The Basic Requirements of a Security Job as well as the Specific Job Position Requirements - Report Example

Security Jobs Name Institution Security Jobs Security is one of the broadest lines of work. The choices in this type of work differ depending on the specific job position as well as the industry of the company that one works or is interested in working. The fact that all industries require security personnel contributes to the broad range of job opportunities in security. Every security job has a list of minimum requirements that the employee should meet (Prien & Hughs, 2004). The aim of this research is to identify the basic requirements of a security job as well as the specific job position requirements. This report will, therefore, focus on the different requirements that employers need applicants to meet. It explores the differences between these set of requirements and examines the requirements of various security jobs in different industries. It achieves the set objectives by reviewing and analysing different job postings of security related jobs. Analysis of Job Descriptions Job descriptions always include a list of characteristics that the employer requires the appropriate employee to have (Arthur & Diane, 2006). The characteristics are distinguished in three groups namely knowledge requirements, skills requirements and attributes requirements. The knowledge requirements involve characters that revolve around the understanding and awareness required to complete the tasks associated with a particular job position in the company in question (Doyle, 2016). One can gain the required knowledge by getting a formal education. The required knowledge can also be gained through working in a company in the same industry as the one searching for a new employee (Johns, 2012). The skill requirements, on the other hand, include the activities that one can complete competently. The third set of requirements is attributes, which are the qualities that one has and can thereby be associated with him or her. Employers usually list these requirements as part of the minimum abilities that one should have to get a job in their organizations (Muskovitz, 2011). Job Description One The first job available is the position of a senior VP, Head of Security Management in Genesis IT & T. The individual will be in charge of overseeing all the security details in the organization (Genesis IT & T, 2017). The knowledge required to hold this position is knowledge of security risks that information systems face as well as how the information systems function. The skills necessary for the position, on the other hand, include communication skills, and numerical skills. The attributes needed to handle the job is the ability to pay attention to details and maintain high accuracy levels. Job Description Two The second security job available is the position of precinct security manager in Jones Lang LaSalle. This position will involve managing activities that revolve around the security of Dumas House and its occupants (JLL, 2017). One of the requirements for this post is for one to be a holder of at least a bachelor’s degree. The skills required of the applicant, on the other hand, are risk analytical skills, strategic management skills and security management skills. The attributes required of the applicant is to be a team player, keen to details, a critical thinker and an observer of rules. Job Description Three The third job opportunity is that of a VMS officer in the Australian Fisheries Management Activity. The attributes of the person that holds the position include the ability to think strategically, team player, self-drive, professionalism, diversity tolerance, and integrity. The skills required of the applicants of the position include communication skills, interpersonal skills, negotiation skills, and strategic skills. The applicants are further required to have knowledge of the AFMA’s purpose and goals as well as the health and safety principles of the organisation (Australian Fisheries Management Authority, 2017). The candidate should also know the organisation's cultures such as diversity culture. Job Description Four The fourth job opening is a technical security countermeasures officer in ASIO. The job opportunity requires the applicant to have skills such as technical skills, analytical skills, teaching skills, and interpersonal skills. The attributes necessary for the job position include self-drive, team player, and a resourceful mindset. The knowledge that the applicant should have involves the understanding of the technology used in security measures, building management systems, cyber security principles, radio frequency communications, emergency building services, and maintenance of security systems (ASIO, 2017). He or she should also have at least a certificate in electromechanical engineering or electronics. Job Description Five The fifth job opening is the position of a compliance and risk management advisor in The National Portrait Gallery of Australia. This position requires an applicant to have skills such as communication skills, interpersonal skills, analytical skills, and strategic thinking skills. The individual is further required to have attributes, which include personal drive, achiever, integrity, team player, intelligent, observer of rules, and diversity tolerance. The applicants also need to have in-depth knowledge in conducting investigations, work and health safety as well as security management. He or she should, therefore, have a degree in security management, certificate IV in investigation and certificate IV in work health and safety (National Portrait Gallery, 2017). Findings and Thematic Analysis Findings JD1 JD2 JD3 JD4 JD5 Sector Commercial Commercial Government Government Non-Profit Attributes High accuracy Ability to pay attention to detail Team player Keen on details Critical thinker Observer of rules Strategic thinker Team player Self-drive Professionalism Diversity tolerance Integrity Achiever Resourceful mindset Team player Self-drive Personal drive Achiever Integrity Team player Intelligent Observer of rules Diversity tolerance Strategic thinker Skills Communication skills Numerical skills Security management skills Training skills Risk analysis skills Strategic management