Do integrators consider knowledgeable End Users as good candidates for positions? If so, in what areas? Does vast knowledge and experience with various product types equate to recruitment appeal?
Jobs For End Users In The Security Sector?
Good question / good topic.
Quite a lot of end users switch over. In particular, manufacturers often desire experienced security end users especially for sales or sales engineering roles.
Integrators can as well but I think the best fit for a knowledgeable security end user is with a manufacturer, since they can best leverage that developing deals and supporting them with other end users.
This is a broad question. It truly depends on the end user's role in relation to the position you wish to hire them for.
I'm stating the obvious here but when hiring outside of our industry, more experience = less learning curve. Experience could mean having an electrical background, sales experience, building code knowledge, previous project management positions, a degree in criminology, etc. End user knowledge on various security systems is just a small piece of this list I would be interested in.
Joseph, thanks for bringing up those details.
What I meant by end user was an end user who ran / managed a large security system (i.e., 100s or more cameras, door readers, access control, guards, upgrades, wireless, investigations, etc.). I have seen many of those be attractive to manufacturers and do well, leveraging their backgrounds with that, since they understand security problems, have a solid background in some products / technologies, etc.
NO , Never , Not even close
I hired one time only , did not get the performance I needed
Well qualified candidates only with 5 min years hands on experience and 3 + technical experience min.
You can loose a lot with unqualified in Integration .
know many co. who told me of thier bad experiences
I am not an integrator, but I can tell you, yes. I hired the system admin from a VERY large company in 2003 to run the security system for a large multinational company (one of my clients at the time). Worked out very well. I found him particularly adept at dealing with the local sites because he knew what was going on at the site level.
Now the bad part: His boss at the company I stole him from was furious and it came back to haunt me some years later. The old boss went to work for another client of mine and subverted a very big project, that eventually played a role in the closing of my office. Good for my guy however, because him and the engineer he worked for (in my office) were both hired by the former boss.
So the watch word here is be careful. A good System Administrator or tech in this field is hard to come by but make sure it all goes down with no hard feelings.
I know of several security consultants/engineers who were previously systems administrators or technicians for end-user organizations. It's much easier to relate to end-user clients when you have previously walked in their shoes.
I have found that the end-users of large integrated systems sometimes have more expertise on these systems that even the factory technical support people.
If you are an end-user with significant technical experience, you should have no problem in finding a job.
That's welcomed feedback Michael because I need to move from the NW to a warmer and much sunnier climate someday!
in my vertical I've seen more than a few jump to the "dark Side" primarily as system integrators, and a few that are manufacturer direct to end users.
90% of the time the hire is made under the assumption the EU has a Rolodex of peers they will be able to open doors and hit the ground running. What they don't realize is sales is a lot more than a meeting, buying lunch and hitting the links. The vast majority last around a year then go back to what they know.
There have been several, however, that did make the transition successfully.
the hire is made under the assumption the EU has a Rolodex of peers
I agree with this element and I have seen how painful this is as well. Plus side, they can get lunch or first meetings with lots of important end users. Downside is that they often can't do anything more than that.
One element to consider is how technical / knowledgeable the end user is about systems. If they know their own system well, that increases chances that they do well. If they don't, to me that's a big red flag that they will struggle providing value beyond setting up meetings.
One element to consider is how technical / knowledgeable the end user is about systems. If they know their own system well, that increases chances that they do well
The people I've known who make the switch had Director Level or Higher titles at their companies. If it's physical security and they don't rely on turnkey from the SI, then there's someone (or an entire team) they've designated to Project manage the technology rollout
They may know the products they use, but they rarely if ever know all components or aspects of the system. Worse still is they they don't know their competition so when they do have that meeting they aren't able to ask the right questions to highlight their products strengths vs. the incumbent they're trying to displace.
The people I've known who make the switch had Director Level or Higher titles at their companies.... They may know the products they use, but they rarely if ever know all components or aspects of the system. Worse still is they they don't know their competition
That's a good point. I was instinctively thinking about end users more down in the weed but there is definitely a big temptation to hiring a 'big name' and those risks are significant.
I had one end-user client who was on a power trip and made all of his vendors (including consultants) grovel before him. He later became a sales representative for one of the major manufacturers and now had to call on some of the very people he had mistreated in the past. Must have been a bit humbling, I would think.
Ask questions and get answers to your physical security questions from IPVM team members and fellow subscribers.