Tale of Two Security Guards

Let’s go through a story of two security officers in Los Angeles. Both are male college students looking for a job in the summer, both want to work high-rise security, and both are willing to work the night shift. The job is appealing because it can pay pretty well and give a student time to read if they keep the job in the fall. The first of the two security officers gets a job with a company that assumes he won’t be with them in the fall, he’s sent only through enough training to be employed for the summer and they offer him the graveyard shift. He’s given very little instruction other than to get up and do a patrol every half hour or hour. He’s not taught how to patrol properly, nor is he taught what’s allowed during a shift and what’s not. Over time, this employee notices his bosses don’t really seem to care what he does and what he doesn’t do; he also notices that other people in the company can get better shifts or gigs by complaining about the job they have, whereas those who do their job well without complaint are repeatedly given the worst job. He knows this as he gets called in to fill in at other buildings on his break days and is never rewarded for his willingness to work, nor told what to do at these different locations. He also notices that all of his superiors are buddies with the boss and that no one in the company has moved from security officer to supervisor.

The other guy is hired by a well-managed company. The firm makes sure he is adequately trained, along with their other security officers in Los Angeles. They take note of his aptitude, skills, and his demeanor in order to find the best setting for him. As a friendly and active young man, they put him at a place with more nighttime activity. The influx of people in and out of the building helps keep him engaged and attentive, and he gets along well with the people. He receives clear instruction with regard to what he can and can’t do while working, and is also taught how to patrol correctly. He receives training for other positions in case he is needed to fill in at another post. He’s quietly informed that if he keeps up his good work, in time, he could be promoted.

It should be easy to guess which of the two security officers is more attentive, which is more likely to notice the things he should notice, and which will give the company contracting the security firm more bang for their buck.  As such, the second guy is the better employee. In a major metropolitan area like Los Angeles, there are many options in terms of the security company you contract with. Do your due diligence and make the right choice by finding a company that is well managed and will give you well-trained security officers in Los Angeles.