When searching for security and protective services personnel, hiring managers want to feel safe in their decision. A great cover letter allows hiring managers to relax in the knowledge that you are trustworthy and responsible.
A security and protective services cover letter that sets your job hunt up for success will send the message that you have these qualities and more. Within this document, you have about 400 words to convince a recruiter to contact you for an interview. How do you strongly make your case and lift your candidacy above other candidates? Resume.io is here to help.
In this cover letter guide, along with the corresponding security and protective services cover letter example, we’ll cover the following topics to help you write the best cover letter possible:
- Choosing the best cover letter format and what paragraphs the cover letter should include
- Getting the most out of each cover letter paragraph (header, greeting, intro, body and conclusion)
- Finding the right approach to take when writing your cover letter
- Avoiding mistakes when writing your security and protective services cover letter.
Before you start writing, take a few minutes to read the guide below. It will analyze the details (you can also check out our library of 125+ cover letter examples.)
Best format for a security and protective services cover letter
The place to differentiate yourself is within your text, not the structure. In fact, your structure should follow the same format as most other cover letters. Here are the sections you must include:
- 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 call-to-action)
You have a lot of room to make each section your own, first by adopting an appropriate tone. As we said above, security and protective services professionals need to exude calm, safety and reliability, so we recommend taking a serious tone in your letter. This part of your application should complement your resume, and you do have room to get a bit more personal, but steer clear of casual language.
Security guards, police and firefighters are all protective services personnel, but there are many other occupations that fall under this category. Lifeguards, fish and game wardens, transportation security screeners and animal control officers are all classified as security and protective services professionals according to labor statistics. Make sure your cover letter directly addresses the area in which you are applying.
Our comprehensive cover letter guide is a great read for general advice on writing cover letters, along with plenty of specific formatting tips.
The security and protective services cover letter example below gives an overview of how to create your own application:
Dear Ms. Pearson,
Thank you for taking the time to review my application materials for the Security Officer position currently seeking fulfillment at your Columbus Circle location. I was truly elated to hear about this opportunity, and I am humbled to be considered as a candidate.
I believe that my background, experience, and certification make me an excellent contender for the position. I would also like to convey my complete commitment to protecting others and spaces. This career choice was a true calling for me, and my devotion to carrying out my duties as a Security Officer is a true testament to that.
In my last position as a Security Officer at Eisenhowers I received the Security Services Industry Award in both 2017 and 2019. I was so honored by this acknowledgment, and I seek to carry out the same level of professionalism and allegiance at my next place of employment. I would like to emphasize my aptitude in providing exceptional monitoring and surveillance services, and security checks, while appropriately responding to any events or threats.
It is my sincere hope to serve the Dellbank Corporation with a commitment to honor, integrity, and safety and security for all.
Best Regards,
Casey Stetson
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our security and protective services cover letter samples:
Cover letter header
The header of your security and protective services cover letter gives hiring managers all the information they need to contact you when they are inspired by your stellar application. Clearly display your name, email address and best phone contact number. You really want that interview, and missing contact information can put an end to your candidacy.
The secondary reason to focus on this element is that it adds personality in the form of your design. This is your chance to make a professional visual impression that will have recruiters take notice and remember you.
The aim of this section: Highlight your contact information to make it easy for recruiters to schedule your interview.
Cover letter greeting
These opening words have a great impact on the rest of your application. You need to stay professional, but also take into account that people like to be addressed by nane.
Our cover letter samples typically begin with “Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms. Surname” because that opening treads the line of being both personal and business-like. We recommend you do the same, but be careful to triple check that you have the spelling and honorific correct.
If you cannot discover the name of the person responsible for hiring, you may opt for a more general greeting like “Dear (Company Name) Hiring Team.” Take care to avoid “To Whom It May Concern” as it can come across as outdated and impersonal.
The aim of the cover letter greeting: Keep it professional, but do your best to address the hiring manager or your prospective boss by name.
Cover letter introduction
What makes you a great candidate? Before you start to write the introduction to your security and protective services cover letter, you need to know the answer. If you don’t, the recruiter certainly won’t either.
