Please read before applying to the Protective Services Department at Mary Kay corporate headquarters in Addison, Texas. There are 3 shifts. 1st shift, 2nd shift, and 3rd shift. Typically, the shifts that are always hiring are 2nd shift and 3rd shift. Every shift has 1 shift supervisor, 2 team leads, 1 officer in charge and about 5-7 Protective Services Officers. There are about 4 different Mary Kay locations that are manned by protective services officers and team leads. The cons of this job outweigh the pros. The cons of this job are: you will typically be pushed into working more than 40 hours a week every single week, your first month of working for the Protective Services Department will consist of you walking nearly 7 miles a night, your every move is watched on camera by your Managers, Supervisors, Team Leads, Officers in Charge, and the shift Dispatcher, your first couple of weeks working for this company; you will be referred to as ‘the new guy’, harassment and discrimination run rampant within this department and if you aren’t willing to adjust to the culture, you will be gone in no time, and lastly, the Mary Kay mission statement is not followed by this department. Instead, this department has created a culture that is based off of a politically charged and a rule by intimidation methodology. Cameras are everywhere. There are also cameras that are hidden in areas such as sprinkler heads and mounted on miscellaneous objects that you wouldn't even think twice to be a camera.. Now for the pros: you will be paid every single week, there is an unlimited amount of overtime, this protective services department probably pays within the top 2% than any other security/ protective services department in the DFW area, the company will furnish and dry clean your uniforms for you for no extra charge, and lastly, you get to work alone most of the time and when the work is finished, you can typically have a relaxed night. Typically, promotions and opportunities to move up are granted to people who have been employed by the company for a longer period of time so before you are given the opportunity to advance, someone who has been employed by the company’s department for a longer amount of time will be offered to advance. The turnover is high because of the overtime, bad management, and lack of opportunity to advance. Most managers don’t have college degrees and have never worked for a police department. If you can stick it out for a couple of years and can deal with the politics that this job has to offer; then be my guest and apply. You might be able to advance, or you might not be able to advance. Advancement honestly depends on your ability to communicate effectively with your peers, your ability to play the political game, and also your tenure with the company. I have seen some Protective Services Officer advance to become Supervisors within 3 years of working for the company, but this happens rarely. The pay is probably one of the best that I’ve seen in the DFW area for a security company. If I were you, I would use this department as a stepping stone and use your experience within this department and transfer to a police department, a sheriffs department, a state police department, or the Border patrol. If you leave this protective services department on good terms, you can reapply in a few months or a few years. Please give a 2 weeks notice before departing though, this department is very stressed and the people who have stayed around for a long time have to deal with the politics because this job is honestly all they have. With that being said, I wish I would have not accepted a position with this company’s department and I wish I would stayed at my previous employer. There is honestly no opportunity for upward growth within this company because most protective services officers, officers in charges, team leads, supervisors, and managers have continued to work for this company for 5, 10, 15, 20, and some for 25 years.
