Bodyguard Careers

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THE CEO’S GUIDE TO EXECUTIVE PROTECTION

Doc Rogers, Featured Articles, Featured Bloggers

By Doc Rogers

Author’s note:  Written with a slightly pained smile; don’t take the article too seriously – enjoy.

INTRODUCTION

If you are a CEO being assigned a bodyguard (executive protection specialist; the preferred, politically correct name) for this first time, than pay particular attention to this guide.  Follow its simple advice and you’ll be pleasantly surprised on how having a bodyguard can be the best corporate perk ever by making you more productive and secure wherever you go. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before you even meet your new bodyguard; keep the following in mind.

CEO’S PLANS vs. BODYGUARD’S PLANS

As a CEO your job is to implement marvelous ideas to move your company forward; developing plans and getting employees to execute them soundly.  Your bodyguard has plans as well and it’s along the same lines as yours.  Your bodyguard will customarily be utilizing SOPs. These have been taught by older, wiser and more experience men of long ago in the trade and handed down. Your bodyguard’s main objectives are in the following order; your safety, security and comfort.  You have probably brought into the conventional perception that all bodyguards are gorillas in ill-fitting suits.  The bodyguards of yesteryear were a little more forceful and impolite. Today’s bodyguards are keen on executing their jobs flawlessly by using their training, intelligence and ability.

DEVELOPING A SOLID FOUNDATION

Chief executives being assigned a bodyguard should focus on developing a solid foundation.  Here are some useful tips:

  • A bodyguard needs an itinerary to function properly; it is the very lifeblood of his job. Whenever possible get your secretary to send your bodyguard an itinerary for the upcoming week. Do not hesitate to send multiple amendments.
  • When going to business functions where you will be a participant have your secretary describe your tasks at each step of the process (e.g., go up on stage, give a 20 minute speech, grip-grin and photo ops with Third World upper echelons of senior management, etc.). It is the bodyguard’s job to lead the way, let him accomplish this by providing reams of information and keeping him in-the-loop.

BODYGUARD TASKS

Although this subject can occupy full book shelves, here it is explained in a concise fashion. The term bodyguard was developed hundreds of years ago, way before the present-day “executive protection specialist” was ever imaged. The man (or woman) that has been assigned to you is there to keep your body safe, secure and comfortable.  His objective to ensure your body remains a living, breathing, comfy being and does not get damaged or heaven forbid deceased. There are of course a thousand other related duties, expending on those tasks would take a full book.  Just try to ensure that during your day-to-day activities you do not water down the bodyguard’s all-important tasks as explained in this section.  This will create win-win situations and pave the way for a great working relationship and longevity.

AN UNTRAINED EYE

To the untrained eye your bodyguard may be drinking coffee in the lobby of the five-star hotel you are occupying. However, unbeknownst to no one, he has been up for 3.5 hours, had a workout, briefed the security drivers, spoken with the security manager of the hotel and has already put in some real honest sweat.  Even as he sits enjoying his first cup of coffee his mind is working and the wheels of his subconscious are spinning to ensure all goes smoothly.

EXECUTION CHALLENGES

Modern bodyguards want to execute their jobs flawlessly. To do this you must allow them to assume responsibility for your protection.  You can accomplish this easily by following these few tips:

  • Allowing your bodyguard to ride in the same vehicle as you oppose to a chase vehicle. He should be positioned in the front passenger seat to ensure that if the driver becomes incapacitated, he can take over control of the vehicle. It is called the “dead man takeover” technique.
  • Upon reaching your destination do not get out of the vehicle until your bodyguard opens your door. This has nothing to do with courtesy, although bodyguards have highly good manners. It has to do with ensuring when you step from the vehicle your environment is a safe one.

TANGIBLE ATTRIBUTES

As a CEO you are superbly skilled and are laser focused on directing people with day-to-day decisions based on what your company is trying to achieve. However, in a worst case scenario, you will have no say in the matter regarding the operational technique or tactic your bodyguard will utilize to keep you safe from harm.  There will be no discussions in the matter. There will be people oblivious within the confusion and chaos that swarms. The only one who will be on guard, with clearheaded thinking and taking professional action will be your bodyguard. These are the tangible attributes the bodyguard/executive protection specialist brings to the table. Use them to your advantage. Keep safe and God speed.

Doc Rogers is the author of Corporate Executive Protection – A Manual for Inspiring Corporate Bodyguards and president and CEO of International Corporate Executive Protection Ltd. Doc has earned a Ph.D. in Security Administration from Southwest University and he is SE Asia’s leading expert on executive protection and corporate security.

