advice on doorwork

[dr78]

hi i am a single mum and cant afford to work due to childcare costs but when i was out saturday night i was chatting and having a good laugh with the doormen and they was saying they really think i should do doorwork as they said i had the right attitude and wit to do it and they said they think i would really enjoy it, and also it would make me be able to work as childcare in evening is free as got a mate who will do it but daytimes cost money

would love to do it, but i am very self concious but i also noticed any doorwomen i see are lets say larger build so i am thinking it would be no good for me as i am slim and placid looking, so i am not sure i would be employed as i dont look scary and i am dainty build or is it not the case and i should consider it and look into it further?? advice would be great!!!!

[polarserv international]

It's a job, nothing more nothing less. As to physical size...........well that has absolutely nothing to do with being good at your job.

In my experience many situations are more easily resolved by female DS, as the fairer sex are, more often than not better communicators. Personally, I have no reservations about employing or working with female DS. Most employers would jump at the chance of employing a woman on the door.

However, you should ask yourself one important question.........are you willing to risk injury and possibly death, for probably alot less than £10 an hour????

[Hawk]

ahh, why should a doorman/woman look scary?
Its a wrong thinking from the begining.
Ok I have a shaved head, and muscular buildt but Iam nice looking I hope? a woman in the doors with a nice attitude can all make a diffrence..Since they might have the possibility to talk when my brain is looked in fight mode..
Iam very positive to have both boy and girls in the doors, the important thing is if there is a fight or a disturbance that you assist and help out.
I have been working the doors threatend by known bikergangs and have been attacked by hammer, knife and screwdrivers!
And I have big socalled friends that has been all talking, but when its really trubble you havent even seen them.
I had one guy working for me about 55 years old and his weight is around 65 kg and height is 1.75 and he is an ambulance driver in the real world however he is not a fighter or a scary looking guy but he never gives up and back you up 110%..

I say are you prepared for spits in your face, name calling, fights and threats youre much welcome in this line of work
A woman in the doors with communication skills will improve the club or nightclubs big time..
Since we ( nasty looking idiots ) Lol* are humans after all and not the best communicators all the time...

Best luck
hawk

[Shortty]

Gonna have to disagree with some of the above comments tbh guys. Harsh reality is a bit different.

dr78 - i say this with the upmost respect, but be careful, a lot of doorman chatting to woman on the door will say anything as a chat up line, and yes one of the more common lines i've heard is that they should come and work on the door. That said, it may have been a true comment, only you can decide for sure.

As to the size thing.. well yes things have changed on the doors, size is less important, but it's not irrelevant. Don't let people tell you that this job is all about having a good attitude and communication skills and that size and fighting ability don't matter becuase they do. Communication is a great skill, but it takes time and experience to build it and use it under pressure, attitude is also important, but again it's your attitude under pressure that counts, adn until you've done it, you don't what it is.

Unfortunately the doors are still a rough place. In some ways the sia has made it worse because there are less doormen out there, certainly less decent ones (also less thugs true) and it is now almost accepted to bottle it in certain situations. The amount of new doormen who have started working in the last 2ish years is very high and a shocking proportion of these don't know how to handle themselves.

Police support is all well and good, but are they always on the door with you? Do they come and check the toilets with you, or help kick people out? Their response times are not, and can never be, quick enough to stop you getting shot, stabbed or beaten. If you go into the job with the attitude that someone else will take over when it gets out of hand, then you're in the wrong job. If you're expecting to resolve all situations with verbal skills, or you expect never to get hurt, then your in for a surprise.

Just remember, you're getting probably about £10 an hour for door work, bar staff get £5.50 and have to work a damn site harder, so why the pay difference. It's not all for the badge, else everyone'd get badged, pays itself off in a month or so... so why the difference? It isn't "the right attitude" or "communication skills" 75% of people have these.. it's because you are expected to deal with violence, dish out violence on occasion, and spend most of your time giving off the aura that when you want to be you can be a very nasty person. Sorry if this doesn't fit with the SIA's description of the job, but the real world is a little bit different, you're dealing with alcohol, drugs, dealers, scum, football hooligans, gangs, weapons and more. Be prepared for it!

Still wanna do the job? Best of luck to you, it can be a very pleasurable experience and is a great challenge at times.

[soulful]

hi i cant get in under the username i joined at mo, so will use this till sorted!!

i chat with the guy most wks and he isnt one of those doormen who tryin to pull as he is a very happy family man, he just meant the way i come across talking wise. But i do believe u should look "rough" to work on the door, which i dont i look all sweetness and light haha, i am not thou, too firey sometimes to be honest, but i do think again doorwomen are better when a certain size too, as i am only size 10 and slim and look all girly so i just doubt i would more look the part than anything lol i would do bar work but i know i would hate it and last a few wks.. so hard trying to find a job that i can be better off working, so annoying

[mts]

Stay away if you can. It's dangerous and "dirty"

See if you can get work from home - the doorman route is not a pretty one.

Best of luck.

m

[wullie reilly]

i am a doorman and i am happily married i chat to anyone on the doors being a jock in cambridge is well hard when on the doors i have being doing it for about 2 years and i must admit i have not had much trouble cause it not how big or hard you think you are its commone sense and being fair to people and able to talk to people

wullie

[nico691]

Hi all,
I agree with all of the above, somehow.. I think it depends mainly on the kind of place you are working in.
By the way, I agree more with the "real thing" post. I'v been working the doors and doing head doorman for some (lots) of night and in many different places.
The door work is surely about communications and prevention, but sometimes there's no place for all of that. When you have to deal with drugged people or with guys with personal problems to set... they are not at all in the mood for conversation and the things get nasty in a sec.
My personal hint is to try another line of work as I think that everyone must stay within "their things" in life.
For example, I think I'm better not starting a career in tailoring now, after years in security... dont think it'll make me rich LOL
The only exception could be some kind of clubs. The very high level and exclusive ones. I worked in some place where the only threat to counter was the photographers (paparazzi!!!) and there was no place at all for fights or fight-drugs (lot of coke there but that's another matter..)!!!
Best of luck
Nico

[PSA]

dr78,

I have worked in the past with small and large built females. It is irrelevant on certain issues and a good door team will work to its advantages .
I have found female staff,regardless of size to work well within conflict management situations and have been advantageous in body searches etc.
If you are small and dainty and your team operate effectively ,physical issues will be dealt with by the larger guys. Unless of course you are trained and highly proficient in jap slapping.
Door work is not the only job you can do with the license, Vip event work etc are also avenues where you may find a better environment as well as high profile clubs where trouble and good client base is adhered to.
Look hard at where and whom you work with,its a team effort ,one weak link when the time comes to a physical intervention could mean injury for your self and others.

Good Luck.

[seanyseanyseany]

does`nt matter about your size or build, the vast majority of door companies jump at the chance of employing a female doorperson, especially for nightclubs and the more up-market venues.i have worked in a 2 person team with a female at some rough places and was`nt worried about it in the slightest,though this probably not always the case for others.if you really want to do this, try and stick to nightclubs(more team members) initally and move on from there. good luck whatever you decide to do.