A bodyguard who can also be known as a close protection officer is someone who is employed to ensure the safety of a person or a group of people. Often people think that it is only celebrities that hire bodyguards but this is not the case as often they are used by government ministers, wealthy people, journalists and even to offer protection for witnesses.

Typical duties that would be expected of a bodyguard include:

Scoping out areas that the client is going to be travelling to or through to check for potential threats, securing places that the client is going to be staying in and checking that there are clear exits should they need to escape quickly Other duties include shadowing their client throughout their normal day to day activities and planning out safety routes of travel to and from destinations.

As a bodyguard, you will need to be able to think fast in stressful situations and remain calm and professional. You will also need to have excellent time keeping skills, be trustworthy and reliable and be flexible in working. You will need to be able to work at short notice and change plans to accommodate your client. You may have to work unsociable hours and long shifts sometimes without prior notice.