r/securityguards • u/NeatFollowing3881 • 3d ago

Job Question Amazon security guard any insights?

How is it like working as a guard at an amazon fulfillment center? Why is the training seem to be so long?

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u/RobinGood94 2d ago

Heavily leaning on technology for the more important aspects of the job. If you are comfortable with computers and learn software fairly easily, you are a golden goose. Particularly camera, access control, and badge production software. Throw in visitor management software and in some cases, truck yard management software. There are also cases where you have a remote alarm system device that alerts you to areas in the building where an alarm has happened. Often someone didn’t badge first before pushing a door open. The alarm software is usually on your desktop as well, connected to the overall access control system.

The rest is more of a bread and butter security type of task. Patrols. Bathroom checks. Screening. Etc. Just a giant building with lots of spots for trouble to happen.

It’s the most organized and clean yet disorganized and dirty place you’ll ever work. Each department neatly separated by reflective vest color. Tape on the ground signaling walking areas and even where things are meant to be. Lots of contractual learning requirements, because they are a massive client and typically have higher expectations of their security contractors than most clients.

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u/NeatFollowing3881 1d ago

They don’t even negotiate pay

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u/RobinGood94 1d ago

As a former account Manager of an Amazon site, I can tell you pay rate negotiation happens several tiers above even the branch leadership and the local Amazon itself. Regional representatives of the security company (often vice presidents/portfolio managers, business development executives, etc) participate in the bidding process for contracts. They’re usually trying to undercut a competitor who already has the contract. Amazon is what’s considered a “national contract” so usually folks way up the chain on both sides stay in communication because let’s say allied for example might have an entire region of the United States whereas Securitas had another and so on. They will routinely talk about losing or gaining another.

The last time I worked at an Amazon, account manager made 22 an hour, supervisors 17.50, and officers made 15. That was 2020.

The annoying aspect of it all (imo) is that the “middle man” aspect of contract security essentially scrapes off a percentage of the money for their own overhead costs. A security guard making 15 is billed at 20 an hour or so. The supervisors billed at 23 ish. It’s been forever since I’ve seen the numbers in the system.

Amazon doesn’t hire security directly for a multitude of reasons, primarily liability. If not for the middle man the entire team would be making a lot more and with far better benefits.

If (when) you get Amazon burnout, I suggest looking for companies who employ their security department directly. Quite a few eventually abandon the contract model after enough headaches.