How to Sell Yourself as a Bodyguard

Doc Rogers, Featured Articles

By Doc Rogers

Your bodyguard training, experience, skills and ability will sell itself as long as you let prospective clients know both verbally and on your résumé that you can step up and quickly begin contributing to executive protection tasks for the client and the organization.

If you are new to the industry let prospective clients know that the bodyguard trade is your career choice and you have the ability to develop and advance to an increasing level of bodyguard responsibility.

When selling yourself as a bodyguard you have to look and act the part of a professional. This means wearing a conservative suit and tie in the executive protection sector and a well-tailored sports jacket and open collar in the celebrity protection sector. It also means that your character and temperament is well-matched to both the job and the team. You must have the right chemistry to get on the team.

To show you have the right chemistry for the particular bodyguard job, let the prospective client know the value you will bring to the team. The expertise you will deliver to the company. Give them the reasons why they should believe in and hire you. Let the interviewer know about your bodyguard performance, reliability, quality and efficiency.

Give the proper indicators and a positive message. This equates to having the right chemistry. The indicators I’m talking about include providing good, in-depth answers during the interview, keeping good eye contact and talking with confidence. Have an air of self-assurance and a positive bearing without being cocky or showing a brash swagger.

Set yourself apart from other bodyguard candidates with extreme levels of professionalism and class. Be unique in your approach and mindset in delivering executive protection value and customer service. To sell yourself as a bodyguard you need to be driven by excellence; always striving to better yourself and the bodyguard services you provide.  Be committed to excellence, be distinct in this industry, raise your standards and what you demand of yourself. Have the hunger to grow, contribute and be the best at what you do. Good luck and God speed.

 

Your First Advance

Career Advice, Doc Rogers

By Doc Rogers

Background: The detail leader is responsible for having advance work (reconnaissance) carried out. He assigns an advance man to gather all pertinent information of the threats and obtain information of the environment in which the client will visit. For the new advance man this may seem like a daunting task. Advance work in general, is technical and highly specialized service. The following recommendations will assist you in accomplishing your first advance work duties with few difficulties, however timely planning is necessary.

Objectives: Your objective as the advance man is to gain foreknowledge, acquired by going to each location in advance to evaluate, analyze and obtain all available information related to the client’s visit to reduce vulnerabilities and improve logistics so the executive protection team members can successfully accomplish their mission.  You are to reduce to a minimum all uncertainties and setup security measures regarding the client’s visit at each location he or she will physically visit. The security measures you setup as the advance man are both active and passive, designed to insure the safeguarding of the client and to prevent needless delays, confusion, etc.

Action: While on advance work duties you do not have time to dillydally. Advance work involves rapid assessment and analysis of current information and prompt delivery of the the advance work you have produced to the detail leader. The advance man must obtain many sources of mission appropriate information in five categories:

Arrivals: Evaluate for security and comfort of movement for the client at entry airports, hotels, venues and safe havens.

Departures: Evaluate for security and ease of movement for the client at exit airports, hotels, venues and safe havens.

Venues: Evaluate for safety and security, movement for rapid evacuation if necessary and client comfort.

Routes: Evaluate for quickest safest and most favorable client vehicular movements; to include secondary routes, travel estimates in time and miles. Learn the status of all routes and avoid those frequently used by criminals. You should include a route map as a source of information for the detail leader for pinpointing all vital locations.

Safe Havens:  Evaluate and setup rally points in case of incident or medical emergency. The safe havens must have favorable safety conditions, excellent communication systems, available 24/7 and with positively identified friendly personnel preferably armed and provide good fortification. Embassies, hospitals, police stations, military facilities and other suitable areas must be carefully evaluated.

[Read more…] about Your First Advance

Going After the Bodyguard Jobs

Doc Rogers, Featured Articles

Bodyguard Jobs: By Doc Rogers

You’ve been to a descent bodyguard academy already, but still have not gotten work in the trade.  You don’t need any more classes or specialized bodyguard workshops at this stage. This does not mean you will not continue to hone your craft. However, at present you need to go directly for what you need – go after the bodyguard jobs.

• Get directly in touch with the people doing the hiring.

• Let these people know you exist.

• Bring yourself to their attention to get hired.

• Demonstrate the value you bring to the table.

To demonstrate the value you hold by presenting a professional résumé. One that is well written and shows good training and work experience; hire a professional. If you are new to the trade and don’t have any background experience, show how your past employment has been a stepping stone and how it relates to you in becoming a professional bodyguard. Stress your bodyguard academy training and the additional assets you’ve learned. This will certainly demonstrate your value.

