Personnel Security Specialists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of personnel security specialists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for personnel security specialists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of personnel security specialists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for personnel security specialists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Personnel Security Specialists?
Do personnel security specialists need a degree? What kind of experience do personnel security specialists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for personnel security specialists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Personnel Security Specialists
Jobs Postings for Personnel Security Specialists By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 41,727 (42%)
- No Education Listed: 28,072 (28%)
- High School or GED: 18,321 (18%)
- Master's degree: 10,215 (10%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,481 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of personnel security specialists. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 42% of positions. In 28% of job listings no education level was listed and in 18% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Personnel Security Specialists
Jobs Postings for Personnel Security Specialists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 10,075 (19%)
- 2-3 Years: 16,852 (32%)
- 4-6 Years: 16,186 (31%)
- 7-9 Years: 5,068 (10%)
- 10+ Years: 4,409 (8%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for personnel security specialists. In 32% of job postings for Personnel Security Specialists, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 31% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 19% of job postings for personnel security specialists.
What Kind of Degree Do Personnel Security Specialists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for personnel security specialists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 34 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective personnel security specialists, and in 2021 a total of 1,121,243 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective personnel security specialists.
Top Degree Programs for Personnel Security Specialists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Personnel Security Specialists (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 46,381 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 46,381 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 37,634 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 32,143 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician. | 19,361 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 14,224 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,051 |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce. | 9,049 |
| Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies. | 8,340 |
| Operations Management and Supervision. | 7,115 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,791 |
| Fashion Merchandising. | 3,644 |
| Homeland Security. | 3,012 |
| Sustainability Studies. | 3,005 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,897 |
| Small Business Administration/Management. | 2,345 |
| Intelligence, General. | 2,261 |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other. | 1,640 |
| Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism. | 1,569 |
| Taxation. | 1,546 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,537 |
| Retail Management. | 1,008 |
| Energy Systems Technology/Technician. | 906 |
| Securities Services Administration/Management. | 849 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 814 |
| Security and Loss Prevention Services. | 475 |
| Science/Technology Management. | 430 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other. | 387 |
| E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce. | 293 |
| Solar Energy Technology/Technician. | 173 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 113 |
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Degree Options for Personnel Security Specialists
Gain college credit for your training and work experience and prepare to move into management or grow your small business.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
Learn to identify, resolve, and prevent white-collar crime in a variety of business settings while preparing for the CFE exam.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
What Skills Do Personnel Security Specialists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by personnel security specialists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for personnel security specialists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Personnel Security Specialists
Based on 87,149 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Personnel Security Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 19,055 | 22% |
| Marketing | 13,150 | 15% |
| Auditing | 12,031 | 14% |
| Merchandising | 9,524 | 11% |
| E-Commerce | 8,791 | 10% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Personnel Security Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 41,791 | 48% |
| Management | 36,781 | 42% |
| Customer Service | 24,003 | 28% |
| Leadership | 21,997 | 25% |
| Sales | 21,133 | 24% |
Based on 87,149 job postings related to personnel security specialists, project management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 22% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for marketing, auditing, merchandising, e-commerce and change management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for personnel security specialists, followed by management, customer service, leadership, sales and operations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 19,055 | 22% |
| Marketing | 13,150 | 15% |
| Auditing | 12,031 | 14% |
| Merchandising | 9,524 | 11% |
| E-Commerce | 8,791 | 10% |
| Change Management | 7,369 | 8% |
| Finance | 6,419 | 7% |
| Process Improvement | 5,516 | 6% |
| Physical Security | 5,483 | 6% |
| Data Analysis | 5,358 | 6% |
| Warehousing | 5,199 | 6% |
| Crisis Management | 5,193 | 6% |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | 5,023 | 6% |
| Accounting | 4,324 | 5% |
| Agile Methodology | 4,085 | 5% |
| Business Process | 3,988 | 5% |
| Risk Management | 3,919 | 4% |
| Analytics | 3,896 | 4% |
| Workflow Management | 3,865 | 4% |
| Risk Analysis | 3,782 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 41,791 | 48% |
| Management | 36,781 | 42% |
| Customer Service | 24,003 | 28% |
| Leadership | 21,997 | 25% |
| Sales | 21,133 | 24% |
| Operations | 19,839 | 23% |
| Writing | 17,154 | 20% |
| Planning | 17,106 | 20% |
| Detail Oriented | 15,880 | 18% |
| Problem Solving | 15,238 | 17% |
| Microsoft Excel | 15,013 | 17% |
| Microsoft Office | 12,760 | 15% |
| Research | 12,288 | 14% |
| Coordinating | 10,858 | 12% |
| Presentations | 10,450 | 12% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 9,984 | 11% |
| Self-Motivation | 9,291 | 11% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 9,169 | 11% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 9,006 | 10% |
| Organizational Skills | 8,537 | 10% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about personnel security specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for personnel security specialists.
What do personnel security specialists do?
How much do personnel security specialists make?
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