skills Security management skills Communication skills Interpersonal skills Negotiation skills Strategic management skills Communication skills Interpersonal skills Analytical skills Teaching skills Technical skills Communication skills Interpersonal skills Analytical skills Strategic management skills Knowledge Security risks and measures of IS How IS work Bachelor’s degree Security measures AFMA’s cultures AFMA’s purpose and goals AFMA’s health and safety principles Security measures Building management systems Cyber security principles Radio frequency communications Emergency building service Maintenance of security systems Conducting investigations Work and health safety Security management Degree in security management Certificate IV in investigation Certificate IV in work health and safety Thematic Analysis The job opportunities analysed in the research have some common requirements as well as some diverse aspects. One of the standard requirements is self-drive as it is required in JD3, JD4, and JD5. Being a team player is also another common attribute as it is a requirement for JD2, JD3, JD4 and JD5. Another common attribute is strategic thinker since JD3, JD4, and JD5 have it as a requirement. Other attributes are not very common. They include diversity tolerance, achiever, and integrity, which are found in JD3 and JD5 only. JD2 and JD5, on the other hand, have in common the requirement of someone that observes rules. JD1 and JD2 share the need to have an individual that is keen to details. Other attributes are required in specific jobs such as intelligence, critical thinking, accuracy, and professionalism. The required skills as well have categories depending on similarities in the job description. Communication skill is the most common requirement in this category as it is required in four of the employment opportunities. Interpersonal skills, analytical skills, and strategic management skills are the second most common of the requirements because they are needed in three of the job opportunities. The security management skills and training skills, on the other hand, are required in two of the job opportunities. Skills such as mathematical skills, negotiation skills, and technical skills are required for specific jobs. The knowledge required for each of the job as well is similar in some cases and different in others. The most common knowledge requirement is security measures and management. It is required in four of the job opportunities. The rest of the education requirements are unique to each job opportunity. For example, knowledge of conducting investigations, work and health safety are meant specifically for job opportunity 5. Discussion Based on the findings from the research, some skills that are vital for anyone that wants to have a job in the security industry. The attributes required in most of the security jobs are personal drive, strategic thinker and being a team player. An individual interested in getting a security job should further have communication skills, interpersonal skills, analytical skills, security management skills, and strategic management skills. They should also have broad knowledge on the security measures to use to deal with security risks in the company. These are however not the only required skills and knowledge for security related jobs. Other specific skills are needed to handle each job. For example, knowing the AFMA’s policies is the specific requirement for the VMS officer in the Australian Fisheries. The difference in some of the required skills is owed to the fact that the job positions are different. Therefore, the level of skills and the preferred skills are bound to be different (Schambers, 2015). The differences could also be caused by the fact that the jobs are from different companies. These companies are in different industries, for example, while AFMA is in charge of preventing illegal fishing in Australian waters, The National Portrait Gallery of Australia is responsible for developing portraits for people that have had an impact in Australia's history. The goals and objectives of the five companies are therefore different. They require different input from their employees, which requires the employees to have different sets of skills (Brannick, Levine & Morgeson, 2007). Conclusion In conclusion, the job seekers have to consider keenly the line of work that they want to pursue. This would help them identify the requirements that their potential employers commonly ask for in employees so that they can work on these attributes and stand a better chance of being employed. An individual has to identify common skills, attributes and knowledge requirements in the field of interest to sharpen his or her skills successfully. In the case of the security industry, an interested person should have security management skills, interpersonal skills, analytical skills, strategic management skills and communication skills, to have his or her dreams fulfilled. Neglecting the process of building and sharpening these skills reduces the chances of one getting a job since other interested persons become the preference of these companies. References Arthur & Diane G. (2006). Recruiting, interviewing, selecting and orienting new employees. Greensboro, North Carolina: Blackwell Publishing Inc. ASIO. (2017). Technical security – countermeasures (TSCM) officer. Australian Fisheries Management Authority. (2017). APS 5: VMS officer. Brannick, M. T., Levine, E. L., & Morgeson, F. P. (2007). Job and Work Analysis: Methods, Research and Applications for Human Resource Management. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication. Doyle, A. (2016). What are job requirements? 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(2011). The importance of job descriptions. Retrieved from http://www.natlawreview.com/article/importance-job-descriptions National Portrait Gallery. (2017). Duty statement: Compliance and risk management advisor. Prien, E. P., & Hughs, G. L. (2004). A content oriented approach to setting minimum qualifications. Public Personnel Management, 33, 89-98. Schambers, A. (2015). Job descriptions: The foundation of human resources. Retrieved from http://www.grbj.com/articles/83063-job-descriptions-the-foundation-of-human-resources Read More