When your residential community needs a security guard, there are ten traits that well-trained and successful residential security guards tend to demonstrate that you need to be mindful of. What are these traits?
Effective Communication
Every residential security guard must be able to effectively connect and talk with the residents to ensure there is peace among neighbors and no real problems. This will help to facilitate bonds and better handle tricky issues.
Overall Fitness
Residential security guards often do foot patrols. As such, they need to be physically fit to walk for hours at a time. If a security guard isn’t physically fit, they cannot do their jobs well. Physical fitness will help them respond to calls quickly and won’t have them feel winded by their other duties.
Keen Eye For Possible Problems
A professional residential security guard has a keen eye for anything troubling – be it a person or thing. Since criminals usually wait for opportunities to be unseen, with a keen eye residential security guards can head off trouble before it begins. This helps to foster a safer community for all.
Critical Reasoning
Residential security guards must have the capacity to critically think and reason at any given time and have the mental capacity to control their emotions. When problems and pressure rise, they need to exude an air of calmness and confidence. This helps them decide what action is best for the situation to reduce disruptions and get a positive end result.
De-escalation Skills
One of the most challenging aspects of the job is dealing with angry people. A professional security guard will have the skills to de-escalate tensions and decrease the threat level. They use non-violent methods to find a resolution to the problem, such as:
- Listening to or for the threat
- Recognizing the problem
- Find common ground with the other person
- Show empathy
- Recap what the threat was
Positive Body Language
Security guards who demonstrate an air of positive body language will earn residents’ trust and gain credibility. Body language itself tends to highlight the authority he/she has. Eye contact, upright posture, and careful movements speak volumes. It helps relate to others what the guard is thinking and feeling without uttering a word.
Trustworthy and Reliable
A security guard must be someone that can be trusted and is reliable. A reputable residential security guard company will carry out a background check on any person they want to hire. Security guards are privy to private information.
Multitasker
There are many tasks a residential security guard must do to ensure excellent service and ensure safety. It’s not just about observations and dictations, but dealing with visitor check-ins, foot patrols, monitoring cameras, alarms, etc. A residential security guard must be able to handle all these and more.
Detailed Reports
Security guards must provide detailed reports that provide essential information for others to read and understand. They should lay out possible issues that must be addressed and report back to clients in real-time if necessary.
Team Player
People tend to see security guards working by themselves, but the reality is, there is a team of security guards working together to safeguard the premises and its residents. Therefore, security guards must be comfortable working both solo and as a team for the safety of all.
Respectable security guard companies look for these attributes before they hire anybody for a position. If a residential guard is what you need for your area, you must keep an eye out for them as well.