Door supervisor to security guard
A door supervisor already meets 51% of what the security guard role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.
56/ 100
1 How much of what a security guard is expected to do is already part of a door supervisor’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the security guard role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A security guard role treats 13 of its required skills as things a door supervisor already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- check tickets at venue entry
- comply with the principles of self-defence
- deal with aggressive behaviour
- detain offenders
- ensure public safety and security
- identify security threats
What stands in the way is 7 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 21 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A security guard role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a door supervisor background worth leading with.
- already held monitor parking areas to maintain security information skills
- already held perform body searches assisting and caring
- already held perform security checks assisting and caring
- already held manage lost and found articles assisting and caring
- already held control crowd assisting and caring
- already held check tickets at venue entry assisting and caring
All 21 carried skills, including the 13 the security guard role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 30 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn execute inspection walkway required
- still to learn maintain facility security systems required
- still to learn check official documents required
- still to learn ensure law application required
- optional, not held carry out security activities with a dog optional
- optional, not held exercise security in hospitals optional
- optional, not held provide security in detention centres optional
- optional, not held conduct airport security screening optional
- optional, not held ensure store security optional
- optional, not held ensure compliance with types of weapons optional
- optional, not held handle surveillance equipment optional
- optional, not held provide door security optional
- optional, not held regulate traffic optional
- still to learn security threats required
- optional, not held alarm systems optional
- optional, not held security in commercial buildings optional
- optional, not held security in industrial buildings optional
- still to learn stay alert required
- optional, not held interrogate individuals optional
- still to learn monitor surveillance equipment required
- optional, not held ensure security on ships optional
- optional, not held document security incidents in the store optional
- optional, not held ensure hotel security optional
- optional, not held inspect cargo optional
- optional, not held legal requirements related to ammunition optional
- optional, not held criminal law optional
- optional, not held legal use-of-force optional
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a security guard role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 execute inspection walkway practise this
- 02 maintain facility security systems practise this
- 03 check official documents practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 21 skills that carry over
- already held check tickets at venue entry skill
- already held comply with the principles of self-defence skill
- already held deal with aggressive behaviour skill
- already held detain offenders skill
- already held ensure public safety and security skill
- already held identify security threats skill
- already held identify terrorism threats skill
- already held liaise with security authorities skill
- already held patrol areas skill
- already held perform body searches skill
- already held perform security checks skill
- already held practice vigilance skill
- already held restrain individuals skill
- already held control crowd skill
- already held fire safety regulations knowledge
- already held illegal substances knowledge
- already held manage lost and found articles skill
- already held manage major incidents skill
- already held monitor parking areas to maintain security skill
- already held operate radio equipment skill
- already held provide first aid skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held explosives optional
- optional, not held surveillance methods optional
- optional, not held check methods optional
23 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held alarm systems optional
- optional, not held carry out security activities with a dog optional
- optional, not held ensure security on ships optional
- optional, not held exercise security in hospitals optional
- optional, not held provide security in detention centres optional
- optional, not held conduct airport security screening optional
- optional, not held document security incidents in the store optional
- optional, not held ensure hotel security optional
- optional, not held ensure store security optional
- optional, not held explosives optional
- optional, not held legal requirements related to ammunition optional
- optional, not held security in commercial buildings optional
- optional, not held security in industrial buildings optional
- optional, not held check methods optional
- optional, not held criminal law optional
- optional, not held ensure compliance with types of weapons optional
- optional, not held handle surveillance equipment optional
- optional, not held inspect cargo optional
- optional, not held interrogate individuals optional
- optional, not held legal use-of-force optional
- optional, not held provide door security optional
- optional, not held regulate traffic optional
- optional, not held surveillance methods optional
15 held skills the security guard role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role assess character skill
- not needed by the target role assist emergency services skill
- not needed by the target role assist police investigations skill
- not needed by the target role ban cameras skill
- not needed by the target role communicate with customers skill
- not needed by the target role ensure escape routes skill
- not needed by the target role first aid knowledge
- not needed by the target role handle cash flow skill
- not needed by the target role handle veterinary emergencies skill
- not needed by the target role law enforcement knowledge
- not needed by the target role manage emergency evacuation plans skill
- not needed by the target role monitor guest access skill
- not needed by the target role operate fire extinguishers skill
- not needed by the target role react calmly in stressful situations skill
- not needed by the target role screen clients skill
10 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn security threats required
- optional, not held alarm systems optional
- optional, not held explosives optional
- optional, not held legal requirements related to ammunition optional
- optional, not held security in commercial buildings optional
- optional, not held security in industrial buildings optional
- optional, not held check methods optional
- optional, not held criminal law optional
- optional, not held legal use-of-force optional
- optional, not held surveillance methods optional
Common questions about this move
Can a door supervisor become a security guard?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A door supervisor already covers 51% of what a security guard is expected to do: 21 skills carry over, 13 of which the security guard role treats as required.
What skills does a door supervisor need to become a security guard?
7 required skills are missing, plus 23 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by assisting and caring. The single most important is execute inspection walkway.
How hard is the move from door supervisor to security guard?
Its learning distance is 56 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.