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Occupation AtlasFirst-Line Supervisors of Security Workers

O*NET · 33-1091.00

First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of security workers and security guards.

Also called Armed Security Supervisor · Armed Site Supervisor · Campus Safety Chief · Guard Captain · Guard Chief · Guard Supervisor · Internal Security Manager · Loss Prevention Supervisor
23 more

Officer Sergeant · Protection Supervisor · Public Safety Manager · Public Safety Supervisor · Safety Supervisor · Security Chief · Security Department Supervisor · Security Director · Security Field Supervisor · Security Floor Supervisor · Security Guard Supervisor · Security Lieutenant · Security Manager · Security Officer Supervisor · Security Operations Supervisor · Security Shift Supervisor · Security Site Supervisor · Security Supervisor · Security Workers First-Line Supervisor · Shift Supervisor · Site Supervisor · TSA Screener Supervisor · TSA Screener Supervisor (Transportation Security Administration Screener Supervisor)

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code ECR35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

ECREnterprising · Conventional · Realistic — the three strongest interests, in order

  • E Enterprising5.95
  • C Conventional5.10
  • R Realistic4.38
  • S Social3.57
  • I Investigative1.82
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • High School Diploma or the equivalent28%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate5%
  • Some College Courses26%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree30%
  • Bachelor's Degree11%
Related work experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (34%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (42%)
On-the-job training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (32%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Active Listeningbasic4.03.8Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Speakingbasic3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.93.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
  • Monitoringbasic3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Management of Personnel Resources3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Direct the activities of a road repair crew with minimal disruption of traffic flow
  • Coordination3.63.9Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Writingbasic3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Social Perceptiveness3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Complex Problem Solving3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques
  • Time Management3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Allocate the time of subordinates to projects for the coming week
Show the other 23
  • Instructing3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Instruct a coworker in how to operate a software program
  • Persuasion3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Convince a supervisor to purchase new office equipment
  • Active Learningbasic3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Service Orientation3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Negotiation3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Learning Strategiesbasic3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Identify an alternative approach to help trainees who are having difficulties
  • Systems Analysis3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Systems Evaluation2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Management of Financial Resources2.42.6Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Management of Material Resources2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Quality Control Analysis2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Operations Monitoring2.41.9Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Operation and Control2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Mathematicsbasic2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Troubleshooting2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Operations Analysis1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Equipment Maintenance1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Repairing1.81.3Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Equipment Selection1.61.0Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Programming1.60.9
  • Technology Design1.50.5
  • Sciencebasic1.3—
  • Installation1.0—

Tasks

19 core · 2 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Investigate disturbances on the premises, such as security alarms, altercations, and suspicious activity.4.8
  2. Monitor and authorize entry of employees, visitors, or other persons.4.7
  3. Patrol the premises to prevent or detect intrusion, protect property, or preserve order.4.7
  4. Monitor the behavior of security employees to ensure adherence to quality standards, deadlines, or procedures.4.6
  5. Secure entrances and exits by locking doors and gates.4.6
  6. Write reports documenting observations made while on patrol.4.6
  7. Advise employees in handling problems or resolving complaints from customers, tenants, detainees, or other persons.4.5
  8. Assign security personnel to posts or patrols.4.5
  9. Recruit, interview, and hire security personnel.4.5
  10. Apprehend or evict trespassers, rule violators, or other security threats from the premises.4.4
  11. Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency, such as fire, bomb threats, and presence of unauthorized persons.4.4
  12. Inspect and adjust security equipment to ensure it is operational or to detect evidence of tampering.4.4
Show the other 9
  1. Monitor closed-circuit television cameras.4.4
  2. Screen individuals and belongings to prevent passage of prohibited materials using walkthrough detectors, wands, or bag searches.4.4
  3. Train security personnel on protective procedures, first aid, fire safety, and other duties.4.4
  4. Develop and document security procedures, policies, or standards.4.3
  5. Explain company policies and procedures to staff using oral or written communication.4.3
  6. Schedule training or drills for emergencies, such as fires, bombs, and other threats.4.3
  7. Log items distributed to persons, such as keys and key cards.4.0
  8. Write and present department budgets to upper management or other stakeholders.4.4
  9. Order materials or supplies, such as keys, uniforms, and badges.4.3

