Whether you’re starting a new career or just getting out of school, your search for jobs in loss prevention might be more successful if you keep these suggestions in mind.
Update your resume. A professional resume should be a comprehensive, accurate reflection of your abilities, education, and experience. This document serves as a tool that allows hiring managers to get to know you–and determine whether you’re a match for their company–at a glance. There are many online resources dedicated to helping job seekers build better resumes. For a more targeted approach, however, take a look at our Professional Development posts, many of which offer advice on putting together a resume for jobs in loss prevention and taking the right steps for a successful LP career path.
Overhaul your social profiles. Social media platforms offer a tremendous number of opportunities and benefits for a job seeker. For instance, during a job search, it is a good idea to ensure your professional LinkedIn profile is completely up to date and includes a professional-looking photo. Recruiters and hiring managers look at these profiles on a regular basis to review your accomplishments and skills. Follow LP Magazine’s LinkedIn page to see frequent updates on loss prevention news, retail theft, security, and asset protection topics.
It’s also a good idea to clean up your more personal social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) as well. Recruiters or hiring managers will screen out candidates who are representing themselves in a negative, sloppy, or inappropriate way online.
Conduct informational interviews. There’s no better way to get the inside scoop on an industry role than an informational interview. If you can manage to set up a meeting with an LP pro who has some experience in the field, you’ll likely be able to capture a clear picture of job responsibilities and company culture–not to mention an internal perspective on industry trends. Use your personal network to see if anyone can connect you to someone on the inside. Networking events and industry conferences are also good ways to make contacts for jobs in loss prevention. Check out the Events page to see what’s coming up in the world of LP.
Sharpen your LP-related skills. People in today’s top loss prevention jobs come from a variety of backgrounds and have had diverse educational and professional experiences. However, most LP pros share some common traits and abilities, including a keen grasp of the retail business world, strong observation and investigative skills, familiarity with security technologies, and much more. The LPQualified and LPCertified certification offerings through the Loss Prevention Foundation cover the industry’s core competencies and tools in great detail and provide a terrific resource for anyone looking to enter the profession.
Research the companies that interest you. Usually, an organization’s website offers a treasure trove of information about a company. If you’re interested in a particular retail company that has stores near you, visit them. Observe the customers (not in a creepy way), or ask existing employees if they’d be interested in chatting about their work environment for a few minutes. Subscribe to the daily Insider e-newsletter and print version of LP Magazine to keep on top of the latest happenings in the retail LP industry. Search the company’s name on the magazine website to see articles related to that company.
Know where to look for job postings. Plenty of websites advertise available job openings, but it’s worth checking out LPJobs if you’re looking specifically for an employment opportunity in retail loss prevention or security. Dozens of new positions are posted to the site daily, and all are targeted to job seekers who are interested in pursuing an LP career.
Get ready for a job interview. So you’ve spruced up your resume and LinkedIn profile, touched base with those who are in the know, sharpened your LP skills, scoped out a company, and applied to a position that sounds awesome. The next thing to do is to make sure you’re prepared in the event of an interview.
Review the company’s history, mission, and values. Practice your responses to typical interview questions. Make sure you know (and can articulate) why the organization should hire you over someone else. Write a list of questions you can ask the interviewer, keep a positive attitude, and step into the situation with a winning approach.
This post was originally published in 2016 and was updated August 21, 2017.