I've thought a lot about the topic of work history and backgrounds, and how the topic plays such an important role in the security industry as a whole.  Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've seen the coverage of all of the school shootings in American. Naturally, one of the main topics always at the forefront, is the assailant's or person's past history, and the plethora of clues and signs that almost EVERYONE saw and knew about, (at least in hindsight).

We in the Security Industry and in Law Enforcement can beat the topic to death and "Monday Morning Quarterback" all aspects of past employment and history when it comes to potential Stalkers and Criminals (after the fact).   In the fallout of another shooting or other incident, all the industry professionals and commentators are out in full force on every news media outlet that will give them a voice.   

And of course, who could preach more on this, than the security industry? Aren't we the best...

We're spreading our wings here at OPStructure! Click the link below to listen in as our Founder Steve Albritton joins Australia's Troy Claydon and The Wheels Up Podcast. A fun and informative conversation around all things security, executive protection and all the facets of the industry from two global security leaders. Featuring great guests and current and relevant topics to help you in your security career. Subscribe now so that you don't miss an episode!

We've all heard the phrase, "He's/She's is Over-Qualified" for the job. I personally had never really given it a lot of thought, until recently when I entered a discussion forum where the topic arose. Then, I really started to contemplate what the phrase really meant or is intended to mean, and how it is applied to many EP professionals.

A number of really experienced EP folks were complaining that they had been passed over for opportunities, and had been told that they were 'overqualified'. This is understandably frustrating feedback for someone who has worked hard to be 'qualified', and then put that knowledge to good use in the field. For most of us, you would imagine that a given client would want THE most qualified person possible for their protective duties.

So, what's going on, when a qualified person is told they are 'over-qualified'? Well, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it relates to a few possible things, and it may not be what you think.

Before I talk...

I'm sure if you've been in the executive/close protection (EP) field for any length of time you have likely witnessed first-hand the plethora of changes within the industry.  One of those changes has been the integration of medical support services directly into EP programs.  

This change has been a long time coming, and it fundamentally comes down to mitigating risk for our clients. In this field, oftentimes the most significant threats to our client are actually related to the client's own health!

While the idea of integrating medical support into an EP program can be daunting, it is becoming an unavoidable necessity for many of us who find ourselves supporting not just clients with existing health conditions, but also adventurous clients engaged in high-risk sports or travel as well. 

Clearly, this is a paradigm shift, as historically, an EP operator would not have been expected to provide medical support in addition to their normal security obligations. ...

It's really easy to get complacent when it comes to communicating and networking. When you are busy with work, and in your groove, it tends to be the last thing you are focused on.

However, your network, and your connections are the underlying fabric of your long-term success.

You heard me. Your network is KEY to your current and future success!

What would you do if you found yourself without your current job? Who do you reach out to when you need help outside your wheelhouse? How do you operate when you are tasked with something you know very little about?

You reach out to your network. You ask for assistance. You go to other sources for information. (And if you don't, you should!)

The more robust your network, the deeper your own personal bench strength!

I think most of you know this to be true.

But when was the last time you communicated with someone you didn't know? How often do you seek out new people, or take a peek outside your own industry?

How about maintaining your current...

There are not many private sector jobs that are as dependent upon  "Being Ready" as the Close Protection/Executive Protection field.  Readiness and adaptability can be your down-fall or can become your niche asset.   It's your choice!

What do I mean by this?   The senior and active EP/CP specialists know exactly what I mean, as they have probably been there many times. The comfort of easing into a detail when you are prepared is like slipping on your favorite pair of slippers. It makes work and travel as easy as possible. Conversely, we've all had situations where we found that we were ill-prepared for the job at hand, scrambling to gather resources, and feeling behind the eight ball the entire time. Not a good feeling, for sure.

For those of you scratching your head as to what types of things I'm talking about, here's some perspective on the concept of job readiness in the EP field.

I meet industry professionals on a daily basis, and always enjoy networking and...

In my previous blogs, I've touched on some important things about 'Resume Writing and Job Descriptions'.

As we all know from  old war expressions, a carpet bomb is a fearsome weapon.  It takes out an entire valley without really knowing what its intended target is. A pretty devastating approach. It has its uses in war, but I want to make the case that carpet bombing your resume all over corporate America is not effective.

Conversely, there is the tomahawk missile mounted on a Drone.   It knows exactly where it is going and intention is to surgically strike an intended target, all while being guided there by an "Operator". Seems a bit more precise, right?

So this is a pretty straight-forward analogy of  of what happens when YOU send your resume to large, corporate employment or hiring sites that promise to get you that awesome job or to get you seen.   Most of these sites utilize the carpet bomb tactic.  Yes, you might even be paying these sites to help...

With it being the first month of 2018 and most of us are just getting settled-in, and back to the daily grind, I thought it would be fitting to address a topic that affects 'most of us, some of the time', and for sure 'some of us, ALL of the time'. 

That topic is NEGATIVITY.

I can attest, I've certainly struggled with it.  I'd like to say that negativity only affects me 'some of the time', but I've learned that I have to make a very conscious effort to stay focused on the positive. In fact this is something that I have prioritized in recent years, as I see how important it is, both for myself as an individual, but also in terms of how my mindset and attitude impact my work and my business.

Now, I'm not a self-help guy, or a guru of any sort. However, maintaining a positive attitude is something I try to stress in managing my teams, in engaging with business partners, and in working to develop new talent in the industry.

Never underestimate the power of a good attitude.

And...

Let's talk about geography and culture!

I've had the pleasure of working both coasts in this fine country, and in most states in between. And I can't count how many times I've thought to myself, "wow, this is so different than ___ (enter previous location or gig)." Meaning, the different cultures in principals, EP operators and therefore work cultures varies dramatically depending on where you happened to be located (and who you happen to be employed with).

Some of these differences are indeed generational, as the norms and expectations of this field have evolved at a breakneck pace. This can be attributed to an increasingly global business environment, where our principals and their work likely spans multiple nations, time zones and cultures.

It can also be attributed to the rise of a new type of wealth, one where the CEO is more likely to be in a hoodie and sneakers, as he is a suit and a tie. And for those of you who are working for these younger CEO's and Silicon Valley-style...

For those of you who have been in this field for a while, the title of this blog may make you cringe. If you aren't familiar with the term, it just means handling an entire client and job support all by yourself or with one person. And yes, it happens more than you think. Individuals and companies choose to hire a single EP operative (vs. a full team) for any number of reasons, including budget, last minute change of plans, new staff, etc.

The dreaded 'single operator' gig can bring fear into the eyes of lots of EP professionals. I've worked with people who flat out refuse to do jobs like this stating things like, "you are set up for failure", or "you are just screwed before you even start." 

As the Manager of a fast-paced, global EP team, I found myself needing to send members of my team out on single operator trips, just to keep up with our globe-hopping principal. There were times we literally couldn't have staff on the ground for every location on our list, and we had to...