Security Guard cover letter example

Reliability and personal responsibility should lie at the heart of the security guard cover letter.

Unlike a lock (which is either locked or not, and can be easily picked), people employ security guards for the more subtle aspects of protection that only a human can provide. You notice things that don’t seem right, your presence will deter all but the most determined of thieves and you will be trusted with the most treasured of possessions and people. When you are standing around the same place day and night, you tend to notice the small things that don;t seem right. Observation is a security guard's superpower.

The thing is, though (unlike a lock) if security guards aren’t incredibly conscientious, human error can easily creep into their jobs after a long night shift. At that point the advantage goes to the bad guys. That is exactly why the security guard cover letter plays such an important role in the job search process. Your resume will take an employer through your experience, but your cover letter needs to offer an insight into how you work and what sort of person they will be trusting. You need to convince them that you are the person for the role.

Just as “people buy from people,” those with something or someone to protect will hire a “person” that they can trust rather than a list of achievements and responsibilities. This security guard cover letter example and guide will seek to explore how to convey the aspects of your personality and experience that will secure you that vital interview. The cover letter is the clincher - let them into who you are and they will want to find out more.

Start to tell those parts of the story that you would like to continue at the interview. Here are the core elements of our security manager cover letter example that you should consider:

• Make the most of your security guard story with a suitable cover letter format
• Share different messages in the cover letter introduction, middle part and closing
• How to create a security guard cover letter sample with no experience
• Tips to bear in mind and mistakes to avoid in the cover letter

Best format for security guard cover letter example

A security guard is often a no-nonsense and uncomplicated individual who simply gets their job done to an exceptional standard. In the same way, a security guard cover letter should be straightforward and to the point. The following format is a tried-and -tested way of writing an impactful cover letter that the hiring manager will find easy to read. You just have to stand out - you are at your best when nothing happens.

You want them to remember your story long after they have closed the letter, so the following cover letter example will enable you to break down your story into manageable parts:

• The cover letter header
• The greeting / salutation
• The cover letter intro
• The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
• The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)

Here is a security guard cover letter example that might spark some thoughts:

Cover letter header

The header of a cover letter is like a security guard’s uniform. If you were wearing casual shorts and a baggy t-shirt, you wouldn’t be taken very seriously. Equally, the security guard cover letter needs to meet the requirements and convey a sense of professionalism.

You might think that there is more important information to include at the top of a cover letter than your name, email details and mobile number. You would be wrong. It is exactly these details that every hiring manager needs to see (and mentally tick off in their heads) before they can get into the detail of your application. 

Also, make sure that you have a formal sounding email address – some joke account that you started ten years ago may not form the right impression. If needed, create an address specifically for job search correspondence.

You don;t have to share your full home address as there may be data protection issues. Every security guard understand the need for privacy. Also, the formality of including the inside address of the employer is no longer required. The cover letter will not be sent by post, after all.

Goal of the cover letter header: Be practical when designing your cover letter header and include all the required info. You won’t be hired for getting this right, but you might put doubts in a hiring manager’s mind if you get it wrong.

Cover letter greeting

Attention to detail should be at the top of any security guard’s priority list, so getting the small details right matters when it comes to the cover letter greeting. Ensure that you find out the name of the hiring manager or person conducting the interview, use the appropriate title (Mr, Mrs, Ms) and double check if you are not certain. We all like being called by our name, but nothing grates mores than when someone gets our name wrong.

If you have not got the detective skills to find out the name of your future boss, don't bother applying.

Goal of letter greeting: Don’t derail your application by making a mistake with the greeting. 

Cover letter introduction

Whether you specialise in escorting important people, looking after a warehouse with valuable goods or working in a corporate office, the introduction to your cover letter has to be laser focused on the value that you will bring to each specific job.

Carefully consider the job description and find the best possible angle from your past experience to allow you to position yourself as the security guard for them. It might not be the example that you are most proud of, it should simply be the most relevant example. Show a little personality in terms of the language that you use and give your story some context in terms of the depth of your experience or the amount of time you have been doing a certain thing.

