To be a security guard in Ontario you must meet the minimum requirements. According to the Ontario Ministry you must be:
- 18 years old or older
- be legally entitled to work in Canada
- have a clean criminal record (Note: not all criminal offences disqualify you)
Even if you meet the minimum requirements above, it does not mean you will be suitable to work as a security guard or get hired. Some ideal qualities of a security guard include strong communication skills, being detail-oriented and enjoy interacting with people.
Communication Skills
As a security guard you will interact with employees, contractors, visitors, the general public and anyone else that comes to your site. Some of these individuals may not be permitted on site or need to be escorted off for violating site rules. This is where your communication skills can either escalate or deescalate a situation. You may also need to complete daily reports and incident reports. Your written communication skills will be critical when writing emails and reports.
Detail Oriented
As a security guard you will perform foot or mobile patrols. During these patrols you will identify irregularities. You will need to be detail-oriented to notice doors that are left unlocked and people on site you have not seen before. There are many other details the client may need you to remember that are listed in the post or standing orders.
Enjoy Interacting with People
After a while, many things will become routine working at a site. It will be the same patrols and daily locking and unlocking of doors. If you enjoy interacting with people, it will make your job a lot more enjoyable. When there is downtime you may be able to have a casual conversation with some of the employees. A wide variety of people will visit your site. When there are conflicts, your job will be a lot easier when your focus is on helping people. There are security guard positions where there are fewer interactions with others such as alarm response, asset protection and fire watch at a construction site. In these types of positions, whenever there is a problem you will still need to interact with people.
If you think being a security guard may be suitable for you, you will first need to complete the 40 hour course. We are an Ontario Ministry licenced security agency and offer the online course aimed at getting you job ready. Start your online course by first making an account on our website. You will be on your way to getting licenced in Ontario as a security guard.