Have you been thinking about applying for a security guard job at Frontline Security? If so, we’re looking forward to hearing from you!
To apply for a role, you’ll need to head over to our Jobs page and click on the job you’d like to be considered for. We’ll ask you to complete a short form and upload your CV/cover letter.
If you’re feeling daunted by writing your cover letter, don’t worry! We’ve got some tips so that you can craft the perfect security guard cover letter, and land your dream job.
How Do I Write A Security Guard Cover Letter?
A cover letter should complement your CV and provide additional information about your qualifications. Cover letters are an opportunity to highlight your strengths, let a recruiter learn a bit about you, and demonstrate your fit for the security guard job you are applying for.
Knowing where to begin when writing your security guard cover letter might feel overwhelming! But, it’s not so bad, once you break it down. You might like to read our blog before you start so that you have a clear idea of what makes a great security guard, and what companies look for in a security guard.
When you’ve completed your research and you’re ready to write your cover letter for that security guard job, follow these steps:
Make a good first impression
When applying for any job, whether it’s as a security guard, or something else, you want to impress a recruiter from the second they open your job application! Some job advertisements may have submission guidelines. If they do, follow them closely.
If the job you’d like to apply for doesn’t have submission guidelines, that’s no worries! You’ll still need to get the basics right so that recruiters know you’re professional and detail-oriented; here are a few guidelines to follow:
- Grab their attention! Use your first paragraph as a way to grab their attention and make them want to read more.
- Make it easy to read. Choose a font like Arial or Times New Roman, use a font size around 11pt, and stick to black for your text colour.
- Include all of the relevant information. Every security company offers slightly different services, and has different job titles within their business. You’ll need to ensure you’ve highlighted the role you are applying for in your cover letter, as well as the name of the person you are addressing your cover letter to (if you don’t know who will receive your letter, address it to Hiring Manager), and make sure they know who you are by signing with your name, and including your contact details.
- Be honest. No matter what you write in your security guard cover letter, make sure it is true. You want the job because you’re the right person for it, not because you’ve told them what you think they want to hear.
- Make it unique. Don’t send out a generic cover letter to every security company you apply to. Research the company you are writing to, include the reason you’re applying for this company specifically, and show them why you’d be a great fit for the role.
- Keep it short and sweet. This might feel tricky, because there is a lot to convey in a cover letter, but it’s important to respect the recruiter’s time, so keep it to one page or less. Any longer than that and it’s unlikely they’ll read the whole thing anyway.
- Triple-check for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Utilise a grammar check tool like Grammarly, and don’t be afraid to ask a friend to look over your cover letter before you send it off! If you have addressed your letter to a specific person, make sure that you’ve got the spelling of their name correct.
- Follow a consistent format for your CV and cover letter.
Highlight your experience
Once you’ve grabbed their attention, tell the recruiter about your experience – highlight your most relevant skills and achievements.
This is the time to tell them about your qualifications, and the security guard jobs you’ve worked in previously. Make sure they know the responsibilities you’ve had in these roles, and give details of challenges you’ve overcome while working in each position. If you hold a current Certificate of Approval (COA), or similar, or you have applied for oa COA, make sure that you mention it.
Mention transferable skills
If you’re new to the security industry, you might think you don’t have a lot of experience to highlight in your security guard cover letter, but you’d be wrong!
No matter what you’ve been doing up until this point, you have transferable skills. Maybe you were on the debate team in high school, so you’re calm under pressure, great at communicating, and comfortable with confrontation. Perhaps you’ve been working in warehousing, so you like working as part of a tight-knit team, but you’re also very good at taking initiative and carrying out tasks by yourself.
Whatever experience you have, draw on that and show the recruiter how that would make you a great security guard.
Why do you want the job?
Naturally, a recruiter will wonder why you are looking to leave your current job, or why you’d like to become a security guard. It’s a good idea to use your cover letter to explain your situation, so that they don’t have the chance to make an assumption.
Have you always wanted to work in security because you’re passionate about helping others to feel safe? Does your current job not offer career progression, and you’re looking to take on more responsibility? Are you looking for more flexibility, or you’d like to work different hours? Or are you dreaming of working for a specific company because their values better align with your own?
Whatever your reason, convey it in your cover letter!
What makes you the best?
Cover letters are for singing from the rooftops about how awesome you are! You don’t have to sound egocentric, but make sure that the recruiter can read your security guard cover letter and know exactly why they’d be mad not to hire you.
Good luck with your application. If you can follow the steps above, we reckon you’ve got this! If you apply for a security guard job and you don’t hear back, or you get a rejection letter, don’t take it to heart. You can always apply again in the future.
If you’d like to join the Frontline Security team, we’re always on the lookout for reliable, trustworthy security guards in Auckland, Hamilton, and Wellington. If you think you’ve got what it takes, apply today with your CV and a cover letter.