Bodyguard Careers

Bodyguard Careers is an informational site with the purpose of providing bodyguards with all the information and tools necessary to succeed in the executive protection industry.

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Don’t Believe In Hollywood Fairytales

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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. [Read more…] about Don’t Believe In Hollywood Fairytales

EARNING POTENTIAL

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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.

[Read more…] about EARNING POTENTIAL

Bomb attack kills Afghan MP and four bodyguards

In The News

IED attack targets Afghani Government Official and bodyguard team; 4 Dead.

The violence in Afghanistan continues. On March 19th, a senior Afghan lawmaker and his four man protective detail were targeted and attacked by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) in the province of Helmand.

The IED attack killed all four members of the bodyguard detail that had been assigned to protect Afghani parliament member Daad Mohammad. Daad was miraculously not injured in the attack.  The protective detail was hit in the Lashkar Gah District causing extensive damage to the vehicle they were driving.

Initial reports from the site of the ambush describe the IED attack as “well planned”, additional information suggests that the IED attack was detonated by remote control rather than being command detonated.

Bodyguard Careers contacted one of the team members that was assigned to a US backed protection detail in Helmand province to inquire about the current ground situation.  The team member reported back via e-mail that the Taliban and Al Qadia have been extremely active in this region of Afghanistan and are making strong leaps at resurrecting their extremist movement.

The region is a “hot bed” of enemy activity which caused the need for trained and experienced high threat protection team members to remain in the area. Though no one has claimed responsibility, the ambush has all the earmarks of a Taliban operation.

Dear Wannabe Employee,

Career Advice, Hucky Austin

By Hucky Austin

I know that in your mind you think you are the perfect fit for Tiger Media International. However, you failed to mention what you are applying for; was it the custodian, the receptionist or the security position?

By the way, my name is spelled “Thompson” and since I am a female, I was a little put off by the fact that you addressed me as “Mr. Terry Thomsen.” I suppose my first name threw you off. I suppose somebody didn’t do their research prior to submitting their materials.

Speaking of research, you mentioned that you “love to work with animals.” Our business, Tiger Media International, is a public relations marketing firm. No tigers. Or lions. Or bears.

Oh my.

[Read more…] about Dear Wannabe Employee,

Elijah Shaw

A Professional Speaks

Elijah  Shaw is the President and CEO of Icon Services Corporation. Entering into its 10th year, ICON is a full service, security and investigative agency, specializing in Executive and VIP Protection. With 15 years in the industry, Elijah’s company services corporate executives as well as celebrity clients which have included Usher, Naomi Campbell, Michael Bolton, and rap star 50 Cent. With tours of duty that frequently take him across the globe, Mr. Shaw acts as a personal bodyguard to these artists providing close protection and security consultation and staffing worldwide.

Elijah has received advanced bodyguard and executive protection training from prestigious associations such as Trojan Securities International (TSI), R.L Oatman and Associates (w/ASIS), and Elite Protective Services and currently acts as an guest instructor with TSI teaching a course on Celebrity Protection.

BGC: It is interesting to note that you don’t have a military or law enforcement background. What drew you to the Executive Protection industry?

ES: I “stumbled” into this work. It was something I was doing to pay for college. I took a job working as a nightclub security guard (bouncer) to pay for college. I wasn’t the biggest guy in the group, but I had an innate ability to talk to people and manage situations. Because the owner liked me and I had the right attitude I worked my way up from the back door guy to the Head of Security.

BGC: What was the very first “celebrity” detail you worked?

ES: It just so happened that a celebrated sports figure owned the club, Well, after working my way up through the club, the owner would put me on personal details. He had alot of interaction with the public, so he didn’t want that “tough-guy security” approach. He needed someone to finesse sticky situations and I had good problem-solving skills. Once that assignment came to an end I was basically back at square one. I knew it was important to be well-rounded, so I worked every aspect of protection you can think of; uniformed security guard to undercover department store theft prevention – Anything to gain further training and experience in the security industry.

BGC: What was the worst mistake you ever made on a security detail? (Behonest! Our readers learn from the missteps of the seasoned pros!)

ES: I remember working with this guy who I thought was really nice and had great credentials. His background was in law enforcement, and he was very personable. I had a celebrity detail come up that I couldn’t work, so I thought I’d give this guy the opportunity. When I called the client the next day to see how it was working out, she said that he was nice, but at the star-studded event they attended, he would make the client stop so he could have his picture taken with celebrities!! He was completely star-struck. I was on the plane that night to replace him. The thing that’s important to remember with these celebrity clients is that they don’t want to “notice” their bodyguards. They just want to go to an event and enjoy themselves and should almost forget you are there. There are a lot of guys out there who have an impressive resume, but their personality needs to fit with the client–and you have to earn their trust. I learned that the right person for a celebrity detail can’t be found just by looking at an impressive resume -They have to have the proper mindset to work with a figure in the public eye.

BGC: How has Bodyguard/Executive Protection work changed from “back in the day” when you first started?

ES: The industry has become far more professional, with a great deal of emphasis on training. It used to be rather “loose” in the way an employer would hire a bodyguard. There was a time when the only qualification for a bodyguard was being either a big bouncer from the club, off-duty cop or retired Navy SEAL. It is more “formal” now–including the terms. Executive Protection Specialists is slowly replacing the term “Bodyguard”. But the majority of the public still uses and knows the term “bodyguard” so it’s important for us to make sure we continue to disprove the misconceptions. Quality training is preparing people in an entirely different way, which I think it’s great for the newcomer. One important thing to remember is that a lot of times guys think previous military skills or law enforcement skills are ALL that’s needed to make it working with the private sector. Many times the great skills just don’t fully translate to actually working with executives or celebrities hence the need for specialized training.

BGC: Have you personally worked with or seen many women in the field?

[Read more…] about Elijah Shaw

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