Some of the “greatest” entry level jobs we hear about such as Whole Foods, In-N-Out Burger, Chik-Fil-A routinely talk about paying above a fair wage or offering amazing benefits. In fact the average pay rate (as of 2020) for an associate at In-N-Out Burger in California is about $15 per hour as well as both Whole foods and Chik-Fil-A at $16 an hour. The average starting pay rate for security guards at Creative Security is $19 to 20 per hour.
Do you see why we’re puzzled that there aren’t more job seekers exploring careers with us? It’s a mystery we’ve wrestled with since we opened our business.
We finally sat down to analyze the situation and realized that there was a major roadblock for some of our most qualified candidates: guard card training.
Many job seekers hear that being a security guard is a great way to go. Maybe they know someone who worked part-time as a guard to put themselves through college. Or maybe they know someone who became a “lifer” in the industry and is really happy doing what they do. So they check it out.
They soon realize that to work as a security guard, they need to get a certification known as a guard card. And it’s not something you can get just by filling out a form and paying a fee—you have to go through guard card training first.
How We’ve Simplified Guard Card Training for You
To get your guard card, you have to pay for and complete a course. That seems like a hassle to most job seekers. They figure, “Why jump through a bunch of hoops when I can just apply to a fast food restaurant and earn decent money right away?”
We see it as an investment in yourself. Yes, you can go flip burgers without certification. Or, by putting in some work and investing some money up front, you can set yourself up for a higher hourly wage for years to come.
Still, we know it’s not always an easy choice. So we figured out a way to make it easier.
Creative Security now offers full guard card training and certification reimbursement (up to a $150 value) for all of our applicants who are new to the security industry. It’s simple: do the training, get your card, come work for us in good standing for at least six months, and we’ll pay you back what you spent. Plus, by then, you probably will have earned considerably more than you would have in fast food.
We think it’s a pretty good perk, and we hope it results in more and more job seekers considering a security job—or even a security career. Besides, guard card training reimbursement is far from the only benefit we offer.
What Nobody Tells You About Working in Security
Before we tell you about the coolest aspects of working in security, one more thing about guard card training: you can do it all online nowadays, rather than attending in-person classes. It’s no more difficult than attending online traffic school after you get a speeding ticket. Thank you, pandemic!
Once you’re certified and exploring job opportunities with Creative Security, you’ll have lots of options in front of you. You don’t need experience in the security industry—we’ll train you. For many of our new hires, we can offer jobs that begin the same day.
Now, we do vet our guard candidates carefully—but we’re not talking FBI clearance here. You can’t work for us if you’re a convicted felon. Most applicants won’t have a problem there.
And once you’re hired, you’ll have many choices about the type of work you do. If you’re a people-person who thrives on face-to-face interactions, we can find you a job that puts you in the heart of the action. Or, if you’re an introverted college student who wants to be able to get some reading and studying done while you’re on the job, we can find those kinds of positions for you, too. Just let us know and we’ll make it happen!
Get the Process Started Today. We’ll Help.
Whether you’re looking for full-time or part-time work, and whether you see security as a short-term job or a possible career, we at Creative Security are eager to hear from you. Before we can hire you, you’ll have to complete guard card training and get certified. But again, we’ll reimburse you for your fees after you’ve worked with us for six months.
Why not use your extra downtime during COVID to complete your guard card training online so that you can be eligible for some amazing, challenging, good-paying jobs in the security business? Find out more about careers at Creative Security.