HOW TO GET AN INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE SECURITY CONTRACTOR JOB: YOUR 101 GUIDE
HOW TO GET AN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CONTRACTOR JOB
Non-Cool Guy Edition
Note: By Non-Cool Guy Edition, I mean I won’t be talking about the high-speed types of overseas security jobs here. You will be working for the same Civilian Contractors that the Cool Guys work for, minus the “cool” in them. These are the entry-level overseas security jobs that just happen to be in exotic locations around the world. And when you get a few years in, you can jump to the contracts where making six figs a year is the norm.
LETS DO THIS!
Source: Open AI. Created by Dutch Park.
HOW DO YOU GET AN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CONTRACTOR JOB?
THE QUICK ANSWERS ARE:
It depends.
Under most circumstances, it will take months, if not years, to get one.
You won’t, yet.
THE 4 TIERS OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY JOB CANDIDATES
First, let’s get a baseline for where you stand in the recruitment process. Pick one of the following that best matches where you are, and then you will have a starting point for your next move.
LEVEL 3 CANDIDATE
AKA “Not gonna’ happen.”
LEVEL 3 EXPERIENCE:
Couple of years of parking lot security experience
Only the required training you had to do at your job
No other training or certs in the security field
You are not former Military or sworn Law Enforcement
Don’t bother applying, not gona’ happen.
NEXT STEP FOR LEVEL 3 CANDIDATES
You will need to get your experience and certs up to a Level 2 Candidate because you are not getting an international security job outside of an act of God.
So instead of praying for something that won’t happen, get your behind on the road to Level 2 ASAP. This will be a long and hard road, the amount you will have to sacrifice is more than most are willing to do.
It will take you a minimum of 2–3 years to move up to a Level 2 candidate.
READ THESE POSTS:
-PART 1: HOW TO GET A PRIVATE SECURITY CONTRACTOR JOB WITHOUT MILITARY EXPERIENCE
-PART 2: HOW TO GET A PRIVATE SECURITY CONTRACTOR JOB WITHOUT MILITARY EXPERIENCE
LEVEL 2 CANDIDATE
AKA “Get ready for the worst few years of your life overseas.”
LEVEL 2: FORMER MILITARY:
Military within the past 5-7 years
Honorable discharge
Combat MOS or LE MOS in the military (preferred but not required)
If you have a deployment even better
You have a security clearance (active or not)
Related certs and education*
*Honestly, even without the certs, you are GTG. But you should still try and do everything you can to make your resume stand out and educate yourself on security operations.
You can start applying for international security contractor jobs now.
-OVERSEAS SECURITY CONTRACTOR JOBS THAT ARE ALWAYS HIRING
LEVEL 2: SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT:
Police Academy Graduate
Sworn Law enforcement for 2 or more years
No military service (if you are a vet, then even better-ya’ got a 2-banger)
WHAT YOU STILL NEED:
Security Clearance
The only thing somewhat holding you back is not having a security clearance, the good news is if a contract is desperate for people they will sponsor you for a clearance.
If it is between you and anyone with an active security clearance, the guy with a clearance gets the job.
Just like the vet above, you should still do everything you can to make your resume stand out and educate yourself on security operations.
You can start applying for international security contractor jobs now.
-OVERSEAS SECURITY CONTRACTOR JOBS THAT ARE ALWAYS HIRING
LEVEL 2: CIVILIAN EXPERIENCE:
Not a vet or former LE
2+ years of relevant security experience (domestic armed security contractor or executive protection)
Active Secret or higher security clearance.
Your resume has substantial education, certifications, licenses, and certificates
Unfortunately, you will still lose out sometimes if you are up against a veteran or a cop with a clearance. Once you get 2 years overseas as a security contractor under your belt, you will be on a more level playing field.
ADVICE FOR LEVEL 2 CANDIDATES
All of the above Level 2 Candidates are in a pretty good spot here to get an entry-level crappy overseas security job.
This is the golden hour point of your overseas security career because you now have a chance to break into the overseas job market.
Don’t screw up when you get on your first job, especially if you are over 35, because you are a bit long in the tooth to hope for second chances at this point in your life.
You can start applying for international security contractor jobs now.
-OVERSEAS SECURITY CONTRACTOR JOBS THAT ARE ALWAYS HIRING
LEVEL 1 CANDIDATE
AKA “Dude why are you even here?”
LEVEL 1 FORMER MILITARY/LE:
You are a veteran with deployments
Or sworn law enforcement for 2+ years
Secret clearance or better
2+ years as a security contractor overseas
You don’t need me to find work.
LEVEL 1 CIVILIAN EXPERIENCE ONLY:
Not a vet or former LE
2+ years of relevant domestic security experience
4 years as a security contractor overseas
2 of those years in spicy countries
Active Secret or higher security clearance
You have ALL the certs and education.
You don’t need me to find work.
LEVEL ∞ CANDIDATE
AKA “Just for S&Gs, I’ll put this here.”
LEVEL ∞ EXPERIENCE:
8+ years Former Army Ranger but most likely an SF guy
Mad combat deployments + trigger time
Honorable discharge
0 years of security contractor experience (that is not a typo)
Top Secret/SCI Security Clearance (if you also have the poly, then don’t even look at me, man, because I am not worthy of your super-cleared gaze)
Welcome to the world of $11K-for-two-weeks jobs and the coveted CIA PSD contracts.
You will never reach this level unless you are former SF or SF-adjacent with 10+ years in. But it was fun to take a peek and see what the top level of this biz is.
IN A NUTSHELL
ARE YOU A LEVEL 2 CANDIDATE OR HIGHER?
NO: You will not get hired
YES: You will get hired for an entry-level security contractor job, so apply
MAYBE: There are flukes and the rare 8-point bucks of job listings. I go over that next
ODD HIRING FLUKES IN THE SECURITY CONTRACTING INDUSTRY
I JUST WANTED TO THROW THIS OUT THERE BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WILL BE A COMMENT THAT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
This guy doesn’t know what he is talking about. I got hired at Blackwater, and I was only a bouncer at Hooters for a few years.
And then another guy will say:
Same here. I got hired on a State Department contract in Paris making $100K a year, and I was only a bodyguard for two years before that.
I have been on several jobs where this has happened, and I have never gotten a satisfactory explanation from HR of how or why it happens.
The most egregious example I can think of is when I was on a job in the Middle East. It was a paramilitary-style security contract where we wore full kit, were issued fully automatic rifles, had mounted .50 cals, and an armory with 40mm grenade launchers just in case we needed them.
It wasn’t defending Fallujah with Delta Force by any means, but it was also not a contract for first-timers.
And I S*** you not, a guy who was only a security guard at Walmart for a few years showed up and reported for work!
Like I said, it’s a fluke, so don’t expect it to happen to you. You, sir, will have to pay your dues and put in the work just like everyone else if you want to get a job in this industry.
I hope someday the industry will figure out a way to prevent it from happening any more.
IF I CAN DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT!
I know you may be feeling down after reading this, but don’t be dissuaded and give up quite yet. It took me years to gain enough experience, certs, and education to get on my first overseas security contractor job. That job led to another, and so on until I was on $18K+ a month security gigs in the Middle East and $9K a month gigs in Asia.
And I had zero resources for advice. I was an outsider in the industry with no military or law enforcement experience on my resume, it was all trial and error for me. I would have done anything for the information you all are getting and will get here.
So roll up your sleeves, and let’s get to work.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask in the comments below, we check every day.
Good luck!
