protectivesecurity

I wanted to share a conversation that was posted on a forum that I am a moderator of, these two individuals are very intelliegent gentlemen and very well summarise the situation on both sides.

The first is posted by an operative working in the UK and the second by his counterpart in the USA. You can see very contrasting differences in experiences. The Uk operative replies and finally as always I put my two pence in the pot.

Hello all,

First let me just say thanks to Mr B.

Right, so you have done all the courses, and are banging out CV's, wanting cp work, oversea's contractor work. and all the money and party gear that goes with it.....

And i can say "from my experience" that unless you are ex-mil or specialist LEO, then you dont stand a chance..Not any more anyway. Unless we invade Iran, then...we will all need swiss bank accounts..lol

But seriously, have you had troble because of a lack of play time on the 2 way range.?

I have done driving/medical/CP/surveilance courses and got no where, in that side of things.

I have put more lead down range in tacitcal training and competion than most squaddies do in a life time. But yet no CP work for me. Say old story not ex mil?...no chance. I can stand there all day long and ring the steel at 300m. Dont mean diddle squat..Not ex mill.

The only aspect i was able to break into was surveilance..and even that was sparadic until a local firm gave me a chance to prove my self. Thanks Peter.

So lets here them....success stories.....has you background, or rather lack of it ever cost you work..? or even the chance to prove yourself on a job.?

Who says ex mil are the best qualified to do that sort of job? some of the most switched on people i know are trades men, denists, and accountants..etc..who have no mil time what so ever, but with a bit of time, and training would make great CP offiers/Contractors.

Rant over....

Your input please ladies and gentlemen.



Well I can appreciate where you're coming from but I have to disagree. I have no military background, nor have I worked for a Police service. I too have simply taken the courses and gone to work, but that's just it... I've never had trouble finding work.

Yes, if you want to work for a company like Blackwater they value military experience, but if you're looking to build a portfolio start domestically with executive protection. Often executives want someone who can blend in, someone who isn't built like the Terminator with a goatee that would impress a Jihadist. Often they want the guys who simply have the training, the experience, but can mingle with the socialists and blend into any social situation. That's where the guys like us come in, and that's where I started.

The first job was the hardest to get for me. But after that they came tumbling in. My first client (the publisher at a major newspaper) told all his friends about me. Within a week I had a call from the owner of a Casino, the Mayor of a City and even the President of one of the Country's largest security firms wanting to put me on contract for work he had. A month later I was teaching a course on CP to veteran Police Officers at their Academy, and before I knew it I was working as a full time CP Agent. The business, while it's slowed down, still keeps me working enough where I'm making full time wages yet only working part time hours.

As I've posted on here before, it's all about advertising and once you get those first couple of assignments, word of mouth should be all you need.

Good luck.


Yes you are absolutly right, for domestic EP work you can if you can make that inital break through. And in the US it is a much bigger industry, with alot more backing, and more commen place. But here in the UK i think the picking are a tad slimmer.

There always seems to be offers floating around of static/ RST type work, well thats fine if you want to guard the mens carsy at a polo match, or a stair well in a an office building in the city.

Perhaps im slightly jaded. But has been my experence that to get a proper CP/EP role here ...then there are always guna be these massive stumbling blocks, for people who you rightly say, blend in and could/would do a great job if given the chance. Good secutiy it like an onion....it has many layers..big man mountains at the front, and then us lot blending into the background, ready for when SHTF.

Its getting that chance that is the problem.

gentlemen,

Congratulations on two very well written accounts from different sides of the pond. I can sympathise with both and I can concur that the market is extremely tense over here in mainland UK.
The hardest thing about this industry is that clients are made through facetime, CV's actually mean shit. You can not write in a CV what a man looks like or holds himself in society, it does not say whether he is courteous or if he arrogant. The moment you meet someone, you can tell if you like them and whether you would want to work with them or more importantly..have them protect you.
Networking events are absolutely crucial and the only way to get yourself known. You will find it is the no brainer jobs that pay shit money that will ultimately lead to something bigger and better.
You need to just have faith and a belief that you are worthy, the rest is about being in the right place at the right time.

Good luck!


you will find these two guys with from I have seen, similar qualifications training and views, live different lives.