Pros
-Depending on your team, you dictate your own schedule on some days of the week. You can choose whether or not you go into the office to spend the day doing "inspections." At the end of the week, as long as your inspections are done somehow, someway, you're good. -You're in a leadership position. Management of minimally paid security guards is not an easy task, but it builds your ability to communicate effectively to some of the most underappreciated people in the employment world. -Exposure to a variety of different sites, personalities, clients, guards, cultures, etc. You are the go-to person for any security related issue for the accounts you manage. -You can bring your work with you anywhere in the country (and out of country for that matter), as long as your work phone can stay active and you're able to get wifi on your laptop.
Cons
-You are on the clock 24/7. As mentioned above, even when you are traveling, you're working. Situations at your sites may arise that causes your phone to ring at 3 in the morning, to which you must give your full attention to. -Minimum wage paid employees = employees who don't feel the need to work as hard. They can literally walk out of your site and apply to the fast food restaurant across the street for the same amount of pay. This, in turn, causes a very high turnover rate, which ends up becoming a headache for you way more than you'd expect. -If you have a soft-spot for good people who deserve more, but receive less, this may not be the best job for you. There are some security guards who have been in the industry for over 20 years and still receive minimum wage. And in all honesty, even if you wanted to help these people, you can't. You may help a handful move up here and there, but the majority of these people are stuck. It can become depressing to see a lot of good guys suffer financially. -You have to purchase a lot of things out of pocket and not receive reimbursement for them (i.e, Metrocards for meetings, work, security guards) -Anxiety. You'll develop a bit of anxiety due to your phone ringing and tinging off the hook everyday. You can eventually feel jaded by the ringtone, but it does take its toll on you. -LOW PAY. For the amount of work this job requires, the pay just doesn't cut it. A lot of us don't actually mind the work - it keeps the mind busy and you'll feel productive. But the pay is entirely way too low. Think: lower-middle class. You're definitely living paycheck to paycheck. Especially those of you with any sort of loans. Find a roommate. -Hiring of unqualified people. I'm sure this is an issue many companies face, but it's out of hand here. Many people with more experiences, better qualifications, and better work ethic are hired for a lesser title and pay than that Joe Schmoe off the block. -You will be very busy - all the time. Although you're able to dictate your own schedule on some days of the week, phonecalls, call-outs, latenesses, etc. will hold you. -You may handle anywhere from 2,000 hours to 5,000+ hours of work. Not including weekly inspections. I'm just under 5,000. It's insane. -Slow career growth.