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 Job Security

In early August, The New York Stock Exchange opened under the protection of armed guards and bomb-sniffing dogs. It was once again a reminder of the ever-present threat of terrorist attacks in the 3 years since September 11, 2001. Security remains front and center for government and private enterprise. What impact has this concern had on the career opportunities for security professionals and their roles in the organization?

Security-related jobs are now among the fastest-growing employment sectors in the United States. The government is leading the way in hiring, with 180,000 employees in the Department of Homeland Security alone. The jobs are not only growing but are improving in pay and stature, particularly at the high end. Although private-sector investments in security have barely kept pace with inflation, chief security officers (CSOs) who might have earned less than $100,000 before 9/11 are now drawing annual compensation as high as $250,000 to $500,000.

The business of security

These changes in the profession were underway even before 9/11. "What we were discovering was that in order for the security profession to become a recognized entity in the business enterprise, we needed to come to the table with a reasonable amount of business acumen," said Michael J. Stack, executive director of ASIS International, the leading global organization for security professionals, with 33,000 members worldwide. "People recognized that they needed to tie the business concerns of the enterprise with security concerns. This was already happening, but 9/11 accelerated this because of the major investments that had to be made."

While security was traditionally seen as a cost center, companies increasingly recognized its strategic impact. "In the past, people in the C-suite often didn't recognize that security has a major positive impact and can provide a positive return on investment," Stack said. "We can come up with more cost-effective solutions to protecting assets and the physical enterprise."

In addition to being able to communicate with top leaders, security leaders face increasingly complex management challenges. As they work to achieve more with relatively static or shrinking budgets, technology can often help. The development of new technologies such as biometrics (fingerprinting and iris scans), facial recognition, and upgraded magnetometers and bomb-sniffing devices, are giving security professionals more powerful tools. "There are also data bases and computer technologies that are much faster and more accurate," Stack said.

But while these technologies can be more effective and efficient, they make the management task more complicated. When should companies invest in new technologies versus old-fashioned, human-resource-intensive approaches? Which investments will produce the greatest return on investment? Addressing these questions requires even more refined business acumen and analysis.

The requirements for modern CSOs

A set of guidelines for the CSO, developed in 2004 by an international commission assembled by ASIS International, identified core responsibilities and competencies of the CSO. In general, the commission concluded, "the CSO must be more strategic than tactical in orientation" with "exceptionally strong business and interpersonal skills." In addition to being able to communicate with the C-suite and board members, the CSO needs to "understand the strategic direction and goals of the business and how to intertwine security needs with the goals and objectives of the organization."

CSOs also need a broader view of changes in the organization and environment that might affect security. For example, they need to understand how changes in economics, geopolitics, organizational design, and technology may affect potential threats and risks to the organization. To anticipate future challenges, the CSO needs to be able to "facilitate the use of traditional and advanced scenario, planning techniques in assessing risks and threats to the organization."

The CSO also needs to demonstrate the skills demanded of other senior managers such as capabilities in communications, networking, interpersonal skills, planning, and managing capital expenditures. The commission concluded that "it is likely the strategic, business, and interpersonal abilities of a CSO will be of greater importance than technical security skills, many of which are available through internal subject matter experts or external consultants."

Meeting the demands for business knowledge

The demand for business knowledge is reflected in the certification process of the ASIS, which awards a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) designation. Business skills have been integrated into the CPP exam and other certification programs.

ASIS also worked with Wharton to develop a new 2-week program to provide even deeper business insights to senior security leaders. The ASIS: Making the Business Case for Security program, featuring faculty from Wharton's top-ranked MBA program, will be offered for the first time in late November and again in February.

While the security profession may not have moved to the top of the list of jobs for MBA graduates, more executives in the profession are seeking additional education in business. Most security professionals come from law enforcement and military backgrounds and need to build their business knowledge. Of course, given the strong salaries and challenging work, perhaps more MBAs should begin looking at opportunities in the industry. "It would be a great career path for someone who wants something a little more dynamic and exciting," Stack said.

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