Building a Strong Loss Prevention Officer Resume
7/12/2025
Team Yotru
Loss Prevention Officers are the frontline defenders of retail stores. They prevent theft, monitor surveillance systems, handle emergencies, and protect both people and merchandise. Whether they're stopping shoplifters or investigating internal theft, their job is all about reducing loss and keeping stores secure.
What Hiring Managers Want and How to Stand Out
If you’re applying for a Loss Prevention Officer job, your resume needs to show that you can prevent theft, respond to emergencies, and protect both people and property. This guide covers what to include, what hiring managers are looking for, and how to use the right keywords and examples to get noticed.
Who Hires Loss Prevention Officers
Loss prevention officers are hired by major retail chains like Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Best Buy. You’ll also find these roles in shopping malls, grocery stores, warehouses, and some corporate offices. Security firms also place officers in retail locations. Job titles might include Loss Prevention Officer, Asset Protection Associate, Store Detective, or Security Specialist.
What to Include in a Loss Prevention Officer Resume
A strong Loss Prevention Officer resume should highlight your ability to monitor surveillance systems, prevent theft, conduct investigations, and work with both customers and law enforcement. Your resume should include:
- Clear summary of your security or retail background
- Bullet points showing impact and action
- Certifications (like CPR, First Aid, or firearm permits if allowed)
- Real results using metrics or KPIs
- Use of relevant security tools or systems
Key Resume Language: Action Words and Industry Terms
Hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ATS) scan resumes for specific language. Make sure your Loss Prevention Officer resume includes both strong action verbs and relevant terms from the industry.
Effective action verbs:
monitored, investigated, reduced, recovered, prevented, trained, enforced, documented, responded
Industry-specific terms:
- Shrinkage: inventory loss from theft, fraud, or error
- CCTV Monitoring: watching live or recorded security footage
- Internal Investigations: dealing with employee theft or fraud
- De-escalation: calming aggressive behavior or preventing violence
- Access Control: limiting entry to secure areas
- ORC (Organized Retail Crime): theft involving groups targeting multiple stores
- Asset Recovery: getting back stolen or lost items
Metrics (KPIs) to include:
- Shrinkage reduced (example: reduced shrink by 15 percent)
- Merchandise recovered (example: recovered $25,000 in goods)
- Shoplifters detained (example: handled over 40 cases without incident)
- Employees trained (example: led security training for 10+ team members)
Real Resume Example: David Kowalski
David Kowalski is a Loss Prevention Officer based in Salt Lake City. He has over 10 years of experience in retail security, working for companies like Home Depot and Best Buy. His resume is a strong example of how to structure and write a Loss Prevention Officer resume.
What makes David’s resume effective:
- Clear numbers: reduced shrinkage by 17 percent, recovered over $50,000
- Strong action words: monitored, investigated, trained, recovered
- Certifications listed: firearm permit, CPR, security training
- Volunteer experience as a firefighter and youth coach adds leadership value
Areas for improvement:
- Needs an education section, even just high school
- Could name specific surveillance tools used
- Earlier roles (like delivery) could be reframed to highlight security-relevant skills
Want a Resume Like David’s?
David built his resume using Yotru – a platform focused on clean, results-driven resumes for fields like retail security and law enforcement. If you’re searching for a Loss Prevention Officer resume example, his layout, keywords, and real results make a great reference.
When writing your own resume, focus on showing how you protect people, prevent loss, and support store operations. Use real numbers, the right industry terms, and action verbs that highlight your impact. That’s what makes a resume stand out in loss prevention.