Where a security guard can go next
12 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role a security guard already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.
Security guards observe, detect irregularities and protect people, buildings and assets. They maintain security at all times by patrolling designated property areas, controlling access at entrances, watching alarm and video recording systems, asking suspicious individuals for identification and reporting infractions and law breaching activities.
Also known as airport security guard, security chief, garden guardian, security manager, corporate security guard, garage security guard, cemetery guard, stadium guard, security professional, building security guard, security supervisor, event security guard.
Service and sales workers 51 skills on file 12 career moves 5 above 60% overlap Closest: security guard supervisor, 67%
- 70% and above · short step
- 50 to 70% · real move
- Below 50% · substantial retraining
Table 1 · Within reach
- security guard supervisor 67% covered · difficulty 37.4
- door supervisor 66% covered · difficulty 35.6
- gate guard 66% covered · difficulty 37.1
- hand luggage inspector 65% covered · difficulty 37.5
- crowd controller 62% covered · difficulty 44.5
- store detective 60% covered · difficulty 43.6
- bodyguard 60% covered · difficulty 48.1
- security alarm investigator 48% covered · difficulty 49.9
- prison officer 47% covered · difficulty 50.9
- juvenile correctional officer 41% covered · difficulty 54.4
Table 2 · A bigger jump
Possible, but expect real retraining rather than a sideways step.
Table 3 · What the job itself asks for
A security guard needs 20 required skills and areas of knowledge. These 10 are the ones fewest other jobs share, so they say the most about the work.
- execute inspection walkway assisting and caring
- perform body searches assisting and caring
- monitor surveillance equipment constructing
- maintain facility security systems assisting and caring
- perform security checks assisting and caring
- check tickets at venue entry assisting and caring
- comply with the principles of self-defence assisting and caring
- deal with aggressive behaviour assisting and caring
- identify terrorism threats information skills
- detain offenders assisting and caring
Table 4 · Jobs that lead here
The reverse view: occupations whose skills already cover much of what a security guard does. The figure is how much of this job each one brings.
- security guard supervisor 65% covered · difficulty 43.2
- bodyguard 63% covered · difficulty 46.1
- gate guard 57% covered · difficulty 51.2
- crowd controller 54% covered · difficulty 54
- door supervisor 51% covered · difficulty 56
- hand luggage inspector 51% covered · difficulty 56.3
- police officer 36% covered · difficulty 68.7
- store detective 35% covered · difficulty 69.3
- security consultant 34% covered · difficulty 69.8
- airport security officer 32% covered · difficulty 72
Look up another occupation
Security guard is filed under Service and sales workers, ISCO major group 5. The full index lists all ten groups.
How these figures were compiled
Overlap is how much of the target role is already part of a security guard’s work. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.