Interview Questions to Ask a Security Guard Candidate
Questions that surface real evidence of vigilance and documentation that actually holds up — plus what to actually listen for in the answer, not just whether they say the right buzzwords.
1. During a patrol you find a door that should be locked propped open. What do you do?
What to listen for: Expect checking the area, securing the door, reporting it, noting the time and checking for anything missing.
2. A visitor without a pass becomes aggressive when you refuse entry. How do you respond?
What to listen for: Good answers stay calm, keep distance, call for backup, avoid force unless necessary and document.
3. You see an employee carrying equipment out of the building late at night. What do you do?
What to listen for: Look for polite questions, checking authorisation, reporting to a supervisor and not accusing.
4. An alarm goes off while you are the only guard on site. How do you respond?
What to listen for: Strong answers assess safely, contact the control room or police, avoid taking unnecessary risks, and write a clear report.
5. What would you do in your first 30 days in this security guard role?
What to listen for: Whether their plan is grounded in the role's actual must-haves (patrol procedures and incident reporting) or generic ("get to know the team"). Specificity here signals real understanding of the job, not just interview prep.
6. Why are you leaving your current role, and why this one specifically?
What to listen for: Forward-looking motivation tied to something concrete about this role, versus badmouthing a past employer or vague dissatisfaction. Watch for whether their reasons actually match what this role offers.
A warning sign in this interview
Describing force as a first response or writing sloppy logs, and overlooking suspicious activity to avoid awkwardness.
What to look for on the CV before the interview
Licence status, the site types covered and incident reports written.
Confirm before you make an offer
The security licence required where you hire, and a background check.
People who may apply under another title
This job is also called Security Officer, Door Supervisor, Site Security, Patrol Officer. A candidate with one of those titles can be a strong match, so ask the same questions and judge the answers, not the title.
Frequently asked questions
How many of these questions should I ask in one interview?
3-4 is realistic for a 30-45 minute interview once you leave room for follow-ups and the candidate's own questions. Divide competencies across panel members rather than every interviewer asking all of them — see the Interview Scorecard tool for a structured version of this.
How is this different from the Interview Scorecard tool?
This page is a generic starting point for the security guard role. The tool generates a full panel-ready kit — competency-grouped questions, a 1-5 rating rubric, and strong/weak answer examples — tailored to your actual job description and competencies.
What is a red flag when interviewing a security guard?
Describing force as a first response or writing sloppy logs, and overlooking suspicious activity to avoid awkwardness.
What should I confirm before offering a security guard the job?
The security licence required where you hire, and a background check.
Hiring a security guard? The rest of the toolkit
- How to write the job description →
Titles, must-haves, credentials and a starting posting.
- Search strings to find candidates →
Five searches from broad to narrow, with exclusions.
- Run the whole hire in one place →
Jobs, CV review, interviews, offers and checks together.