Where to Find the Best Part-Time Security Jobs in Your Area

Looking for a part-time security job can be as simple as learning to map the industries in your area that require surveillance. Some opportunities available will depend on the size, population, and business geography in your particular area. Part-time security work can provide rewarding employment for people with prior experience in the military or law enforcement, but it is also an excellent new field for anyone with interest in safety.

Most part-time security jobs can be obtained with a high school diploma or equivalent, but higher-level security jobs may mandate extra qualifications or specialized training. Some states have also regulated the security industry. This means that certain part-time security work may require you to obtain special licenses as dictated by the state government.

The good news about obtaining a license to work in part-time security is that it generally involves only a minimal time commitment and can even be sponsored by potential employers. Pay structures for part-time security work can range from hourly wages to annual salaries.

This article will showcase the most common types of areas, facilities, and businesses where part-time security work can frequently be found.

Because of the legal nature of the services they provide, government buildings remain one of the most prominent places to look for part-time security jobs. Because dignitaries and other federal or state workers pass through these facilities on a regular basis, part-time security work in a location like this can be highly physical and require state licensure, in addition to a clean background check.

Tasks associated with working part-time security in a government building may include monitoring metal detectors at ports of entry, administering pat-downs, and standing guard at doorways. A few types of government buildings where part-time security work can be found include:

• Courthouses: Protect legal professionals and other court attendees
  
• Prisons and jails: Monitor inmates and secure entry or exit points
  
• Schools: Patrol campus or parking lots, and guard entries or exits
  
• Consulates: Protect domestic and foreign dignitaries
  
• Post offices: Monitor doorways and grounds

It is important to note that some part-time security work in government buildings may require employees to carry a weapon and receive training in the correct manner for its use. Wearable protective gear may also be needed in some cases.

Part-time security jobs often center around the protection of merchandise or other material goods. For this reason, shopping malls, manufacturing plants, and storage facilities offer promising choices for job seekers who might enjoy a more public role in the industry.

Most shopping malls and storage facilities will require interacting with people on a day-to-day basis, keeping track of entries and exits, and patrolling grounds either on foot or in a vehicle. These positions can offer both daytime and nighttime shifts. Manufacturing plants may structure shifts around the regular working hours of employees.

Working in part-time security at a mall or storage facility may also require you to monitor video feeds of security footage and even handling IDs to ensure the safety of customers and patrons. Security workers in a mall setting may find the additional responsibility of appropriately handling rowdy teenagers, lost children, and even active thieves. Part-time security work in a manufacturing plant may entail navigating around heavy equipment or noxious chemicals that require specific safety gear.

While some shopping malls, manufacturing plants, and storage facilities hire their security staff via a preferred agency, many have applications available on the employment tabs of their official websites. Joblist can help you get creative in your search for a part-time security job at venues like these. Going in person, with a resume in hand, and speaking to a mall manager, plant owner, or storage facility supervisor is another good way to get your foot in the door for a part-time security job.

Depending on how in-depth you want your training and work experience to go, airports and travel centers can provide part-time security jobs with room for advancement. This is typically a high-profile security position that may require state licensure or other forms of credentials. Checking the official employment webpages of your local airports, train stations, bus depots, and inner-city transport companies can be a good place to start.

For part-time airport security jobs, in particular — due to the style and manner of screening that this job entails — applying through the Department of Homeland Security or the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is your best option. This ensures that you are made adequately aware of the requisite licenses and qualifications before you apply. Many of these government-directed, part-time security jobs come with the added bonus of competitive benefits packages.

Naturally, at any kind of transport facility, the primary aim of security will be to protect passengers and personnel. You may be asked to conduct random bag searches, administer pat-downs, screen passports, and even respond to potential terrorist threats. There may also be opportunities in cybersecurity at facilities like these.

A more relaxed version of travel center part-time security work can be found at public rest stops. Often placed along busy roadways and popular thoroughfares, these smaller facilities need security to keep road travelers safe at all hours of the day and night. Part-time security duties at a rest stop might include patrolling parking lots and restrooms, protecting sleeping truckers, and monitoring the building.

Just as with government buildings, hospitals and medical centers require part-time security staff because of the large number and types of people coming in and out each day. The need for protecting patients, doctors, visitors, medical equipment, and the property itself means that this type of security job can be fairly public.

As medical locations can also be sites of trauma and stress, part-time security workers need to be specially prepared to deal with people who may be in varying states of emotional distress. It may be necessary at a hospital or medical center to escort an unruly person outside the building or off the premises.

Jobs in health care have changed rapidly in the wake of COVID-19. Part-time security work can be likewise expected to undergo powerful shifts in the way of procedures and policies.

Event security positions at sports stadiums, theaters, and concert venues are always needed. As these spaces tend to be large, cohesive teams of both full-time and part-time security employees work together, so the need to be able to take direction and change gears quickly is key.

Duties for part-time security workers can include checking identifications at entry points and alcohol stations, searching for contraband, and even physically protecting performers from rowdy crowds. Connecting directly with the venue you’d like to work at can put you on the right track to becoming eligible to work security for all events held there. By the same token, the venue may need daily operational security support.

Some of these part-time security jobs are hired on a temporary or seasonal basis, while others can be found by contacting the venue and finding out which, if any, agency they use to staff their positions.

Other places you might search for part-time security jobs include financial institutions, upscale neighborhoods, gated apartment complexes, and wealthy local individuals (such as celebrities or sports stars) who may be in need of personal security.

Joblist can help you find a part-time security role that will best fit your needs. We also provide detailed resources on every aspect of your search for part-time security jobs, from helping you understand how social media will affect your chances of getting hired to navigating virtual interviews. Let Joblist connect you with the security work you want today!