The job of the security personnel in a bar entails ensuring that patrons are safe when they are within the bar premises. Bar security personnel are also in charge of enforcing the liquor and bar entry laws of the establishment in which bar they work. For instance, they reserve the right of admission for bar patrons.

Education

Most bars prefer to hire individuals who at least have a high school diploma. Having worked in the armed forces or police is an advantage. A bar security guard can also undertake security training courses, for instance, at the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training. A bar security officer should not have a negative police record.

Certification

In most states, security guards are required to have a license, also known as the "guard card," according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. One can also get certification from the American Society for Industrial Security International (ASIS).

Responsibilities and Duties

A bar security guard inspects various sections of the establishment, from the bathrooms to the bar itself, to ensure safety, patrols the bar from time to time to look for any threats to the bar's security, identifies rowdy patrons and ejects them from the establishment, if they are a nuisance to other patrons and monitors the bar occupancy to ensure it doesn't exceed maximum capacity. He also inspects the identification of patrons to prevent underage individuals from entering, monitors entrances and exits and ensures that individuals who have been barred do not get into the establishment, resolves conflicts and restrains anyone who gets into a fight, takes care of patrons' welfare -- for instance, by summoning taxis for them on request-- and, where warranted, frisks patrons to ensure they do not get into the bar with weapons or illegal items. Typically, the guard also writes up reports of incidents at the bar for record-keeping purposes.

Desirable Skills

Bar security work involves working long hours and occasional physical confrontation, so a bar security guard is required to be physically fit. The security guard is the establishment's first poinjt of contact with patrons and therefore he should be presentable and courteous. The security guard is also expected to be always mentally alert to quickly spot any disturbance on the premises.

Working Conditions

A bar security guard is often exposed to dangerous circumstances and rough individuals. Security guards may have to work long hours during holidays and weekends. A bar security guard should also expect to work mostly at night.

Compensation/ Salary

According to job-search website Indeed, as of 2014 the average salary for a bar security guard was $27,000.

Job Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs for security guards was expected to grow about 12 percent between 2012 and 2022, about average for job growth.