The short version. Before you pay any bodyguard school or “placement” service, check five things. It doesn’t guarantee you a job (nobody can). It doesn’t charge you a placement fee. Its basic course runs at least a week. Its instructors and owners have records you can verify. And past students will talk to you about the good and the bad. If any of those fail, keep your money.
I founded Bodyguard Careers in June 2006 for one reason. I watched predatory businesses promise people training and job placement in executive protection, take their hard-earned money, and leave them with little or nothing. This page is the checklist I wish every one of those people had read first.
The red flags
A guaranteed job. No program can promise you work upon completing coursework. If the school’s advertising or its instructors tell you this, it is not true.
An upfront placement fee. Professional, legitimate services do not ask the job applicant to pay a fee of any kind. A placement firm works out its rate with the employer in advance. If they ask you for money to “place” you, thank them for their time and move on.
Paying for your own background check. If you’re really being considered for a job, the company hiring you handles the background check.
Big money for beginners. A $100,000-a-year job offered to someone with no experience should set your spidey sense tingling. Even with all the training in the world, you won’t land a $60K job straight out of the chute without experience.
A short course sold as a career. The most basic executive protection training is at least a week of coursework, and that is just scratching the surface. A weekend certificate is not a career.
Instructors you can’t verify. Find out who teaches the course and what they’ve actually done. If you can’t confirm it, assume the worst.
A Gmail or Yahoo business address. A company doing business through a free email account is most likely a scam. Steer clear.
Missing paperwork. Ask for written documentation about the course, the contract or the job. If they refuse, or it never shows up, they may not be legitimate.
A company that keeps changing its name. Some of these outfits shut down and register a new company to keep the scam going. If the owners keep going out of business and resurfacing, something is wrong.
High-threat overseas jobs that cost you money. Real contractors running protection details overseas pay for your travel, food and training. They don’t ask you for fees.
How to check a school before you pay
- Research the company and its owners. Look up who owns the website and search their names for complaints or news.
- Check complaints. Look the business up with the Better Business Bureau, and check with the Attorney General’s office in the state where it operates.
- Call them. A legitimate company will be happy to answer questions on the phone.
- Talk to graduates. Ask for contact information for people who finished the program, and ask about both the positive and the negative.
- Read the industry forums. Post your question and pay attention to the overall consensus.
- Compare what you get. Curriculum, hands-on training hours, instructor backgrounds, included certifications, and how the course fits the licensing rules where you’ll work.
- Get it in writing. Price, schedule, refund terms and exactly what the certificate does and doesn’t mean.
- Trust your gut. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Your gut feelings are rarely wrong.
What a good school does look like
It’s honest about the job, including the mundane and tedious parts. It teaches practical skills with real exercises: formations, motorcades and site advances. Its instructors have done the work. And it tells you plainly that training is a first step. You still have to earn experience, and you never stop learning.
A good course is also a good place to start your network. Make the most of your time there and make friends. In this business, a lot of work comes through people who know you.
Choosing the right program for you
The right school depends on your goals and your situation. Think about the kind of protection work you want (corporate, entertainment or high-threat), your current experience, your budget, whether you can travel for training, and the prerequisites the school requires. Some of the best programs mean traveling, and that can be worth it. Pick the work first, then find training that fits it.
Have a question about a specific school? Email me at info@bodyguardcareers.com.
Keep reading
- How to become a bodyguard: the full path, step by step
- Bodyguard training: what a good course covers
- Executive protection training near me: finding the right school
- Avoiding scams: my original 2009 warning
- No shortcuts
- Bodyguard salary: what the work actually pays
Frequently asked questions
Can a bodyguard school guarantee me a job?
No. No training program can promise you work when you finish the course. A school or facilitator who says otherwise is not telling the truth.
Should I ever pay a placement fee for a bodyguard job?
No. Legitimate employers and placement firms don't charge the applicant. A placement firm works out its rate with the employer, and the company hiring you pays for your background check.
How long should a basic executive protection course be?
The most basic executive protection training is at least a week of coursework, and that only scratches the surface. Be skeptical of short courses sold as a ticket into the industry.
How do I check out a school or training company?
Look up the company and its owners, check complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the state Attorney General, talk to past students about the good and the bad, read what working protectors say in industry forums, and get everything in writing.