Target

[Serpico]

Anyone have any experience working for Target?

I'm interviewing for their TPS position next week. They said it could take 6-12 months to move into plainclothes.

Anyone with any info/opinions, please share with me here or via PM. It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Mr. Security]

Use the search feature. I know we've hashed it out before in a thread.

[Curtis Baillie]

If you're looking to gain some loss prevention experience, Target is a great place to start. They are well structured and with new stores opening all the time, increasing the chance of promotion.

[HCSecurity]

Target is a great company to work for. It can definitely take time to move up because there isn't always an opening. I was a TPS for 3 months and then went out on the sales floor when I transferred to another store b/c of college. There was finally another TPS opening until 9 months after I had transferred to the new store. At the same time one of my trainers was promoted within their first few months b/c there was an opening.
Good Luck!

[Serpico]

If you're looking to gain some loss prevention experience, Target is a great place to start. They are well structured and with new stores opening all the time, increasing the chance of promotion.

I've got about a year of plainclothes LP experience already, which is why I'm hesitant to be a door guard for a year before I can go back to being plainclothes.


Mr. Security, thanks for the heads up.

[N. A. Corbier]

I've got about a year of plainclothes LP experience already, which is why I'm hesitant to be a door guard for a year before I can go back to being plainclothes.


Mr. Security, thanks for the heads up.

Honestly, if you want in Target LP, take the hit, stand at the door, do whatever the APS tells you to do, and wait for him/her to get fired or promoted. You're next in line, if I remember correctly.

Just be wary of attacks, etc. Even though you aren't there to do much, the common shoplifter sees you as the symbol of authority, and may try to "take you out" to flee.

[LPGuy]

Having known and worked with people in Target Assets Protection before, I'll tell you this:

If you're just interested in a security position with some occasional excitement, a Target TPS job is probably fine. However, if you're interested in doing "real" LP work (which it sounds like you are, having been plainclothes before), then I would suggest looking at some other stores. A Target TPS position is going to be much, much different than what you used to do.

[#1TPS]

Trust me, go for it. TPS is a great job from my experience. I'm a TPS also and while you do stand at the front for the majority of the time, you do get to see a lot of interesting things. For me, everytime the APS(undercover) is going to apprehend, I'm always there to help out. That's one of the best aspects of this position and it gets you ready for the APS position.

[panther10758]

If you're looking to gain some loss prevention experience, Target is a great place to start. They are well structured and with new stores opening all the time, increasing the chance of promotion.

I concur Target structures is excellent and a great place to start

[LPGuy]

Trust me, go for it. TPS is a great job from my experience. I'm a TPS also and while you do stand at the front for the majority of the time, you do get to see a lot of interesting things. For me, everytime the APS(undercover) is going to apprehend, I'm always there to help out. That's one of the best aspects of this position and it gets you ready for the APS position.

Not trying to knock on Target here, but two things I want to point out:

1) A uniformed TPS job will help you gain some experience in apprehensions and handcuffing, but little experience in the more common aspects of LP work, such as floor surveillance techniques.

2) I've always had an issue with Target's practice of placing new hires in a TPS position and later promoting them to an APS position in the same store. This allows all the shoplifters a chance to know your face so that they'll also recognize you when you start working the floor in a plainclothes position.

[panther10758]

2) I've always had an issue with Target's practice of placing new hires in a TPS position and later promoting them to an APS position in the same store. This allows all the shoplifters a chance to know your face so that they'll also recognize you when you start working the floor in a plainclothes position.

You are assuming that same shoplifters hit same target over and over? How else would they know face?

[HotelSecurity]

You don't think that a professional shoplifter is unable to spot plainclothed people anyway? I work plainclothes in an hotel but most of the time I have my badge exposed to reassure & deter. When I have not had it out I have still had people come up to me knowing I'm security.

[LPGuy]

You are assuming that same shoplifters hit same target over and over? How else would they know face?

Yes, in my experience, many shoplifters do. That is, until we were able to apprehend and trespass them.

[LPGuy]

You don't think that a professional shoplifter is unable to spot plainclothed people anyway? I work plainclothes in an hotel but most of the time I have my badge exposed to reassure & deter. When I have not had it out I have still had people come up to me knowing I'm security.

Yes, professional shoplifters are good at spotting loss prevention, but notice I used the term "all shoplifters." Anyone that can remember a face, especially of the security officer who stands at the door, will remember you when they come back to steal again and now you're standing in the same aisle as them. They'll be in a hightened state of awareness because they're nervous about stealing and will be looking at everyone around them to see who's watching.

And no disrespect, but I would assume there's a huge difference between working plainclothes loss prevention and working plainclothes hotel security. That is, unless you spend your day pretending to be a hotel patron and attempting to blend in with the rest of your guests. Otherwise, I think it'd be fairly easy for anyone to finger the guy in a suit scanning the lobby as security.

[Serpico]

Having known and worked with people in Target Assets Protection before, I'll tell you this:

If you're just interested in a security position with some occasional excitement, a Target TPS job is probably fine. However, if you're interested in doing "real" LP work (which it sounds like you are, having been plainclothes before), then I would suggest looking at some other stores. A Target TPS position is going to be much, much different than what you used to do.

I pretty much figured TPS is going to be extremely boring. When I was plainclothes, our account had Door Guards (which I assume is the same as TPS). It seemed to be the most mundane security job. Standing in one spot and checking receipts on high end items doesnt seem very interesting.

I'm gonna cancel the interview. I'm not looking forward to driving 2 hours roundtrip to stand at a door all day for a few bucks more than minimum wage. It would be different if they had openings closer, but with gas prices as they are, I'm not gonna do it.

I've already got 70+ stops under my belt (all done solo). I've already taken OC and handcuff courses. Worst care scenario, I get a gig working close to home while I finish undergrad and eventually find a plainclothes gig until I leave for grad school.

One thing I want to add, I cant understand how people get made so easily working plainclothes. The store I was at had my office directly in front of all the checkout aisles. I walked out one time and some smartguy asked, "Hey man, you get caught stealing or something?". Brilliant. Evidently, I look like a scrub.

Thanks for everyones' input.