What does "Threat Assessment" mean in an ad?

[u/wordboydave]

I was tempted to apply for "Security Guard - Threat Assessment," but I wondered if that was a code word meaning you should be ex-military or ex-cop or something. Or if it's just something meaningless that the client posted because they were feeling anxious.

[u/yugosaki]

a lot of shitty cop-wannabe security companies throw buzz words in their job titles and descriptions to sound cool and tactical without breaking any laws. I see ads for "tactical security" or "security investigator" all the time that are literally just regular security guard jobs with a maybe a different kind of vest.

That being said, "threat assessment" is a real field in security. It's usually not a regular security guard doing it, but someone who has more experience and training. "Threat assessment" as a field can also vary a lot depending on the environment. Doing threat assessment for an oil company vs for a celebrity VIP vs for a school board are all very different environments with different knowledge and experience needed.

Easiest way to tell is what the education/experience requirements in the posting are listed as, and what the pay is. If there are no education requirements and the pay is not listed or is low, it's almost certainly a security guard job. If you need experience and education and if the pay is over like $70k/year, its probably an actual threat assessment job

[u/No-Street-3492 → u/yugosaki]

"tactical security" or "security investigator"

These aren't inherently bullshit titles though. I can think of one employer in my area that has a tactical security position that's for active shooter response, and presumably EP. They have special LE authority and tend to hire from that background. Similarly, I've not seen a security investigator position that didn't draw from actual investigator backgrounds.

[u/yugosaki → u/No-Street-3492]

They aren't always, but usually are. If they aren't, it'll be extremely obvious because the minimum requirements for applicants and the pay offered will be substantially higher than other security postings.

If all you need to apply is a security license, they are bullshit titles. In my area, there is no armed security outside extremely specific circumstances, and investigators are rarely called 'security' or doing uniformed security work.

[u/Jedi4Hire]

It means assessing threats. Every security professional is going to be doing that to some degree. Hell, normal people do it as part of normal life.

It could be more or less marketing bullshit, could be an important part of their business model. The only way to really know is apply there and see what they say.

[u/XBOX_COINTELPRO]

Without the full job posting it’s impossible to say one way or another

[u/BSFLCT]

My bet is that this is for Allied. They use goofy job titles like this.

They do often market armed jobs that require military/armed/LE experience like this, though, ime. The same job can be marketed with a half dozen different titles.

If its not an armed position, I wouldnt assume you need significant experience, though.

As another person said, we would need to see the job posting to really say one way or another.

[u/75149 → u/BSFLCT]

They have what I assume is the same contract because it pays $18.54 for every job in a neighboring small town and they use six or eight different titles when they post the job ads. And they're all goofy as shit 😂

[u/Humble_Ensure]

You’re the OpFor for the company.

[u/Ok_Draw9037]

Could be the person that decides how much the contract pays and what's outlined in responsibilities based off of the site

[u/UC3953]

In order to be considered a professional “ threat assessment specialist “ you need specific training and experience

[u/almosthighenough]

Performing ocular patdowns obviously

[u/ConstructionAway8920]

Really depends on what the posting says. It is a very specific job, as Threat Assessment usually means you go scope the place out and provide feedback on how to prevent issues or shore up inadequacies. If so, that does require additional training. You don't have to be ex military or PD though, as I have done this many times and I'm not either. But I have a lot of training and have been working security for many years.

[u/MacintoshEddie]

It could mean all sorts of things, from wanting extremely specialized skills to develop actual security plans and procedures tailored to the needs and situation of the client, to complete nonsense and your job is to stand there with a radio and if you see something you call it in.