Next, is the old standby networking; I know you’ve been told this over and over, but have you really tried professional networking? Professional networking is one of the most important actions you can take in the bodyguard trade.  It is vital to your success in the industry. Owners of executive protection, VIP protection, close protection and professional bodyguard company’s must network.  For them to maintain success they network with other professionals in the trade to find agents for new assignments, to obtain new resources and contacts.  They have no choice, same goes for you. Look at every opportunity as a networking event.  You have to know the professionals who do the hiring in the bodyguard trade, because they hire the people they know in their network.

In order to get Bodyguards jobs, bodyguards need to start promoting, advertising and marketing themselves because they are the product. Nobody will hire you if they don’t know you exist this should be done in a discreet and professional manner. This includes sending out résumés, passing out professional business cards and again networking with industry leaders and senior veterans of the trade on the social media and bodyguard jobs  sites.  However, before you do any of these activities you must believe in yourself and the value you bring to the table.  Get out and make contact, show ambition; let people know that you are a contender.  Keep safe and God speed.

 

Success vs. Failure in the Bodyguard Trade

Career Advice, Doc Rogers

By Doc Rogers

Everyday more and more people enter the bodyguard and executive protection industry. However, only a few land lucrative assignments and go on to have successful careers.  What do all successful professional bodyguard and executive protection specialists have in common?

  • Successful professionals see opportunity where others see disappointment.
  • Successful professionals focus on a positive path within the bodyguard industry.
  • Bodyguards that made it big in the industry worked on what they love to do rather than only making money. They knew that money would eventually follow from working on their dreams and aspirations.
  • Successful bodyguards take responsibility for their own life and livelihood.

To become a success in the bodyguard and executive protection trade you have to start thinking and acting different. This means changing your patterns, activities, and your thoughts.

First off, you are going to need to present yourself in a professional manner and do a complete makeover if necessary. The better you look and feel about yourself, the better chances for success.

You are going to have to sell yourself and your bodyguard services.  In this business everything that happens to you depends on you alone. Make it positive by acting well, dressing well and speaking well. The choices you make for yourself also have an impact on your career. This includes the seminars you attend, the articles and books you read, the people you choose to associate with and others you choose to distance yourself from.

Your success in the industry requires lots of actions. Opportunities in the bodyguard and executive protection field exist, but it’s up to you to take action and go after them.  This is the one solution to get on a successful career path.  Starting today, your full-time job is to become a success in the industry.

This will not be easy, you’ll have to put in 10-12 hour days networking, writing cover letters, and sending out résumés, handing out business cards, mailing out “thank you” cards and follow up letters.  You must display confidence and professional polish in all you do. Have a strong personal motivation in mind and body. Calculate every world you speak and every move you make. And develop your own coherent strategy to become a successful.  Stop doing what everyone else is doing and stop walking that common path with your eyes shut and you will have success. To your success and God speed.

 

If It Was Easy, Everyone Would Be a Bodyguard

Doc Rogers, Featured Articles

By Doc Rogers

The bodyguard trade has a price, everyone must pay for admission. When you first start you must get specific executive protection training from a recognized school. The training does not come cheap, but look at it as an investment. Once you successfully complete your training there are additional fees that must be paid and honestly many bodyguard candidates aren’t willing to pay.

This includes long workdays (12-20 hours) intense agendas and stressful conditions, weeks and even months away from your family, living out of a suitcase and lots of unexciting hotel and airline food.  These are not complainants. The pay is decent; hard work deserves good pay and most of us knew what the job entailed before we got into the trade. However, I want to make it clear that this type of work isn’t for everybody. If it was an easy way of life, everyone would be a bodyguard.

If after reading the above, you are still interested in becoming a bodyguard, than you have the required determination and heart to succeed.  I’m not trying to discourage people from entering the trade, but remember there is a price to pay. You may be in for a struggle and lots of non-glamorous work. After your initial bodyguard training at the academy do not stop your learning process. Read everything you can on the subject.  There is no such thing as too much experience and knowledge.

When looking for work in the industry do not pass up volunteer jobs. This includes volunteering your time at local celebrity dinners or functions.  These volunteer jobs always tend to payoff in the future. It also looks good on your résumé.  But remember; go to give, not to take and serve greatly.

Next suggestion, move to city where the bodyguard trade is in demand. It is possible to find bodyguard work anywhere in the world.   But your best chances are in a city the needs bodyguards.  Do not move to any particular city on a whim. Be prepared and do your research first.  Start making daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals for your bodyguard career.

When you first start, start out small. Get some quality business cards made, start meeting others bodyguards on Facebook and LinkedIn. Start attending bodyguard workshops in your area and mailing your résumé to Fortune 500 company executive protection units. Just make sure your résumé makes a good impression before sending them out. As you meet each goal, generate a new one until you land a bodyguard job and obtain a long-term career. With heart and determination you will make it. Keep safe and God speed.

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