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Public Safety and Security4.95.6
  • Administration and Management4.64.6Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • Customer and Personal Service4.46.1Level 7 looks like: Respond to a citizen's request for assistance after a major disaster
  • English Language4.44.2Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Law and Government4.44.0Level 4 looks like: Prepare documents and title papers for the purchase of a new house
  • Personnel and Human Resources4.44.2Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants for an administrative position
  • Administrative4.15.7
  • Computers and Electronics3.94.5Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
Show all 33
  • Education and Training3.95.2Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Psychology3.85.1Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Telecommunications3.23.0Level 4 looks like: Install a wireless internet router
  • Engineering and Technology3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Design a custom office chair
  • Communications and Media2.92.9
  • Mathematics2.82.7
  • Economics and Accounting2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Medicine and Dentistry2.72.4Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Therapy and Counseling2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Provide job counseling to the unemployed
  • Production and Processing2.61.8Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Philosophy and Theology2.53.0Level 4 looks like: Understand another culture's religious practices
  • Transportation2.43.0Level 4 looks like: Drive a semi-truck through a busy city
  • History and Archeology2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.31.7Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Chemistry2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Food Production2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Grow herbs in the kitchen
  • Design2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Foreign Language2.01.2Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Mechanical2.01.7Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Sales and Marketing2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Physics1.91.1Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Geography1.72.2Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Biology1.60.9Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Building and Construction1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Fine Arts1.2—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Inductive Reasoning4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Oral Comprehension4.03.6Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Problem Sensitivity4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Deductive Reasoning3.93.5Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Far Vision3.94.1Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Near Vision3.93.8
  • Speech Recognition3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
Show all 52
  • Written Comprehension3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Flexibility of Closure3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Speech Clarity3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Written Expression3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Information Ordering3.53.1Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Selective Attention3.53.8Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Perceptual Speed3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Speed of Closure3.33.5Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Fluency of Ideas3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Category Flexibility3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.92.8
  • Auditory Attention2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Memorization2.82.6
  • Night Vision2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Time Sharing2.82.6Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Trunk Strength2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Control Precision2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Originality2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Multilimb Coordination2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Visualization2.52.6Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Depth Perception2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Peripheral Vision2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Response Orientation2.42.8Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Spatial Orientation2.42.0Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Stamina2.41.8Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Finger Dexterity2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Manual Dexterity2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Number Facility2.32.1Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Reaction Time2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Extent Flexibility2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Rate Control2.11.6Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Sound Localization2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Static Strength2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Dynamic Strength2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Explosive Strength2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Gross Body Coordination2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Glare Sensitivity1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.1—
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.1—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.65.0Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.66.1Level 7 looks like: Determine the reaction of a virus to a new drug
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.65.5Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others4.34.5Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates4.15.1Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Coaching and Developing Others4.04.5Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Developing and Building Teams4.04.5Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Getting Information4.04.2Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
Show all 41
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.94.7Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Working with Computers3.94.2Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.83.3Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.85.4Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.84.7Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Processing Information3.73.8Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.64.1Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.53.8Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Training and Teaching Others3.53.2Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.44.1Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.44.0Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.33.0Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Thinking Creatively3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Staffing Organizational Units3.23.0Level 4 looks like: Interview candidates for a sales position and make hiring recommendations
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.02.5Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.02.1Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.02.9
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.72.4Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.61.9Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.41.9Level 1 looks like: Operate a cash register
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.41.5Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Handling and Moving Objects2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Change settings on copy machines
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.61.4Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Contact With Others5.0
  • Telephone Conversations5.0
  • E-Mail4.9
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.9
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.8
  • Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers4.8
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.7
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.7
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.7
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.6

Technology

10 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (1)

  • Microsoft Office softwarehot

Hot (5; 1 more marked hot above)

  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (4)
  • Employee scheduling software
  • Oracle software
  • SAP business and customer relations management software
  • Time and attendance software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Security Managers
  2. First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
  3. First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants
  4. Security Management Specialists
  5. First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
  6. Security Guards
  7. First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
  8. First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
  9. First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators
  10. First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.