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Security guard interview questions and answers in English

The questions a security supervisor really asks, with model answers in simple English. Read them, then practise out loud with Dana and get a wording fix and a tip after each answer.

Free · no sign-up · 6 questions · about 10 minutes

This interview tests

  • Staying calm
  • Observation
  • Clear reporting
  • Free no sign-up
  • 6 questions
  • About 10 minutes
  • Speak or type

Your security guard interview

Dana, the security supervisor, asks six questions.

Dana, the security supervisor, asks first

Tell me about yourself and your security experience.

  1. Why do you want to work in security?
  2. What would you do if you saw someone shoplifting?
  3. How would you deal with an aggressive or drunk person?
  4. Tell me about an emergency you dealt with at work.
  5. Do you have any questions for us?

8 security guard interview questions and answers in English

Each question has what the interviewer wants to hear, and a model answer at B1 and at B2. B1 is short and simple; B2 adds detail and linking words. Use your real experience, in your own words.

Tell me about yourself and your security experience.

What they want to hear. Your licence, the sites you have worked on, your main duties and what you want next.

B1 answer

I'm a security officer. I have worked in security for four years. Now I work at a shopping centre. I patrol the building, watch the CCTV and help visitors. I have a security licence and first aid training. I want to work for a bigger company with more training.

B2 answer

I've worked as a licensed security officer for four years, first at music events and now at a busy shopping centre. My day includes regular patrols, CCTV monitoring, access control and writing incident reports. I'm also first-aid trained, and I've dealt with shoplifting, lost children and fire alarms. I'm applying here because I'd like more responsibility and, later, a supervisor role.

Why do you want to work in security?

What they want to hear. A real reason, and the qualities that fit: calm, reliable, alert, good with people.

B1 answer

I want to work in security because I like protecting people and places. I am calm and reliable, and I notice small things. I was in the army for two years, so I am used to rules and discipline. This job is a good fit for me.

B2 answer

I like being the person who keeps a place safe so that everyone else can do their work. After two years in the army, I'm used to discipline, routine and staying alert for long periods. I'm calm in difficult situations and I communicate clearly, which matters more in security than size or strength. I also want to grow towards a supervisor role.

What would you do if you saw someone shoplifting?

What they want to hear. That you follow procedure, stay safe, use the radio and CCTV, and write a report.

B1 answer

First I watch the person and check the CCTV. I call my colleague on the radio. When the person leaves without paying, I approach them politely and ask them to come back. I never use force. After that, I call the police if needed and write a report.

B2 answer

I'd follow the site's procedure. First, I'd make sure I clearly saw the theft, ideally on CCTV, and inform the control room by radio. Once the person passed the last point of payment, I'd approach them calmly and ask them to step aside. If they became aggressive, I wouldn't put myself or customers at risk. Afterwards, I'd contact the police if required and write a detailed incident report.

How would you deal with an aggressive or drunk person?

What they want to hear. Calm words and body language, a safe distance, backup, and force only as the last option.

B1 answer

First I stay calm and I keep a safe distance. I speak slowly and politely. I listen to the person and I don't argue. If the person becomes violent, I call for backup and the police. After that, I write a report about what happened.

B2 answer

My first aim is to calm the situation down, not to win an argument. I keep a safe distance, use a calm voice and open body language, and listen to what the person wants. Then I give clear, simple choices. If things become violent, I call for backup and the police and protect the public first. Afterwards, I record everything in the incident log.

How do you stay alert during a long night shift?

What they want to hear. Practical habits before and during the shift that keep you awake and the site safe.

B1 answer

Before a night shift, I sleep well during the day. During the shift, I patrol the site every hour and I walk a lot. I drink water and I eat a light meal. Then I check the CCTV and write in the log, so I stay busy.

B2 answer

I prepare before the shift: I sleep for at least seven hours during the day and eat properly. During the night, I vary my patrol routes and times, which keeps me active and also makes me less predictable. Between patrols, I check the CCTV and update the log. I avoid sitting for too long, and I drink water rather than too much coffee.

Tell me about an emergency you dealt with at work.

What they want to hear. One real event: what happened, what you had to do, the steps you took and how it ended.

