5 Steps needed to start your Executive Protection Career

By Doc Rogers

1. Get properly trained. Some people attempting to break into an executive protection (EP) career believe they can do so without the proper skills and specific training. Sure, you may have some common transferable skills from your pervious career, but there is no substitute for an intense EP training program.

2. Be a leader. Work on your leadership skills because a lot of EP work involves taking the lead on tasks and managing people and/or things.

3. Technical skills and equipment proficiency. Work on both your EP technical skills and the specific tools of the trade. This means mastering the basics in EP (advance and operational work) as well as firearms, Microsoft Office, GPS, automated external defibrillator (AED), etc.

4. Intestinal fortitude. You can have all the EP training in the world, but without the personal courage and determination; toughness of character you will still be unsuccessful. Therefore, get into great physical shape, maintain high mental discipline, teamwork, character, be mature in judgment and a have a burning desire to be a professional EP agent. Intestinal fortitude separates those who man-up and those who don’t.

5. Realize EP is Non-Glamorous. Learn the non-glamorous parts of the job to include the ever important advance work, route assessments and how to manage a halls and walls team, etc. Sure you will be protecting the principal in luxurious locations, travelling in high-end vehicles and wearing expensive clothing. But in contrast to the Hollywood-hype, EP work is done according to a systematic and established form of procedures, conducted by a controlled form of behavior and way of working that is systematic and practical, done according to a plan to keep the principal and the EP team safe. Good luck and God speed.

Need Help Moving Your EP Career Forward?

Check Out The Book Principal Protection; Lessons Learn By Rick Colliver