Employers

Loss prevention managers usually work for large retail corporations. Employers include such companies as Amazon, JCPenney, Home Depot, Kohls, Lowes, Macys, Target, and Walmart, among many others. Smaller retail businesses as well as malls, outlet centers, and large warehouses may also employ loss prevention managers.

Starting Out

Loss prevention managers usually start in trainee or associate positions. They spend a required amount of time shadowing experienced loss prevention specialists and learning while on the job. They may get their start through an internship or part-time job in a security firm or loss prevention department of a retail corporation. Ask your schools career services office for help finding internship and job listings. Another way to find jobs is through employment Web sites such as LPjobs, https://lpjobs.com.

Loss prevention managers start as associates, training while on the job. They may work their way up the career ladder through retail management positions with more responsibilities added to their jobs with each promotion. Those that start on the security side, working onsite in retail stores, may advance to management positions in corporate offices. Managers with years of experience in loss prevention may become division or department heads, overseeing teams that work for stores in specific geographic areas. They may become instructors and teachers in colleges and vocational schools. They may also return to school to pursue an advanced degree.

Attend industry events to meet loss prevention professionals and learn about career opportunities. The National Retail Federation, for example, offers the annual networking event NRF Protect for those who work in loss prevention, asset protection, and IT and cybersecurity: https://nrfprotect.nrf.com.

Read publications on loss prevention, such as Loss Prevention Magazine (https://losspreventionmedia.com), to keep up with news and trends in the field.

Conduct information interviews with loss prevention managers for advice on how to prepare for this job. Ask your schools career services office for assistance in finding managers who are interested in shedding light on this field.

Visit https://losspreventionmedia.com/orcas-list for a list of regional, state, and local organized retail crime-fighting associations. Visit their Web sites for information on loss prevention.