What each role actually does
In-house security focuses on a specific environment and set of duties. Contract security sits alongside but has a distinct primary purpose. Read the assignment instructions for each before choosing.
Licensing and training
Both roles require SIA licensing where duties are licensable. The exact licence differs; some candidates hold both to maximise availability.
Pay and conditions
Pay bands overlap in the middle but diverge at the top end. In-house security tends to pay more where the environment is higher-risk; Contract security more where the environment is higher-visibility.
Career progression
Progression from In-house security typically routes into supervisory and specialist paths. Contract security routes into different specialisms with similar earnings ceilings.
Which is right for you
Pick In-house security if you prefer the environment it operates in; pick Contract security if you prefer the pace and interaction it offers. Both are respected careers with genuine pathways.