Showsec

Okay noxe, here's one for you. This year I've done Download, London Live and Bestival with you guys, (contracted in through another company) I know you're used to working with guys who barely speak English but your guys who strut around in black acting as if your shit dosen't stink have a lot to learn, yes you're a big company but when your standards slip you really need to talk to your HR dept.

So second day at Bestival two of your supervisors wanted us and an argument erupted between them - one of your 'black ops' guys (Scottish fella) decided to quizz us on our job, "what are you looking for when you're on patrol" etc made me feel like I was at school again, so I explained, breaks in the fencing, suspicious activity with people going in multiple tents etc etc etc, actually more than he expected! His answer was "well I'm the biggest bastard here!"

My answer, "yes you are"
 
Wow, read the first page of comments (reading the rest when i make a cuppa tea :D). How the hell are these guys still up and running, i've yet to read a good review for them lol. Is it an english company? Never heard of them but I know to avoid them in the future, thanks for the heads up lol.
 
Has any one worked for these recently? I've applied for SIA work in Sheffield with them but I've not heard anything back. I assume they only hold interviews at certain times of year.

First post, been lurking for a while but just joined up.
Cheers, Ben
 
vauxben said:
Has any one worked for these recently? I've applied for SIA work in Sheffield with them but I've not heard anything back. I assume they only hold interviews at certain times of year.

First post, been lurking for a while but just joined up.
Cheers, Ben
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Avoid them m8. Some of their Supervisors are good but the whole infrastructure is not good. I am talking from experience, they haven't a clue.

If you ever get an interview I'm sure they will employ you Ben, they employ everyone, don't be expecting anything great and for Christs sake do not put it on your CV if you want work with a reputable company. ;)
 
Anazoth said:
Wow, read the first page of comments (reading the rest when i make a cuppa tea :D). How the hell are these guys still up and running, i've yet to read a good review for them lol. Is it an english company? Never heard of them but I know to avoid them in the future, thanks for the heads up lol.
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You're from Belfast? A popular Odyssey Arena security company work for them, nuff said.
 
colonel45155 said:
Avoid them m8. Some of their Supervisors are good but the whole infrastructure is not good. I am talking from experience, they haven't a clue.

If you ever get an interview I'm sure they will employ you Ben, they employ everyone, don't be expecting anything great and for Christs sake do not put it on your CV if you want work with a reputable company. ;)
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Thanks colonel45155, I'll take you advice on board.
I've heard from people working Sheffield Arena that they aren't too bad. But then again I've seen more bad reviews than good.
I'm trying to get some experience as I only got my badge through in January and I've only worked pubs so far. Big festivals are out of the question really as I have a full time day job but weekends (or long weekends) are do-able.
 
vauxben said:
Thanks colonel45155, I'll take you advice on board.
I've heard from people working Sheffield Arena that they aren't too bad. But then again I've seen more bad reviews than good.
I'm trying to get some experience as I only got my badge through in January and I've only worked pubs so far. Big festivals are out of the question really as I have a full time day job but weekends (or long weekends) are do-able.
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As I say, some of their supervisors are okay and maybe it's a step in the door for you, if I was starting out I probably would ask the same as you but.... If you wanted to work Sheffield Arena,(or any arena), you don't need a license to do so, unless you're planning to be on the door in black and whites, in which case I'd guess they have their own regular guys. You could maybe ask to be stageside or in the pit but sometimes it's up to the office and you could end up shining a torch and showing people to their seats for steward rates.

Someone here probably works for Showsec and could say more, (but that's if they admit working for them)
 
colonel45155 said:
As I say, some of their supervisors are okay and maybe it's a step in the door for you, if I was starting out I probably would ask the same as you but.... If you wanted to work Sheffield Arena,(or any arena), you don't need a license to do so, unless you're planning to be on the door in black and whites, in which case I'd guess they have their own regular guys. You could maybe ask to be stageside or in the pit but sometimes it's up to the office and you could end up shining a torch and showing people to their seats for steward rates.

Someone here probably works for Showsec and could say more, (but that's if they admit working for them)
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I'll have to make sure I check that. They have advertised for Casual and event SIA as well as the same but non-SIA stewards. I assumed you'd get put on for what you applied for.
 
You should consider doing a festival and taking is as holiday from your day job. Most will have work Thursday to Sunday, so if you take Wednesday to get there, Monday to get home you get 4 shifts, 12 hours per shift and hopefully £9 per hour. That's decent money and good experience (although that depends what you end up doing). Leeds Festival isn't that far away from you, and there may be others in a decent distance.
 
littlewoman said:
You should consider doing a festival and taking is as holiday from your day job. Most will have work Thursday to Sunday, so if you take Wednesday to get there, Monday to get home you get 4 shifts, 12 hours per shift and hopefully £9 per hour. That's decent money and good experience (although that depends what you end up doing). Leeds Festival isn't that far away from you, and there may be others in a decent distance.
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I would consider doing this. I'll have a search for companies doing Leeds Festival.
 
