash just because they are in the position to reject people from clubs. They need to understand how pathetic they are, and how pathetic their job really is.

Answer 13

Well I consider you a looser for the simple fact you've had 15 years to reflect on your choice of education and have done nothing about it. as far as saying there's nothing else out there is B.S., it sounds like you like working in security but probably had a bad day and need someone to tell you your not a looser. if your not a jerk, your not a looser. feel better?

Answer 14

Actually, it depends on the individual. In these economic times, many of us accept jobs that are beneath us. And, outside of that, people still make career mistakes.

And there is one way that security guards are sometimes BETTER than cops; when they work for a private company, rather than the government. That makes a huge difference.

Answer 15

Guards are a joke and nobody respects them... How do I know? I was a guard for some time.... Get out while you can and get w career... I'm a Web Developer/Software engineer now and I get tons of respect.

Answer 16

There are just things to realize about being a security officer and to see them as nothing more than that.There are security that go overboard on the job for nothing.Most of companies don't half-way care anyway. They just want the money so guards come and go every week.And many don't care to do security for too long anyway.Unless you move up in the company you may be another guard with a lot of experience but still making 9.00 hr in 4 years.

Answer 17

your a dick

Answer 18

Im a security officer. I work for a company that specializes in k-9 work. We do natinal, international and maritime work. We are highly trained. Taser,oc, baton, handcuffing, k-9,self-defense etc. We are not leo's. I have found that we arnt respected by certain people we come in contact with and neither are leo's. If we wanted the paperwork, law suits and all the other b.s. leo's have to deal with then we would peruse that, have done that, or served our country. My company has lost life while serving, but you wont hear about it on the mainstream media because they arnt police officers. I have so much respect for leo's. But at the end of the day we both stick our necks out for people we dont know and very little money. Do your job the best you can and that's all you can do.