How to become a bodyguard: By Doc Rogers
Considering a career change from your present line of work, maybe the bodyguard industry is the right fit for you? This article gives 10 powerful thoughts to help make this a reality.

1. Do you have the ability to help others? As a bodyguard you keep your clients out of harm’s way and give them the confidence they need to achieve their business and personal goals securely.

2. Continuously learning. As a professional bodyguard you will be constantly obtaining special knowledge (expertise) from your formal training, on-the-job training and independent study (often at your own cost). You should never stop learning the trade.

3. Appreciation for different cultures.  You will gain an understanding of the world we live and work in, so you can better protect your clients. As a bodyguard you will learn about the cultures and the traditions of the countries you will be operating in as well as the respect for it’s people.

4. Great salary. Bodyguarding is a labor intensive profession. Charge your clients accordingly. You want to avoid having your fees to low or to high. Provide the best quality service at the best price, at a happy medium. As a bodyguard you won’t starve, but you won’t become a millionaire either.

5. Bodyguarding is a rewarding profession. Bodyguards have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of their clients. Bodyguards are not only rewarded with money, but also the feeling of fulfillment in keeping their clients safe.

6. Career security. Even with a weak economy bodyguards are still needed worldwide. Bodyguards rarely take pay-cuts; our salaries stay stable even in these tough economic times.

7. Job mobility.  Bodyguards can move to any part of the world and conduct business.  Bodyguarding is an excellent mobile occupation that allows you to live anywhere in the world and there’s a big world out there with lots of opportunities.

8. Prestige and respectability. The respect accorded to trained bodyguards rivals that of law enforcement and the military. Bodyguarding is considered a noblest profession, according to folklore it’s the fifth oldest profession in the world.

9. Client versatility. You have a choice of working with high powered business executives, politicians, superstar athletes, famous entertainers and celebrities, as well as everyday individuals who are under threat.

10. Life long friendships. Bodyguards develop life long friendships with other professionals throughout the world. Some of these friends will become your second family while on the road. This is one of the greatest aspects of the job.

Always keep safe and God speed.
Doc Rogers is the author of Corporate Executive Protection – A Manual for Inspiring Corporate Bodyguards and president and CEO of International Corporate Executive Protection Ltd. Doc has earned a Ph.D. in Security Administration from Southwest University and he is SE Asia’s leading expert on executive protection and corporate security. To learn how to make a full time living as a corporate bodyguard visit the websites below for more information.

http://www.trafford.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=182707
http://www.amazon.com/Corporate-Executive-Protection-Inspiring-Bodyguards/dp/1425135927
http://international-corporate-executive-protection.com/order.asp

By Doc Rogers
7 Great Ways to Improve Your Executive Protection Career
Many young EP agents discover that the competition is fierce and a good a EP career is not as easy to acquire as they have expected. When trying to improve your EP career, you should applied the following methods over a period of time; as nothing worthwhile happens overnight. Apply these following improvement tips daily and watch your career takeoff.

1. Love Your EP Career. As bodyguards we wake up each morning  protecting clients from insane or psychotic individuals who prey on the rich, famous and powerful. You’ve got to love your BG career because if you don’t love it, you’re not going to last long in the industry.

2. Read EP Literature. Devote a few hours a day reading EP and related topics to keep up on the latest EP trends, to spark new ideas and to get motivated. Because motivation is what guides and maintains your goal-oriented behavior.

3. Improve Your Physical Appearance. Make an investment in a new suit and tie, quality shoes, hair cut, join a gym to lose weight or bulk up. Remember, these are classified as investments not liabilities.

4. Join BG Associations: Join a professional association to network with other professionals in the business and to attend association workshops and meetings. A highly professional association is the North American Bodyguard Association the National the Director is Mr. Elijah Shaw.

5. Get a BG Career Mentor: Having a BG mentor is invaluable for improving your career. Professional mentors have been there and done that.  They have the experience, connections and know-how to assist you with your BG career improvement goals you wish to accomplish. Mr. Harlan (Hucky) Austin President of Bodyguards Careers has a career consulting program that is fantastic.

6. Email BG Colleagues: Keep in contact with BG colleagues in the industry you have met. If you haven’t stayed in touch, re-establish contact with an email like this: “Wanted to send you this email to say that our friendship is a strong one and you can call on me if needed at any time.” Include your website and contact information. Don’t take up their precious time or ramble on, but do let them know about any recent BG training you have received.

7. Be Results-Driven. To improve your EP career you need to be results-driven and have a mission-oriented mindset. Focus your attention on your shortcomings. Create a training regimen for yourself: advance work studies, basic and advance EP tactics, report writing and contract writing, as well as motorcade dynamics. I hope these seven tips will help you to achieve your BG career goals. Best of luck and God speed.

In this week’s installment of the two-minute video tip, host Harlan (Hucky) Austin along with special guest Elijah Shaw talk about choosing the right Executive Protection School.

Without a doubt, one of the best things you can do to increase your chances of obtaining work as an Executive Protection Specialist (Bodyguard) is to obtain top-notch training.

That being said, it is certainly meaningful when I see Executive Protection course work from a reputable school on an individual’s resume. By reputable, I mean a program that is run by individuals who themselves have stellar credentials and years of experience in the business.

By Damien Richey

What should an Executive Protection course contain? This is an interesting question. Executive protection is one of the only industries in which its practitioners claim responsibility for their client’s safety and wellbeing, yet there are virtually no requirements to enter the field and state regulations vary greatly.

Virginia seems to have the most professional standards while some states have none. California, with all of its billionaires, only requires practitioners to be breathing. If one can make it through the rigorous requirements of the eight-hour Guard Card course, which has nothing to do with protection, one is considered employable in the industry.

Executive protection courses vary in length from 1 day exposures taught by EPI and other schools, to several weeks at places like ESI. Having taught at one of the schools in Hucky’s “Top Executive Protection Schools” and worked as a protection professional, I cannot imagine what a one day seminar would contain that would qualify one for the job.

(more…)

Update 5/21/2011

I guess there was some technical difficulties with the original link, so many were not able to hear the interview live. It’s my understanding that the engineers have everything worked out now, so without further ado, here is the radio interview that you can listen to or download as an MP3 or iTunes download. Please let me know what your thoughts are.

Hucky

This Friday at 1:00 pm CST, Bodyguard Careers will be featured on “On America’s Frontlines of Crime & War” found on Voice America which broadcast to over 130+ countries. The show host, JJ Sutton and William Vinelli will interview the President of Bodyguard Careers  Harlan “Hucky” Austin.

Past guests from the executive protection community have included: Jerry Heying of EPI, Brandon Delcamp ESI, and Elijah Shaw at Icon. You can tune in live or log in later and listen anytime (you can also download the program as an MP3 or itunes download).

Date:  May 20th

Episode Title: Getting Hired: The Hard Part of Executive Protection

Episode Description: For centuries bodyguards have been putting their lives in the hands of fate while they ply their trade and protect another from potential harm. It’s a mysterious business and conjures up romantic ideals, boosts thoughts of high honor and integrity, and a life of danger & excitement. The modern world now calls this Executive Protection (EP).

Executive Protection is now a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide. Getting in the door can be a daunting task sometimes for those not already invited in.

One of the industry’s professionals & allies comes to us in this episode to share advice, secrets, and practical tips on how to make it happen.

For those who have heard the calling it sometimes takes a little more than mastering the hard skills to get thru the door and make a good career in this industry.

There are pitfalls around every corner, a long list of do’s and don’ts, so tune in for this episode and find out how it can be done.

To listen to the show click: HERE