How to hire a loss prevention specialist

How to hire a loss prevention specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step loss prevention specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a loss prevention specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new loss prevention specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a loss prevention specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your loss prevention specialist job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a loss prevention specialist for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a loss prevention specialist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a loss prevention specialist that fits the bill.

   This list presents loss prevention specialist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Loss Prevention Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Loss Prevention Specialist	Fire inspectors examine buildings to detect fire hazards and ensure that federal, state, and local fire codes are met. Fire investigators determine the origin and cause of fires and explosions... Show more	$12-41
   Deputy	The duties of a deputy vary on their line of work or place of employment. In law enforcement, a deputy is primarily in charge of conducting investigations on crimes and arresting criminals, performing regular patrols on streets, responding to calls of distress, and assisting citizens in calamities, disasters, accidents, or any forms of threat... Show more	$14-43
   Police Officer	Police officers are responsible for keeping peace and security in a community. They uphold and enforce the law... Show more	$18-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Safety Program
   • Store Management
   • CCTV
   • Criminal Justice
   • Emergency Situations
   • Law Enforcement Agencies
   • Local Law Enforcement
   • Sales Floor
   • Video Surveillance
   • Store Associates
   • Incident Reports
   • Physical Security Systems
   • Risk Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
   • Maintain all aspects of store security, including motion cameras and EAS security systems.
   • Maintain a working knowledge of the store's alarm system and EAS system.
   • Conduct internal investigations base on POS exceptions reports, known shortages or confidential tips/leads.
   • Review surveillance footage, POS data, and video of clients operations for theft and operational deficiencies.
   • Patrol areas need by management to watch out and see if there is any attempting to steal within the store.

   More loss prevention specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your loss prevention specialist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A loss prevention specialist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, loss prevention specialists' average salary in wyoming is 65% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level loss prevention specialists earn 71% less than senior-level loss prevention specialists.
   • Certifications. A loss prevention specialist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a loss prevention specialist's salary.

   Average loss prevention specialist salary

   $47,451yearly

   $22.81 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level loss prevention specialist salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average loss prevention specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$88,681	$43
   2	Pennsylvania	$76,085	$37
   3	Ohio	$70,095	$34
   4	Connecticut	$67,666	$33
   5	Massachusetts	$67,544	$32
   6	Maryland	$66,498	$32
   7	Wisconsin	$65,667	$32
   8	New York	$64,111	$31
   9	New Jersey	$63,997	$31
   10	Texas	$63,760	$31
   11	South Carolina	$63,119	$30
   12	Oregon	$56,910	$27
   13	Nevada	$54,979	$26
   14	Georgia	$53,361	$26
   15	Nebraska	$52,059	$25
   16	Utah	$51,549	$25
   17	Washington	$51,215	$25
   18	Tennessee	$51,176	$25
   19	Colorado	$48,869	$23
   20	Florida	$48,216	$23

   Average loss prevention specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Booz Allen Hamilton	$111,452	$53.58	13
   2	Envysion	$106,887	$51.39
   3	Accenture	$104,819	$50.39	5
   4	Compliance	$88,434	$42.52
   5	City of Houston	$78,268	$37.63
   6	Amazon	$72,477	$34.84	105
   7	Irvine Ranch Water District	$56,685	$27.25
   8	Louis Vuitton	$51,937	$24.97
   9	H-E-B	$48,122	$23.14	3
   10	United Natural Foods	$44,557	$21.42
   11	Brilliant	$44,145	$21.22
   12	Mercantile Bank of Michigan	$42,836	$20.59
   13	CSAT Solutions	$42,697	$20.53
   14	Holman Automotive	$41,790	$20.09
   15	Marriott International	$41,466	$19.94	160
   16	NEXTAFF	$41,124	$19.77
   17	NEX	$40,331	$19.39
   18	Insight Credit Union	$39,965	$19.21
   19	Trek Bicycle	$38,985	$18.74
   20	Delhaize America	$37,405	$17.98	11

4. Writing a loss prevention specialist job description

   A loss prevention specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a loss prevention specialist job description:

   Loss prevention specialist job description example

   Cub Foods Loss Prevention Specialist- FUL TIME - TWIN CITIES METRO STORES | 145856Job Posting Jul 28, 2022Primary Location Minnesota-Maplewood Description Loss Prevention Specialist & Asset Protection
   
   Cub Foods in Twin City Metro area is looking for determined and motivated people for our Loss Prevention Department. Are you independently driven and team oriented? Looking to make a difference within the Community? Are you looking for a job with weekly pay and employee discount? We want you to work for Cub! As a Loss Prevention Specialist, you will be working a flexible schedule, with local law enforcement and community groups preventing and stopping theft in our stores.
   Job Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
   
   Assists customers and ensures proper service levels and courtesy from all associates.
   Maintains professional relationship with store employees, customers, and law enforcement agencies
   Observes and Apprehends Shoplifters
   Knows and enforces company policy and procedure, as well as city and state regulations on all matters related to position.
   Conducts employee investigations as directed
   Conducts routine investigative procedures for store and premises
   Responds immediately to store emergency situations or disturbances
   
   Job Requirements
   
   Must be 18 years of age or older
   Must have valid driver license, vehicle and insurance for daily travel needs
   Law Enforcement, Security, Military experience preferred
   Cashier and stocking experience preferred
   Demonstrate an interest at continuously keeping updated and abreast of the latest trends and developments in the Loss Prevention & Asset Protection industry
   Strong organizational, time management, listening, written and oral communication skills
   Ability to work effectively individually and with a team
   Possess strong analytical and problems solving skills and be experienced in taking initiative and making appropriate decisions
   Good interpersonal skills to interact effectively at all levels of the company and in the business community
   Ability to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends
   
   My Cub. My Way.
   We provide our customers the best grocery experience period by personalizing our customers' evolving needs with innovation, convenience and by supporting the communities we serve through delivering quality, variety and fresh groceries.
   
   At Cub, employment is built on a foundation of diversity and inclusion that enhances and enables our associates' career development through education and training. We pride ourselves in having a strong team of passionate employees who provide exceptional service. Every employee has the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our customers.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find loss prevention specialists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your loss prevention specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit loss prevention specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with loss prevention specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new loss prevention specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect loss prevention specialist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new loss prevention specialist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a loss prevention specialist?