Becoming a security guard can happen faster than you think: no prior diploma required, and you’ll start earning a salary from your very first shift. You’ll complete the training with us while you’re already on the job. If you already have that diploma, you’re just as welcome: certified security guards can start working with us right away. In both cases, between your application and your first shift, there’s a police background check. As an employer, we can’t speed up that process. What we can do, however, is explain what that process looks like, so you have a better understanding of the steps involved and what’s expected of you during that time.
What You Need to Get Started as a Security Guard
Becoming a security guard requires two things: a diploma and an ID card issued by the police after a background check. In the industry, this ID card is called a “pass” and determines whether you’re actually allowed on a site. Without a pass, you’re not legally permitted to do the job, no matter how qualified you may be. There are also a number of basic requirements. With us, you must be at least 18 years old to start. You must have sufficient command of the Dutch language to read instructions, write reports, and clearly explain what is happening in a difficult situation. Prior education plays virtually no role, which makes this profession accessible to people who chose a different path when they turned 18.
There are two types of this identification card. The gray card is for certified security guards who are qualified to work independently. The green card is intended for trainee security guards: individuals who have begun their training and are already working in the field.
From the moment you start the training program, you’ll receive that green pass and begin working as a trainee security guard. You’ll then have one year to complete your security training, after which the green pass will be converted to a gray one. This means you don’t need to have a diploma before you start. The reverse route is just as viable: if you already have a diploma, you can apply directly to us for a position as a security guard. We’ll then immediately apply for the gray pass on your behalf, even if you already had a pass from a previous employer, because the identification card is linked to the employer.
For many people coming from a different field, that’s the point at which the entire process suddenly becomes feasible. You don’t have to spend months studying at your own expense and in your own time before you start earning an income, which means you can make the transition even if you have a mortgage and a family.
A trainee security guard cannot be deployed everywhere. Many of our clients stipulate in their contracts that only certified security guards with a gray ID card are allowed on their premises. In practice, there is little room for negotiation on this point. This means that during your training year, we will look for locations where you are permitted to work, and during that period, you will have less flexibility in where you are scheduled than a colleague who has already earned their certification.
What kind of work you'll be doing
"Security guard" is a general term for jobs that vary widely in practice. Two colleagues with the same degree may have work shifts that are barely similar. It’s worth knowing in advance which type of work appeals to you, because the differences are greater than most candidates expect.
Property Security
In property security, you’re stationed at a fixed location: an office building, a manufacturing facility, a port facility, a distribution center, or a healthcare facility. You manage access, conduct patrols, monitor camera feeds, and handle reports. After a few months, you’ll know the faces, the routines of the building, and the Mhttp://objectbeveiligingomentens when things get tense. What characterizes this job is that you become part of the organization where you’re stationed. Employees greet you by name, you know which supplier arrives on Tuesday mornings, and you notice right away when someone is acting differently than usual. For this reason, our clients value having familiar faces at their locations.
Mobile Surveillance
In mobile surveillance, you drive a surveillance vehicle to multiple locations during each shift. You unlock buildings at the start of the day, lock them up at the end, conduct patrols at varying times, and respond to alarm notifications. This job offers more independence than facility security. You’ll be on your own for most of your shift, making your own decisions on the road and visiting locations where no one else is present. A driver’s license is required for this position. People who enjoy staying active and don’t want to stand in the same spot for eight hours usually thrive in this role.
Reception and Hospitality at SERIS Facility
In addition to security, SERIS has a facilities division where the work revolves around reception. You welcome visitors, check them in, answer the phone, and ensure that anyone who walks in feels at ease right away. The skills overlap somewhat with those required for security. The tone is completely different. The hiring process is also different: police background checks are not required for reception services. For these roles, we often request a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) and conduct a reference check, which allows you to start sooner.
