People in the loss prevention profession are responsible for helping companies to limit the amount of money they lose due to damaged equipment and property, stolen goods, inventory errors, and flawed financial policy. These professionals also perform risk management. In other words, they create strategies that help a business to minimize losses when unwanted events do occur. To become a loss prevention consultant, it is important that you have highly developed problem solving skills and are able to pay close attention to detail. It usually is also essential that you can perform sometimes complicated financial calculations.
To become a loss prevention consultant, it is good idea to know which industry you would like to work in, since this does impact the kind of training you should pursue. An individual who would like to work in retail, for example, has to be familiar with shoplifting methods, surveillance and security equipment, and safety procedures that prevent injuries of clients and employees. A person who would like to become a loss prevention consultant in the retail industry usually needs to take courses offered by a related professional association.
An individual who would like to become a loss prevention consultant in a manufacturing industry, for example, might benefit from an education in logistics or engineering. This kind of professional is responsible for ensuring that all equipment is in good health. He or she also has to make sure that all procedures and equipment are up to standards dictated by regulatory agencies as well as by company policy. Many employers require that job candidates for these positions have graduate degrees or professional certifications in job safety.
It also is common to find loss prevention consultants in the insurance industry. These professionals often work for insurance companies that offer workers' compensation plans to businesses. Many insurance companies offer loss prevention to their client businesses as part of their insurance packages. To become a loss prevention consultant in this industry, it usually is necessary to have an undergraduate degree in a business concentration, such as management or finance. This kind of professional also has insurance experience and excellent communication skills.
Regardless of the kind of loss prevention consultant you would like to become, it is important you spend several years gaining an insider knowledge of an industry in which you would like to work. For instance, if you want to work in the retail industry, take an entry level loss prevention position. An individual who would like to pursue a career in insurance can take an entry level data entry position while he or she is studying for a degree, this way he or she has an understanding of the industry by the time of graduation.
