“Women in Security have a Massive Advantage”: Q&A with Bloomberg’s Security Specialist

Dawn Holmes CPP MSc is technical security specialist at Bloomberg and the director of ASIS International’s UK Chapter.

She is responsible for Women in Security, Young Professions, Police and Military and mentoring. With her panel discussion at IFSEC International 2016 only a few weeks away, Holmes shares her career advice and tells us why women have a massive advantage in the security industry.

IFSEC Global: How did you end up in security?

Dawn Holmes: I was working in logistics at Boots head office site and saw an investigator job came on the board. As I did stock queries, I thought “I can do that”, applied, got the job and never looked back.

An incredible thing about working for Boots was that I looked after a 325-acre site, consisting of logistics, manufacturing and corporate, so I got a taste of all the different security elements and how varied a role it is.

IG: What has been your biggest career challenge?

DH:  Challenging perceptions: not having a military or police background, being young (when I started out) and from Liverpool. However, it just made me work harder to prove myself.

IG: What is your top tip for being successful in this industry?

DH: Be creative, never rest on your laurels and challenge when you are told “we always do it this way”.

IG: What advice would you give other women  aspiring to to have a career in the security industry?

DH: Education has been a big confidence booster for me. But my advice is to work hard, push boundaries and make the most of what this amazing career has to offer.

IG: What about advice specifically for young women?

DH:  Don’t write off security as a career; research and understand how varied and challenging the industry is. Get involved in organisations (the Security Institute, ASIS) – it helps with networking but these associations give you fantastic opportunities to understand more about the industry and get involved changing things for the better.

IG: Where do you see the profession in 10 years?

DH: I hope people will see security as a career not just a job people end up in, but actively set out to work within security. More entry-level qualifications and clear academic paths to get to senior positions. Risks will continue to change and security managers will have to adapt, continually add value and utilise the tools we have at our disposal to the maximum.

IG: And do you see female participation increasing in what is still a male-dominated sector?

DH: The industry is certainly trying to work on diversity and the recruitment of females and people from non-traditional backgrounds, so we will see the number of women in senior positions increasing, as well as in more creative roles.

IG: What makes security a great industry to have a career in?

DH:  It’s varied, challenging and ever changing. I also have always loved how security managers (even from competing organisations) share their risks and successes, something I think is fairly unique to this industry. I also think women have a massive advantage: there are so few of us that we stand out, which provides the opportunity to really make an impact.

Dawn will share more career advice at IFSEC on 22nd June, 14.40-15.30. She will join a panel including Dr Alison Wakefield, Pauline Norstrom, Jayne King, Lynn Watts Plumpkin and Emma Shaw. Together they will debate careers in security and opportunities for women.

The debate will take place in the Security Management Theatre at ExCel London. Register for your ticket here.