60 Second Interview: Field engineer, home security

When someone has a break-in in the middle of the night, Jason on the scene in next to no time, and he says the most rewarding part of his career in home security is putting the smile back on a customer's face after they've suffered a burglary. Here, he tells us how he began his career as a field engineer for security company Evander.

Name: Jason McComiskey

Company: Evander Glazing & Locks

Industry: Police, security and emergencies

What is your job? Field Engineer/Service Centre Sales Advisor. My job is varied, and involves working both in our head office and in the field.

How long have you been doing this job? 8-9 years

Training: Internal, on-the-job training

1. What was your very first job?

This was my first job. When I left school, I started doing some temporary work for Evander as an engineer support trainee.

2. What did you want to do when you were at school?

I wanted to be a pilot when I was at school. Life doesn’t always lead you down the path you dreamed of, but I’m very happy with where I’ve ended up in my career.

3. How did you find out about the industry?

The manager of Evander’s Rainham branch was a relative of mine, so I knew the general gist of the job before starting work. I liked the fact it was practical, hands-on work and that there was a lot of variety.

4. How did you get there?

My relative, who was the manager of Evander’s Rainham branch, offered me a temporary support role, where I would learn on the job and gain some practical experience.

After a few months, I was offered a permanent position and accepted, as I was enjoying the work. I then went on to work the night shift as a security engineer, helping those who had locked themselves out or been broken into, among other things.

Now, I also work in Evander’s head office, providing knowledge and support to the Evander Direct and marketing team.

5. What is a typical day like?

When I’m working in the field, a typical day would see me responding to emergencies. Customers come to us when they’ve been locked out of their home, or if their home is not secure due to damage or a break-in. Sometimes we will be asked to attend by their home insurer, and other times the customer will contact us directly.

Where a property is left unsecure, there are a number of things I may have to do:

• I have the tools and materials in the van to replace locks with temporary ones so that the home is secure while a better replacement is ordered and booked in.
• I can board up broken windows and make sure that there is no risk of injury from cracked, smashed or broken glass.
• I can survey the home at the time and advise our head office/the customer/the customer’s home insurer on what is needed to fix the problem, should I not have the resources with me (e.g. if the lock is a non-standard version or where glass needs to be replaced).

I often need to deal with very upset customers who may have been broken into at 4am on a cold winter’s night, for example, so they can be quite scared and perhaps even traumatised by the situation. It’s my job to reassure them and to make sure their home is fully secure and that they feel OK before I leave.

Where a break-in or criminal damage has occurred, police officers and scene of crime officers are likely to be at the property. In this situation, I would liaise with the officers on the scene to ensure I can do my job once they have completed the gathering of evidence.

6. What’s the best thing about your job?

Reassuring frightened customers is the best part of the job, as they can often feel extremely vulnerable after a break-in. Being able to help them practically and comfort them by installing strong temporary locks/boarding up windows/making repairs is a big upside to the role.

The customer can seem like a completely different person when I leave compared to when I first arrive, and seeing a smile on their face after a traumatic experience, knowing that I helped to put it there, is a great feeling.

7. What is the most challenging thing about your job?

Upset customers can also be the most challenging aspect of the job, as they may be agitated or angry about the situation initially. Being able to read people is an important part of the role, so you know how best to go about solving the problem for each individual call-out.

8. What advice do you have for people who want to do what you do?

This job is great for those who can think on their feet, who prefer a varied day (or night) and who enjoy working with many different types of people. Showing patience and understanding, as well as having the ability to empathise with vulnerable customers is important.

In terms of how to progress into this type of work, apprenticeships are a good place to start. It always looks good if you show you’re keen, so asking to do a day or two of work experience, perhaps shadowing an engineer for a day to see what the job is like, not only gives you a good idea of whether you like it or not, but it also shows the company that you are proactive.

Finally, networking is always a useful tool. I got my break into the industry because I knew someone who worked in it already. My advice would be to talk to the adults you know about what they do, because opportunities can often come from close to home.

9. What things do you wish you’d known before starting your career?

This is a tough question to answer – I’m glad I came into the role and learned on-the-go. I think if I’d have known everything about the role – both good and bad – it wouldn’t have been such an interesting learning curve for me, and I may not have been as confident to throw myself into it.

10. Where would you like to be in five years?

My role is evolving, and I now spend time in head office giving advice and using my field experience to enhance the work that we do in the background. In the future, I’d like to be in a managerial role, which is achievable at Evander – as a company, they aren’t afraid to help you work to your strengths and move up within the business.

If like Jason it's helping people in difficulty that gives you a buzz, check out how you can pursue a career in the police, security and emergencies industry.