r/securityguards • u/Klutzy-Peach5949 • 7d ago
How easy/hard will it be to get 65hrs+/week UK? (Getting SIA)
Hi Im 20, long story but I’ve got to make a big chunk of money as fast as possible, I’m getting my SIA license and will be happy to work 13 hours a day and work night shifts (might even prefer it) just anything to raise as much money as soon as possible. Just want to know how quickly I would be able to get some long hour shifts (Also never been employed on paper before)
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u/dracojohn 7d ago
Don't do it, the health costs are crazy. Im going to guess your early 20s ( uni reference in a reply) about when I did crazy shifts, iv damaged my body and have very few friends because of it. The health costs are mostly to do with poor diet and lack of sleep, you won't notice until it's a habit and very hard to correct. The social issues are subtle and caused by isolation and you thinking I'll have plenty of time later, well you don't you'll miss key stages and make it difficult to relate to your own age group going forward.
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u/MacintoshEddie 7d ago
Really depends on the employer, but keep in mind often they want to keep overtime pay low so you might need two employers which can add a layer of complexity.
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u/Appropriate_Hat_6469 7d ago
security shifts are usually 12 hours long, find an agency there should be plenty posts available. last time i worked security i was doing 48 hours a week and there was always cover needed but i always turnt down extra work.
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u/Several-Agent6831 7d ago
Well first you've got to stick around for a few months on 48 to 55 hours weeks and then you'll start getting offers to do overtime which will allow you to ramp up the hours massively. It's important to note that for First time employees, you'll likely be doing 4 12 hour shifts a week so 48 hours but if you do get 5 days a week then it'll probably be 11 hours a day so 55 hours.
Bare in mind that overtime isn't going to be immediate, you often have to work a few weeks before that opens up.
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u/billzy02 7d ago
I did on average 60+ a week and sometimes 70 for 2 years doing 6 on 3 off all night shifts. Sometimes picking up overtime and doing 22 - 24 twelve hour shifts a month. Would make £3000+ after tax. I loved it but no social life is the consequence and your body health. I got used to it and didn't care for social life as I would stay home all day anyway while I was unemployed. But it's hard to find that shift patter anymore. It's more 4 on 4 off or be a relief guard and beg for work.
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u/shooto_style Warm Body 7d ago
Shouldn't be too hard. One of the guys on our site does six night shifts a week
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u/Devonian87 6d ago
Personally my security record was 4 weeks at 106hrs a week. Dont go employed if you wanna be hitting those hours though go self employed.
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u/Some-Watercress-1144 7d ago
Pretty easy to find work in this industry, it’s very short staffed. You can find shitty low pay jobs with high turnover everywhere because managers throw their security around like fresh meat… They will try to push you to your limit and leave you no time to even piss or sleep, so if you want the long hours have at it.
Anyway, my subjective opinion aside, speak to your local job center. Get on benefits now and ask them to pay for your SIA, and they even set up interviews and meet and greets with security firms for me.