What You'll Do

  • Ask passengers to remove shoes and divest themselves of metal objects prior to walking through metal detectors.
  • Check passengers' tickets to ensure that they are valid, and to determine whether passengers have designations that require special handling, such as providing photo identification.
  • Close entry areas following security breaches or reopen areas after receiving notification that the airport is secure.
  • Confiscate dangerous items and hazardous materials found in opened bags and turn them over to airlines for disposal.
  • Contact leads or supervisors to discuss objects of concern that are not on prohibited object lists.
  • Contact police directly in cases of urgent security issues, using phones or two-way radios.
  • Decide whether baggage that triggers alarms should be searched or should be allowed to pass through.
  • Direct passengers to areas where they can pick up their baggage after screening is complete.
  • Inform other screeners when baggage should not be opened because it might contain explosives.
  • Inform passengers of how to mail prohibited items to themselves, or confiscate these items.

Essential Skills

Speaking 3.38/5
Monitoring 3.38/5
Active Listening 3.25/5
Critical Thinking 3.25/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.25/5
Coordination 3.25/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.12/5
Reading Comprehension 3.0/5
Persuasion 3.0/5
Service Orientation 3.0/5
Writing 2.88/5
Active Learning 2.88/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Dependability, Cautiousness, Integrity, Self-Control

Want a personal read on fit. Take the free assessment and see your exact compatibility with this career and many related roles.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Problem Sensitivity 4.12/5
Selective Attention 3.62/5
Oral Comprehension 3.5/5
Oral Expression 3.5/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.5/5
Inductive Reasoning 3.5/5
Flexibility of Closure 3.5/5
Near Vision 3.38/5

Technologies & Tools

Applicant tracking software Email software Linux Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Word Oracle Java Oracle Taleo Rapiscan Threat Image Projection Slack Web browser software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.85/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.77/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.75/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.7/5)
  • Self-Control (High importance: 4.59/5)

Want to see how YOUR strengths align with this career?

Take Free 15-Min Assessment →

How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

Similar Careers to Explore

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

99.5% similar profile

Transportation Inspectors

99.5% similar profile

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance

99.3% similar profile

Transit and Railroad Police

99.2% similar profile

Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators

99.1% similar profile

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

99.1% similar profile

Packers and Packagers, Hand

99.1% similar profile

Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

99.0% similar profile

Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Airline Security Representative Airport Baggage Screener Airport Screener Airport Security Screener Bag Checker Baggage Inspector Baggage Screener Baggage Security Checker Biometric Screener Flight Security Specialist Notification Specialist Passenger Screener Screener Security Inspector Security Officer Security Screener Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Screener Transportation Security Administration Screener (TSA Screener) Transportation Security Officer (TSO) Transportation Security Screener Transportation Security Specialist