There is a way to make the recession bow to submission by taking advantage of the huge amount of job vacancies available in the security industry. It’s a fact that in this growth business there’s a whole range of unique opportunities for enthusiastic people who have a desire to find rewarding careers whether they are a long-term acting role or a supporting character.

Let’s take a look at CVs and what they mean to employers. There are a staggering number of people applying for jobs. For a recent post managing a well known small retail outlet in South London there were 7,500 applicants. What do you imagine would be key skills to fill that single lead?

Naturally you’d need to be presentable, reliable, have good interpersonal skills, enjoy working with the general public, and obviously be as honest as the day is long. More importantly you need to prove that you have the ability to make decisions based on initiative, have boundless energy and a determination to succeed.

Prospective employers like to see variability. For example, there are lots of famous actors who started out their careers waiting tables, as shop assistants or bar tenders. Prior to shows like the X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent many of the best pop stars and entertainers started out doing gigs in clubs and bars – that’s what makes them special, that’s why they stand out from the crowd, its where they honed their talent.

You can see were this story is going. Put yourself in the role of an employer, to make the scenario interesting imagine you’re a casting director and you have two out of ten thousand job applications in front of you, A and B.

Application A starts off: “I attended R.A.D.A. for three years where I achieved a Gold Standard in Performing Arts. Since then I have been searching for an exciting leading role in a West End Theatre production. Given my excellent qualifications I firmly believe I have everything it takes to undertake a serious principal role.”

Application B: In contrast. “After I left my course in Performing Arts at Manchester University I believed I needed some firsthand experience of being in the public eye in a role where people depended on me to be a reliable team member. I initially trained as a security guard and I qualified with an SIA Licence, in addition to the basic job training i attended First Aid and Handcuffing course, I learned how to act as an effective team member often taking the lead in some tricky situations. These circumstances meant I had to react calmly and ensure that my decisions where beneficial to the outcome. The team soon realised I was dependable and able to think ahead. The whole experience has given me an incredible insight into what working as a group is all about. I’m a much more confident person now with a real handle on life.

Get the picture, who would you choose as your lead? The underlying point here is about development for you as a person and achieving something that has a lasting and tangible effect. Applicant A probably has glowing qualifications from the best in the business; applicant B however has learned what it means to be part of a successful crew.

SIA Training isn’t just about dressing up as a security guard, or a door supervisor hoping your costume will automatically give you right to perform. SIA licence training will build your character and challenge your skills. Whether you think of the training as a vocation or an opportunity to gain invaluable skills, there’s no denying that the training programs available cannot fail to single you out as an exceptional team player.

The competition for a lead role in the job market is vast; the audience has a short and fickle attention span, be sure your resume sparkles.