The introduction to a security guard cover letter should make the hiring manager want to read more, so don’t be afraid to start with your “one reason why you should hire me.” Make it relevant to the role that you were applying for. It may not be your top career highlight, but it will be more memorable if the person reading the letter can imagine you doing it for them. You have to get them imagining you (and only you) in that uniform.

Goal of the cover letter intro: Tailor the security guard introduction to the parts of your experience that tally best with the requirements of each specific role. Don’t let it become a generic couple of sentences that could “fit” any kind of role.

Cover letter middle part (body)

The middle part of the security guard cover letter is where you explore some of your career highlights in a little more depth. How did you go about undertaking a certain task? What were the reasons behind your successes? How did you do things differently?

There will be many other candidates who have done the same job as you, but in the middle part of the security manager cover letter you have the opportunity to showcase just how you do it differently. Differentiation lies at the heart of every successful job search and you have to think carefully about just where your unique edge is going to come from. Don’t tell the stories that most of your competition will be telling. Be unique and be memorable – you will have plenty of time to tell the more mundane career stories during an interview, but you have to intrigue the hiring manager into inviting you in the first place.

Mention the kinds of jobs that you worked on and the clients that you have served. You might have to do a little detective work to ensure that there is a match with your future employer, but if there is a match there will be that magical feeling of: “great, they have done this sort of thing before.”

Also, be selective in terms of the language that you use in the middle part of the security guard cover letter. Your job might not involve a lot of writing; but picking an impressive action verb to improve an accomplishment can always help your application to stand out. Stay away from fluffy adjectives or skills that you cannot back up with real examples. Make sure that you sound professional and don't be too conversational. You don't come to work to make friends, that could be a potential security risk, if anything.

Goal of the body of your cover letter: Give as much detail as possible around the impact of your experience and how you went about achieving it. Make the reader want to find out more.

How to close a security guard cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)

The closing paragraph of the security guard cover letter should end with a sense of reliability and trust. You have presented a couple of examples why you should be the person to hire, and you add a hopeful note that you would welcome the chance of an interview to discuss further. 

If you haven’t sold yourself too heavily in the cover letter and simply presented the relevant facts of your experience, that call-to-action interview request will seem entirely reasonable. If you don’t ask the question, any reasonable recruiter would wonder why not. Confidence is an important quality for any security guard, but qualify it with some evidence that backs up your claims.

Goal of the closing: End with on a dependable and professional note and don’t be afraid to politely ask for the opportunity of an interview.

Mistakes to avoid in your security guard cover letter

As attention to detail is critical for a great security guard, there can be no room for error in their cover letter. True, a perfect command of the English language won’t be a critical job requirement, but these sorts of mistakes should not be made by any job applicant. Having said that, they tend to sneak in awfully easily if you are not careful:

• Grammar and spelling: Doing grammar checks might seem like a challenge for many of us, but when online services such as Grammarly will mop up the major oversights, it would be remiss not to take advantage of them.
• Conversational tone: Security guards have to be able to get on with a wide range of people, so check that your tone does not come across as being too formal. Write your letter as if you are talking with a colleague – don’t force the sort of language that doesn’t sound like you.
• Generic examples: Try not to parrot the job description with a list of generic responsibilities. Talk about what you did, how you did it and what difference you made.

Cover letter for security guard with no experience

Security guards do not require a college education and it is possible to secure a role if you do not have previous experience. You should be able to demonstrate that you have excelled in a position of responsibility, are a good communicator and have solid organizational skills. If you seem like someone who can be trusted, you will have every chance of securing your first security guard role.

There are many ways in which someone with no specific experience can demonstrate these qualities and a lack of experience should not put you off applying. A willingness to learn and a passion for the role will take you a long way – a security guard cover letter will help you to explore these aspects.

Key takeaways

1. Look at the specifics of the role and build your security guard cover letter around how your relevant experience proves that you are the person for the job.
2. Structure your cover letter in a typical way so that the reader knows what to expect.
3. Talk about your personal impact and give as much context to your example as possible – you will stand out from the crowd by going beyond the job description.
4. Proofread the letter and try to avoid the most common mistakes that might serve to distract from your message.