security guard

guard

scale operator

gardien de sécurité

concierge

Barber Collins Security Services

I worked as a condo Concierge Security Guard at Barber-Collins. The typical day consisted of relieving the on-site guard, taking company cell phone & security key-chain. Every 4 hours - patrol of exercise rooms, recycling rooms, moving rooms, mechanical room, meeting room, party room, billiards room, hobby room, exterior patrol, underground parking patrol and floor by floor patrol via stairwell access. 

Overall, great company to work for but condo sites are very high paced.  There were additional duties which included resident inquiries, answering calls, filing occurrences (ems/police/fire dept/leaks/damages), observing CCTV, giving keys to realtors, communicating with Superintendent, dealing with management, letting contractors in, turning on parking lights, picking up newspapers while on floor by floor patrol, party/meeting room reservations, post-inspections (elevator/recreational facilities), collecting cheques, selling of air filters and garbage bags. It is a fast paced job with these duties in addition to 8 patrols in an 8 hour shift. On a regular basis, you would have to provide customer service approx on average to 1 person every 15-20 minutes while keeping an eye on the time to not miss patrol.

It was my first security job and it was a informative experience to learn the security profession. It is a great start as the high-paced environment means that you get hands on experience in a short amount of time.

Been with this company for years as a casual employee - working hours that fit my availability. 

I have learned so much about security working for BC. I was refunded for my required first aid certification and licence renewal.  They also supply uniforms at no cost (the last company I worked for made me pay for it).  I have also been reimbursed for safety shoes because one site I worked at required them. 

Workplace culture depends on the site.  You can work alone or with the public.  Wage rates are dependent on the site you are assigned. 

Hardest part of the job is to be flexible to the different needs of the client (every job has different needs). Sometimes the job is super quiet and sometimes it is crazy busy. 

Most enjoyable part is gaining experience in different job placements, learning new strategies to deal with difficult people and/or the public.

Management is helpful in working around my schedule.  I provide them with my hours and availability and they schedule me in as they have hours. 

Training varies but there is either a Supervisor/Operations Manager who will explain the job expectations. 

I enjoy working for this company.

Barber Collins is both innovative and progressive within an often stagnant industry.

Many aspects of the Job are your traditional security role, However the company prides itself on its Supervisors and that translates to a better work environment for everyone. 

Pay is an issue, however this is an issue across the industry, that said Barber Collins pay scheme is industry standard or better in every case. Anyone getting into security needs to understand going in is that your pay is going to vary from site to site, and you cannot base your wage on any other person unless they are on your site with your exact same job details.

Finally the company takes time and energy to recognize employees who go above and beyond. Which is not something done in many other Firms.

I have worked for this organization since 2000.  I believe staff are treated fairly and with respect and dignity by peers and management alike. Those who go above and beyond are recognized for their hard work. 

Management works hard to ensure staff are safe at work and that they have the training needed to be successful. 

Barber-Collins offers many training programs free of charge for personal and professional advancement. 

Wages are in line with the industry.

Jobs range from highly visible to off the grid. Loads of interaction to working alone. The company tries to find the best fit for each hire to reduce turnover and increase success. 

Uniforms are offered free of charge and are very professional.  

Licence fee is reimbursed to employees.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Good uniforms and the pay was not bad. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The supervisor was hard to get along with.Itwas a tough site alot involved with the job. There was also a lot of nitpicking in relation to my job performance from the supervisor.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
I found that the site I was at had a very toxic work environment. Little help when you ran into trouble or needed help with the computer work.



What is a typical day like for you at the company?
It was very stressful. The last hour was very busy and stressful because the supervisor was there and yelling at you in front of other contractors.

Your a security guard so you can’t expect much. But a few things to know after working here for a year. First they promise you a wage but you don’t actually get the wage. If you question the pay in an email they don’t respond. Before working here you are required to watch 7 hours of film and then complete tests all unpaid. You don’t receive any overtime pay.  The other reviews saying above average happiness must be from some other universe because it’s not the truth. Bet the management to quite well so it’s probably them writing the positive reviews. 

The general satisfaction of the job will depend on a few factors.  The site you are contracted to, the other guards around you and  most of all the overall attitude of the contracting company.

The pay is decent, again, determined by the site and type of work you are doing and the qualifications required therein.

As far as time off goes, again dependent on site and the decision of the supervisor. From an office standpoint, they are very accommodating for time off, they understand life and emergencies happen.

Overall, a great company to work for.  

I worked for McDonalds Canada before working here and even they were more organized than this company. I have worked for 2 other security companies before this company and I returned to one. They will call you at all hours day or night begging you to take shifts that you have to drive an hour to get to. There is no training or instruction on what to do or how to operate on the site effectively. They refuse to give you shifts if you ever call in sick. You're not allowed time off from any job site. Operations managers have no clue what to do and treat you horribly.

Management expect too much from you even though they pay you minimum wage and there are no benefits and no medical benefits which are the most important aspect when applying for a job.

You get a pay raise of .25 cents after the probation period and that does not compensates the amount of work load and bad management issues.
You can't pay the bills out of thatcrappy wage.
No advancement within the company and half an hour to have lunch is BS!

If you need a job, there are plenty of other jobs and better companies to apply for, don't waste your time and effort with this Security industry wannabes.

Questionable company. Goes in spurts of having good sites and contracts but looses them just as fast as they gain them. Nepotism is highly supported. Pay is lower compared to other companies with same role description. Hours and shift schedule are not supportive of work life balance. Management can be unprofessional and inappropriate in communications with staff. Some casual sites are fun. Not as much opportunity to work them because of favouritism. Don’t see many people work here long term nor do you see people return to this company. 

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Security guard 76 salaries reported	$20.48 per hour
Guard 3 salaries reported	$20.67 per hour
Scale operator 6 salaries reported	$18.89 per hour
Gardien de sécurité 19 salaries reported	$20.11 per hour
Concierge 3 salaries reported	$19.73 per hour

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