In the past few years Hollywood media outlets have played a negative role in the portraying of today’s Executive protection specialists that have created popular misconceptions about both the EP industry and the job itself.  Action packed movies where “bodyguards” are able to identify the threats and then immediately neutralize the bad guy with gun blazing deadly force is nothing more than a myth.

The true reality is that specific threats, both real and perceived by the client are in many cases difficult to fully pinpoint.  In the real world, an Executive Protection Specialist has no legal right to actively “engage” a threat with either reasonable force or deadly force unless an attacker has made or attempted to attack the principal or the protection specialist and or team. (more…)

When it comes to employment as a Bodyguard, the most frequently asked question is “How much can I make?” Well, let me offer you some advice but, please note there are no hard and fast rules. This is based on my 20+ years of EP work and a survey of the current rates from colleagues and EP training instructors. Towards the end of this chapter, you will see a table with specific job skills, detail expectations and pay rates (2004). Also included is a breakdown of information regarding different cities.

The rates associated with bodyguard/executive protection work vary widely, depending upon a myriad of important factors:

*  The Economy

*  Prior Experience, Skills & Training

*  Client Profile (Celebrity vs. Dignitary vs. Corporate)

*  Level of Risk/Danger

*  Political Climate

*  Amount of Travel Required

*  Locale & Circumstances of the Detail

*  Range of Duties for the Position

First of all, there are no set fees for bodyguard employment. All fees are arranged by negotiating with the client. Obviously, the more skills you have, the more experience, the more training–the more you can earn. A highly trained, extremely seasoned bodyguard with a substantial work history may earn $100,000 per year plus bonuses, but these are often positions with distinct requirements and skill specifications, and the work may be located half-way around the world. It can also mean working in some of the most dangerous regions on the planet.

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