Your next step before starting to type is research. Each application letter needs to be tailored to the specific job (and it will help beat the Applicant Tracking System). What are the demographics that the agency or company serves? How big is the department? What type of training is required? Once you have the answers to these questions, you will be able to demonstrate how you fit into the picture.
Decide on your main message, making sure it answers the question, “Why should I hire you.” Then, back it up with your greatest career highlight and preview what you will detail in the remainder of your cover letter.
The aim of the cover letter intro: Inspire the hiring manager to read on and show that you will be a great asset to the team.
Dear Ms. Pearson,
Thank you for taking the time to review my application materials for the Security Officer position currently seeking fulfillment at your Columbus Circle location. I was truly elated to hear about this opportunity, and I am humbled to be considered as a candidate.
Security and protective services cover letter middle part (body)
Once you’ve established yourself as a great candidate, you need to elaborate. The middle part, or body, of your security and protective services cover letter gives you the space to provide evidence for your case.
Choose one or two career wins to detail here, making sure that they address the needs of your prospective employer. Demonstrate how you defuse tense situations or how your vigilance has prevented harm. Yes, it’s important that you fill out paperwork, but the hiring manager wants to know how you handle the most difficult parts of your job. Your resume is the place to note more everyday skills.
Use bullets to briefly list 3-4 successes within the body paragraphs of your letter. Write them using the STAR method: Outline the situation, describe your task, tell what action you took and detail the results of that action.
The cover letter sample text below offers one method for achieving this.
The aim of the body of your cover letter: Use strong details from your career to back up your main message. Show the recruiter you can handle the toughest of situations calmly.
I believe that my background, experience, and certification make me an excellent contender for the position. I would also like to convey my complete commitment to protecting others and spaces. This career choice was a true calling for me, and my devotion to carrying out my duties as a Security Officer is a true testament to that.
In my last position as a Security Officer at Eisenhowers I received the Security Services Industry Award in both 2017 and 2019. I was so honored by this acknowledgment, and I seek to carry out the same level of professionalism and allegiance at my next place of employment. I would like to emphasize my aptitude in providing exceptional monitoring and surveillance services, and security checks, while appropriately responding to any events or threats.
How to close a cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
As the hiring manager gets to the end of your text, they are awaiting a big finish. You need to remind them why you are an excellent candidate, but also leave them with something to think about.
What do we mean by that? Add a little personal touch. Perhaps explain why you got into the security and protective services field. Mention a person who had a significant impact on your career or explain why you want this particular job. This rounds out the image recruiters have of you and gives them a hook they may want to follow up on in your interview.
Finally, respectfully request an interview. Our cover letter sample has wording you can use, or use your own language to convey your interest.
The aim of the close of your cover letter: Restate why you’re a great candidate and ask for an interview.
It is my sincere hope to serve the Dellbank Corporation with a commitment to honor, integrity, and safety and security for all.
Best Regards,
Casey Stetson
Writing psychology: imparting your work ethic and philosophy
Your security and protective services cover letter needs to sound professional without being too dry. You need to show off your soft skills, or those characteristics that make you a good employee. How do you do that?
A letter that secures you the interview will do the following:
- Emphasize your safety knowledge and ability to follow protocol, but make sure you show off what a great team player and communicator you are, too.
- Include a sentence or two on your philosophy of providing security and protective services.
- Use strong adjectives and action words to describe yourself and your work.
Avoiding basic mistakes in a security and protective services letter
- Steer clear of using too much jargon. It’s great that you understand the language of your field, but your first job is to be clear and jargon may have different meanings to different people.
- Use spellcheck and grammar check programs. You have the tools to spell everything correctly. If you’re unsure of spelling or grammar, have a friend or colleague help.
- Keep stories brief. If you have to go into a long explanation for your achievement to make sense, save it for the interview.
A sloppy-looking cover letter can quickly damage your credibility as a serious security professional. Make sure to spend a few extra minutes to craft a polished and attractive page layout. A professionally-designed cover letter template can give you a head start.
Key takeaways for a security and protective services application
- Tailor your achievements to the specifics of the job you seek. In other words, use successes that highlight talents you need for your new job.
- Make sure you discuss soft skills as well as your technical knowledge.
- Check out our cover letter sample for more ideas on creating a great page layout.