Noxe said:
I didn't know there were so many sensitive young boys here :)

These complaining seem to have little idea about the operational side of running these events. If you think you can manage such things better than the "inexperienced" supervisors then why don't you apply for similar roles? If you feel your strengths are not being utilised fully why not apply for a job where they will be?

There's no denying the fact this is grunt work and unskilled for the most part. On par with a guy who flips burgers for the security industry. The only way to deal with large amounts of staff is to reduce them to "numbers" sorry your dreams have been shattered, you are not a unique snowflake unless you prove yourself as such. Supervisors should have your backs obviously there are some good and bad ones.

There's a reason "casual" staff are refereed to as such, because they are causal, this applies for all industries. Usually meant to supplement another income. As an SIA license holder its up to you to make your jobs work for you.

From a management perspective it's good to see staff that are keen to work and readily available. Unfortunately there are so many timewasters that it makes practical sense to stick with staff who have proven themselves reliable, you seem to dismiss this as "brown nosing". Again, this practice is similar anywhere you go I think some call it "playing the game" or even "networking". You can do this for your own benefit too and many people do it everyday.

As many have pointed out these problems are not exclusive to showsec but natural sideeffects to working in this industry.

Don't have unrealistic expectations going in and you should be just fine. Even with all the issues outlined in this thread I'd prefer to do work like this than other lines of work (and I'm sure desk jockeys and burger flippers would be equally happy staying put to). Have fun all!
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Most of us here work with a small team and you have a shift or two in a company with thousands of employees and your second post on CPworld says this?

Some of us "young boys" on CPworld (I'm 40 so thanks for the compliment) have carried out more risk assessments and been there and done that more than you can ever imagine to and have been through more shit than you've had hot dinners. I like the word you used, brown nosing, sounds apt Hmmm...

Sorry for the rant to everyone else but I really cant stand people like this.

Please mods and admins can I have permission to tell him to go **** himself.
 
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vauxben said:
I would consider doing this. I'll have a search for companies doing Leeds Festival.
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I believe Gainsborough have Leeds this year so contrary to my earlier advice, maybe its not such a good idea.

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I thought gainsborough did the outer perimeter and AP did the interior although they sub to various companies,ive done response at leeds several times through Expedient which of course is a sub from AP. Expedient are a good bunch to work for they pay on time and look after their staff
Ive also done response for Show and event and they have been fine to work for, they tend to have Tea holes all over the place and staff are looked after.

fbg
 
fbg said:
I thought gainsborough did the outer perimeter and AP did the interior although they sub to various companies,ive done response at leeds several times through Expedient which of course is a sub from AP. Expedient are a good bunch to work for they pay on time and look after their staff
Ive also done response for Show and event and they have been fine to work for, they tend to have Tea holes all over the place and staff are looked after.

fbg
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The usual is that with GES doing the perimeter. I'm hearing that is not the case this year. Likewise other Festival Republic events.

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Low and behold I find myself at Milton Keynes Bowl today at The Electric Fairy Festival.
And my first point of contact was a ShowSec Wallah.
Who proceeded to send me to the wrong car park. Then challenged me as I left; (to find my own way,) for an entry pass.
I can feel it's going to be a long day.


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Ok mate, this is just the start of it. Whenever you see a Showsec muppet, do not remain calm, punch the Cnut in the throat, it's the only way you'll get through the day!!!!!!!


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Showsec are total utter ****ing muppets - the managers are all wankers and if and when I do events again of one of those useless tits opens there mouths to me again it will be more than punches in the throats the'll be getting I promise ;)
 
Oddjob said:
Low and behold I find myself at Milton Keynes Bowl today at The Electric Fairy Festival.
And my first point of contact was a ShowSec Wallah.
Who proceeded to send me to the wrong car park. Then challenged me as I left; (to find my own way,) for an entry pass.
I can feel it's going to be a long day.


Sent from my iPhone using Close Protection World
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We later discovered after a fairly large violent incident that many Showsec personnel consider an hour and fifteen minutes to be a reasonable response time.
Pay peanuts, get monkies I suppose.
 
I would say work for showsec in a sense.

I worked wireless festival for them in 2013 and they make you sign in but don't make you sign out (more on this in a bit) . They stick you in a colour coded holding pen like farm animals until a supervisor (they get hotel accomodation, you don't) or an ops manager comes along and says i'll take 5 of you.
You are then taken to your position and forgoten about for the rest of the day.
I witnessed so many security signing in then walking off and changing their clothes then walking out but still getting paid.
Showsec have not got a clue.
So if you want to not work and still get paid this is definitely the company for you.
 
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