B1 answer

Last year the fire alarm went off in our shopping centre on a busy Saturday. I had to help people leave quickly. I used the radio, I opened the fire exits and I guided people outside. I checked the toilets too. In the end, everyone was safe, and it was only a small kitchen fire.

B2 answer

One evening last winter, a man collapsed near the main entrance. I had to get him help while keeping the area clear. I called an ambulance, checked his breathing and started first aid, while my colleague moved the crowd back. I stayed with him until the paramedics arrived and then wrote a full incident report. As a result, he recovered, and the manager thanked our team.

How do you write an incident report?

What they want to hear. Soon after the event, in order, with facts not opinions: date, time, place, people, witnesses, actions.

B1 answer

I write the report soon after the incident. First I write the date, the time and the place. Then I write what happened, step by step. I only write facts, not opinions. I add the names of witnesses and I sign it.

B2 answer

I write it as soon as possible, while the details are fresh. First I record the date, time and exact location, then what happened in order, who was involved and any witnesses. I stick to facts, so I write 'the man shouted and pushed the door', not 'he was crazy'. Finally, I note any CCTV footage and the actions taken, and I check it before I sign it.

Do you have any questions for us?

What they want to hear. One or two questions about the site, the shifts or the training.

B1 answer

Yes. What kind of site would I work on? And what training do new officers get?

B2 answer

Yes, two. What are the main security risks on this site at the moment? And how does the shift handover work between officers?

Useful English words for a security guard interview

The words interviewers expect you to know, with a short meaning. Use two or three of them in your answers.

  • patrolwalk around a place to check that it is safe
  • CCTVcameras that record an area
  • access controlchecking who can enter a building
  • incident reporta written record of what happened
  • control roomthe room where staff watch the cameras and direct the guards
  • backupextra help from other officers
  • de-escalatemake a tense situation calmer
  • evacuatemove everyone out of a building safely
  • premisesa building and the land around it
  • handoverpassing information to the officer on the next shift

Useful phrases for a security guard interview

  • I hold a valid security licence.Describe your qualification.
  • I patrol the site every hour.Describe your routine.
  • I informed the control room by radio.Show teamwork.
  • I kept a safe distance.Talk about safety.
  • I asked him calmly to step aside.Describe a situation.
  • I called for backup.Explain an action.
  • I wrote a detailed incident report.Talk about reporting.
  • How does the shift handover work here?Ask about the job.

Common English mistakes in a security guard interview

  • I have a licence of security.

    I have a security licence.

    Put the noun first: 'a security licence'.

  • I make patrols every hour.

    I patrol the site every hour.

    Use 'patrol' as a verb, or 'do a patrol'.

  • The man was stealing in the shop.

    The man was stealing from the shop.

    We steal something from a place.

  • I called to the police.

    I called the police.

    'Call' has no 'to' here.

  • I am working in security since four years.

    I've been working in security for four years.

    'For' with a length of time, and the present perfect.

Security guard interview in English FAQ

What questions do they ask in a security guard interview?

Common ones are why you want to work in security, what you would do if you saw a theft, how you deal with an aggressive person, how you stay alert at night, an emergency you handled and how you write an incident report.

How good does my English need to be to work as a security guard?

Good enough to give clear instructions, use a radio and write a short, accurate report. In many countries the licence course also checks this, so practise speaking calmly and writing facts in simple sentences.

How do I answer questions about using force?

Show that force is the last option. Talk about calm words, a safe distance, backup, the site's procedure and the law. Interviewers are careful about guards who sound keen to fight.

How do I describe an emergency in an interview?

Pick one event, such as a fire alarm or a medical problem. Say what happened, what you had to do, the steps you took and how it ended. Short past-tense sentences work well: 'I called an ambulance. I cleared the area.'

Which words should I know for a security interview in English?

Patrol, CCTV, access control, incident report, evacuation, first aid, control room and backup come up again and again. The useful words list on this page explains each one in plain English.

Can I practise a security guard interview in English for free?

Yes. Choose Security guard on this page and press Start. Dana asks six questions out loud; you answer by voice or by typing. After each answer you see one wording fix and one tip, worked out from your own words by rules for common learner mistakes and the parts a good answer needs. Free, no sign-up.

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