Security & Loss Prevention: In-Depth Career Guide

Which Types of Jobs Are Available in Security and Loss Prevention?

Did you know that each day, more than $35 million worth of retail goods are shoplifted in the United States? One in 11 people are shoplifters, the National Shoplifting Prevention Coalition reports. The toll this takes on businesses of all kinds, from your local drug store to multi-billion dollar corporations, is staggering. It's a drain on police and court resources, increases retail security expenses, and ultimately costs the average consumer when the price of goods goes up. The people in charge of controlling store loss and protecting assets work in security and loss prevention.

While you might liken a job in security and loss prevention to the stereotypical sleeping security guard, that image is far from what this career actually entails. Loss prevention agents not only safeguard stores from shoplifters, but also from theft by vendors, delivery personnel, and store employees. Their job involves monitoring store areas through sophisticated technology, developing or recommending security measures for operations managers, conducting theft investigations, preparing security and loss prevention reports, and even appearing in court to testify in theft cases. Every day calls for new challenges, which keeps this career exciting and interesting.

Formal Training Required to Work in Security and Loss Prevention

Formal security and loss prevention training is a fairly recent addition to schools' criminal justice or police science offerings. It wasn't long ago that most loss prevention jobs were held by people with little more than on-the-job training. But as technology has evolved, and the methods by which fraud and theft are conducted have proliferated, security and loss prevention training has evolved as well.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies loss prevention jobs as private detectives and investigators, a category that it says is comprised mostly of workers with some college education and previous experience. Degrees leading to security and loss prevention careers may include:

• General criminal justice or police science degrees
• Security management,
• Security services
• Cyber security
• Security analysis
• Private security degrees or certification

Still, many learn on the job, although these opportunities seem to be dwindling.

Formal loss prevention certification (LPC) is voluntary, but may help demonstrate your commitment to the profession and signifies a level of training that today's employers may prefer.

Additionally, many professionals in loss prevention jobs began their careers in retail operations. Learning the inner workings of retail stores, including asset management and budgeting, can really enhance your loss prevention career.

The Typical Career Path of Someone Working in Security and Loss Prevention

Aside from formal training, it takes a certain kind of person to work in security and loss prevention. You need to have great communication skills in order to work with store management, store staff, and customers. In order to develop and maintain strong security plans, and file complete and accurate reports, a great sense of organization and attention to detail are crucial. Honesty and integrity are also a must; in fact, many stores run background checks on loss prevention applicants. In order to utilize the sophisticated security technology now available, and mitigate the Internet theft and fraud that is now prevalent, a good working knowledge of computers is essential.

Job titles within this career field vary, but may include the following:

• Security guard
• Store detective
• Loss prevention agent
• Loss prevention manager
• Field asset protection agent

A typical career path may involve starting out as a security guard in an independent store or a branch of a chain store, then working your way up to a department head or regional director of security. You could also wind up overseeing security operations for entire store chains, which would involve a lot of travel and management without as much direct monitoring. You could also work your way up into retail operations management. Private security or investigation firms might have a place for your talents as well.

Job Outlook and Salary Information for Someone Working in Security Loss and Prevention

According to the BLS, the proliferation of cyber fraud and theft, heightened security concerns nationwide, increased litigation, and the need to protect the average person's or business' privacy, should increase the demand for security and loss prevention experts. In fact, private detective and investigator jobs are projected to grow much faster than average from 2008-2018, at a rate of 22 percent. The median annual salary for this career field in May 2008 was $42,110, although this varies widely depending on the employer and the scope of duties.