Trying to break into the Executive Protection (Bodyguard) business can be challenging, but never more so than when the U.S. economy is struggling. It is important to have a strategy in place to ensure more success in both getting the interview, and succeeding once you’re face-to-face with a potential employer.

If you want to get the interview, you need to make your job search a full-time commitment. To be effective, you will need to send out 50-75 resumes EVERY WEEK. Your job leads need to be obtained from a wide range of sources. Use the internet, newspaper ads and networking sources, and consistently be on the look-out for new sources. Going to the same online job board isn’t effective–expand your resources to include every website you can find. Sites like Bodyguard Careers post job openings constantly, and we update the site every few days with new information. Stay in touch with friends or working colleagues who are in the business to learn of opportunities. Often, those who are already employed hear first about job opportunities. If you increase the number of resumes you send out weekly, your chances of landing an interview increases as well! Don’t forget to follow up with a phone call or email. Expressing your enthusiasm for the position in a professional manner is attractive to employers.

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Lieutenant Lu Tseng-hsiang one of the bodyguards for the President of Taiwan shot and killed himself Friday while on duty.

The incident happen as the president was about to leave his residence for work. The Taiwan National Security Bureau was quick to refute speculation that the suicide had something to do with recent sex and gambling scandals that have troubled the presidential office, saying the bodyguard killed himself because of difficulties in a relationship. Lu’s girlfriend was not available for comment.

AN INCIDENT IN MOSCOW

While conducting a protective service advance, and subsequently serving as the protective detail’s shift leader while employed by a U.S. government investigative/security agency, I found myself in a highly precarious situation that required nimble thinking and adherence to the basic tenets of protective service. I was assigned to protect a U.S. government official visiting Moscow, the Russian Federation, and of course during my advance work, I liaised with the U.S. Embassy’s Assistant Regional Security Officer for Protection (ARSO), who in turn arranged for the Moscow Police to provide law enforcement, traffic control, and motorcade escorts for my protective detail. When I met with the officers who would be supporting our detail, I briefed them that one of the primary functions of their support was providing a lead police vehicle that would escort our motorcade from venue to venue while the American VIP in our charge made his official visits. I explained that the philosophy of protection as viewed by my agency was to ensure we avoid any and all potential dangers, including encounters with demonstrators, individuals that would be prone to cause our principal harm or embarrassment. Other areas we discussed was their knowledge regarding the location of the nearest trauma center, any known or projected demonstrations (political or otherwise) during our visit, and time lines in terms of how long it would take to obtain operational assistance, for example, a Medivac helicopter, should that need arise. The briefing went extremely well, and the officer in charge of the contingent of Moscow officers assured us that his unit would place our principal’s safety as number one on their list of priorities from the time of his arrival to “wheels up” four days later.

Well, per usual there are always small snags that come up that you as a shift leader or agent in charge must deal with during a protective service mission. But as I had advanced the trip in addition to serving as the detail’s operational supervisor upon the principal’s arrival, I was certain that these would be kept to a minimum, and indeed except for a few very minor incidents. that were so minute that our protectee was completely oblivious to them, the detail progressed smoothly and on course. Until the last day!

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The Office of Security is looking for bright, energetic and
dedicated professionals committed to making a difference by
assisting Department of Commerce leaders reduce the security risks
in emergency management, anti-terrorism, and counterespionage.

As a member of the Secretary’s executive protection team, the
selected bodyguard will support the Department’s goal of keeping the
Secretary and his designees safe from the very real threat of harm.
This includes overseeing the travel plans of the Secretary and
ensuring proper protection before, during and after arrival at
designated stops, handling security both before and during visits
and stops; and ensuring that all laws and policies, including
Federal, state, local, and international, are followed. The selected
bodyguard will also guide policy and programmatic efforts in the
areas of executive protection by advising operating unit heads and
other senior-level officials on matters related to security,
intelligence, law enforcement and other executive protection related
procedures.

Apply Here: Federal Government Jobs

Dear Fellow Executive Protection Specialist:

I am writing to invite you to submit any interesting “on the job” tales you’d like to share.
True Bodyguard Stories is a new area of the Bodyguard Careers website. I am not interested in gossip, or any “confessional” type material. Rather, the primary focus of the story should be about a “close call” or other situation in which you found yourself needing to use the best of your bodyguarding skills or some situation in which you learned a valuable lesson about the executive protection business.

My hope is to educate new people looking to break into this line of work on some of the inherent dangers and challenges. It is not all as glamorous as people would like to believe. (See the Article “Working in a Celebrity’s Universe: It Won’t Make You a Star”)

A few IMPORTANT guidelines:

• Nothing of a salacious or vicious nature about a celebrity or executive with
whom you were/are employed

• Names may be omitted if you prefer, for example: My employer, “MR. X”

• If you would prefer to tell your story and have my writing associate transcribe it
for you, contact us to arrange for a telephone interview

I have already been sent some interesting stories in response to our recent posting Executive Protection: Risky Business. Have an interesting story that fits the criteria and guidelines? Please contact me: hucky@bodyguardcareers.com

Lastly, please note that if you submit a story, our editor will go through to correct grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors. Submitting a story does not guarantee it will be posted. We reserve the right to reject any story that does not fall within the above guidelines. We will give you full credit for the story, and as a thank you, add a link to your website.

Watch soon for the first story in the series “True Bodyguard Stories.”

Sincerely,
Harlan V. Austin,
President