You’re not stuck with that choice. Colleagues often switch from facility security to mobile surveillance after a few years—or vice versa—or make the move to the facilities management side. If you apply to work with us without knowing which direction is right for you, you don’t have to decide in advance: during the interview, we’ll work together to figure out where you’re best off starting.
What We Deliberately Don’t Do
We do not provide event security. So if you’re familiar with the industry through doorman services or festivals, you’ll find a different kind of work here: more structured, with regular clients and long-term contracts. You won’t find one-off weekend gigs here. That isn’t for everyone, and it’s good to know that up front.
What We Actually Pay Attention to During the Conversation
Your resume plays a smaller role in the job interview than most candidates expect. We focus primarily on what you’ve done in previous jobs with people who had expectations of you. Anyone who has spent years working behind a bar, in a store, or in the healthcare field has developed exactly the skill that this profession hinges on: assessing a situation before it gets out of hand.
We’d rather hire someone who stays calm when a conversation turns unpleasant than someone who knows all the procedures by heart. After all, we can teach you the procedures in a matter of weeks. How to hold your ground with someone who’s angry while still being friendly enough to keep the situation from escalating—that’s much harder to teach.
That’s why we mainly ask questions about specific situations. Job titles hardly ever come up. How did you react when someone at work crossed the line? What did you do when you saw something that was against the rules—something your coworkers had been turning a blind eye to for years? There’s no standard answer to those kinds of questions.
How the screening works and how long it takes
As soon as we decide to move forward together, we’ll submit an application for your security clearance. The police will then conduct a background check, reviewing criminal records and determining whether there are any reasons to believe you shouldn’t be allowed to hold this position. For a green pass, this process takes an average of two to four weeks; for a gray pass, four to eight weeks. If you’re starting without a degree, you’ll be eligible for the green pass. If you’re joining with a degree, you’ll be eligible for the gray pass.
Occasionally, we’re asked whether a past record automatically means the end of the road. That depends on exactly what happened, how long ago it was, and whether it affects the nature of this work. Our advice is to bring it up yourself during the interview, even if you’re unsure whether it’s relevant. That way, we can assess in advance how promising your application is, so you won’t spend weeks hoping for an outcome that we already saw coming.
That same screening process is the reason this profession is taken seriously. A security guard has access to buildings, keys, and information that almost no one else is allowed to access. The fact that an outsider verifies who is granted that access is one of the few real safeguards the industry has.
What Happens in the Meantime
The weeks leading up to the completion of your onboarding process are not idle weeks. If you start without a diploma, we’ll arrange for you to attend SERIS Academy during that time, where we offer the MBO 2 Security Guard training program ourselves. If you join us with a diploma, we’ll use these weeks to discuss which locations best suit your experience. We’ll also take your clothing sizes and review your availability in the schedule.
Your terms of employment will also be established during this period. You will be hired by us under an employment contract and will be covered by the collective bargaining agreement for the private security sector. We do not use self-employed arrangements, which is not always the norm in this industry. You’ll notice the difference in continued pay during sick leave, in pension accrual, and in the fact that we pay for your training.
On your end, we mainly ask that you be reachable. As soon as something comes in, we want to be able to respond quickly. It’s a shame when days are wasted because a phone call is missed. Furthermore, this is the time to take care of practical matters that people run into later on, such as transportation to locations that are difficult to reach by public transportation at 4:00 a.m.
The First Day
You never work your first shift alone. You shadow an experienced colleague who knows the location. That colleague explains the work instructions in practice: where the emergency exits are, which door always sticks, who’s the first to arrive in the morning, and which supplier shows up on site unannounced. This shadowing period lasts as long as necessary. How long that is varies by location and by person. The decision on that rests with someone who knows the location.
In the next section, we’ll take a look at the program itself and what it means to learn while you’re already working. We’ll save the moment when you open the gate yourself for the first time at 6:00 a.m. for later in the series.
Want to know if this job is right for you? Visit werkenbijseris.nl to view our job openings, along with details for each position about what we’re looking for and what you can expect from us.
