I


t’s a fact of life that progression in your chosen career path may not be


dependent solely on your performance.


In his book ‘Empowering Yourself: The Organisational Game Revealed’, Harvey J. Coleman researched the unwritten and unspoken rules for climbing the career ladder.


Great experience leads to great performance


Essentially, Coleman’s premise is that the selection process for upward mobility involves three elements of unequal proportion: performance, image and exposure.


Your performance is the first consideration but only scores 10% in the grading process. Still, you must be great at what you to do to score as highly as possible.


To develop in your role, it is important to learn your trade and get the right experience.


David Ward, Managing Director of Ward Security, says, “I am fortunate in that I started my career in security as a security guard, and over the years I have found myself in every role imaginable, so I have a very thorough understanding of the entire process. This has helped me immensely as my growing experience informed every decision I made along the way and strengthened my position on every rung that I climbed up the ladder.


“Ultimately, this is a people business, and if


Developing your raising yo


you don’t get that you won’t progress. Security should be in the DNA and I’m not sure qualifications alone are good enough.


“Experience will always trump academic qualifications. So for people looking to progress their careers I recommend experience as a fundamental qualification.”


One way to get experience in the role you are qualified for, but have no experience in, is to volunteer. Or perhaps find a secondment or shadow someone doing the job you want.


Consider moving sideways to get the experience you need. You don’t have to change company, just put yourself forward to gain as much experience as you can.


The second key area, according to Coleman and his ideas about upward mobility, is Image and this represents 20% of the grading process.


So, it’s clearly important to consider how you come across, including your physical appearance, the appropriateness of the way you present yourself and your voice.


Amanda McCloskey, Marketing Director at CIS, says, “Good attitude and considered personal branding are essential to career progression in the Security Industry.


“Premium clients expect security professionals to have the confidence and positive attitude to deliver excellent customer service. They need to see evidence that those managing front-of-house services for staff and visitors present themselves and behave in a way that is aligned with the organisation’s brand principles as well as having the intelligence and discretion to manage their own personal brand appropriately. In a world where social media is so prolific, this requires personal consideration of your online footprint.


14


© CI TY S ECURI TY MAGAZ INE – AUTUMN 2015


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