Check Out Retail
Leadership, teamwork and multi-tasking help veterans stand out in the fast-paced world of retail.
by Kathleen Ganster

The fast-paced, challenging environment of the Marine Corps was perfect for Rivera Williams’ personality, so when he went looking for a civilian career, he wanted the same type of culture.

He found it in the retail business. “As a store manager at Safeway, I find it is very much like the Marines – challenging, fast-paced and, most of all, rewarding,” he said. “My hard work pays off.”

Retail is like the military. Really.
Williams, 39, of Woodbridge, Va., is part of the second class to graduate from Safeway’s Retail Leadership Development Program. When he started researching a career in retail management, and in particular with Safeway, the more he learned, the more he liked.

“I found out they were the No. 2 grocery retail company (in the U.S.) and it was important to me to go with a strong organization,” he said.

Williams draws on his leadership experience as a Marine Corps captain every day, and his work in operations with the Marines taught him well how to multi-task – skills he constantly relies on.

“Here at Safeway, there are one million and one things going on at once,” he said. “I have to prioritize, accomplish my mission and when it is done, move on – just like the Marines.”

The program has been very successful and Safeway has continued to recruit military officers, including opportunities in distribution and manufacturing plant engineering.

“We have found that the retail part of our business is very much like the culture in the military. For example, we promote from within," said Michele Silva, vice president of human resources.

Retail Leadership
Safeway believes great training is the foundation for exceptional performance.  The company’s Retail Leadership Development Program is a 41-week training designed to prepare military officers for positions in retail and how to operate a business.  Each program participant is paired with a top performing training store manager as their mentor. The program includes a combination of on-the-job training, interacting with co-workers and customers on the sales floor, classroom seminars, job shadowing with various retail and corporate employees, and independent study.  Upon successful completion of the program, participants are placed into their positions.

With more than 1,700 stores in the U.S. and Canada, there are positions available across the continent and, as Silva said, “current opportunities are always on our career website.”

Veterans are ideal candidates for Safeway for the reasons Williams described: the ability to multi-task, prioritize, flexibility and a “take-charge attitude,” Silva said.

“What we have seen in our veteran employees is confidence, responsibility, inspiration, and a commitment to excellence.  Program graduates manage teams anywhere from 100 to over 200 employees,” she said.  “They are great at mentoring and that is so important in our business.”

John Noveras, another program graduate, agrees.  “I chose Safeway because of its rich history, unwavering core values, and exceptional quality of its employees, all of which are exactly the same reasons why I joined the United States Marine Corps,” he said.  “Additionally, Safeway’s Leadership Development Program is similar to the Corps’ The Basic School (TBS) where I am learning how to become a successful store manager from the best trainers of the company. I can honestly say that a career in Safeway is the closest thing to being a Marine Corps Officer. I get to lead, train, coach, and mentor the finest employees the grocery business has to offer.”

Military skills good fit at Lowe’s
Matthew Sandness also found the right fit for his skills and personality when he landed a position as an operations specialist at Lowe’s for Lowes.com.

Oddly enough, it wasn’t the fact that he could easily transfer his IT skills from the military to the civilian world, but the location that first attracted him to Lowes.

“It was perfect – I found a unique position close to my hometown,” he said. “It was great that it was for a larger, solid company.”

The former Marine worked in logistics systems and found that the programs at Lowe’s were similar, making his transition easy. But he also found other attributes from his military career have assisted him in the retail industry, especially his leadership skills and the ability to work on a team.

Lowe’s needs IT specialists
Since Sandness, 31, still serves in the Air National Guard, he also needed a company that supported his on-going service.

“They have been great. When I was in Afghanistan for four months last summer, they sent me a care package and a giant banner,” he said. “It really meant a lot.”

Even though Sandness chose Lowe’s for the location and the position, he moved as he was promoted and now lives in Huntersville, N.C.

Lowe’s has many opportunities in locations across the company, said Katie Cody, spokeswoman for Lowe’s, including a great need for IT personnel like Sandness.

There are openings in the stores, as well as in the distribution centers and customer support centers. Experience and education varies and the salaries are competitive depending on position and experience.

Veterans are particularly attractive to Lowe’s because the values match up well, Cody said.

“The military instills leadership, a strong work ethic, and a passion for a job well done, which is exactly what Lowe’s looks for in an employee,” she said, noting that the list of the company’s values that new employees receives “aligns perfectly with what the military values.”

Going Home
Those values also resonate with those of Home Depot, according to Eric Schelling, director of talent acquisition.

“Our retail environment is very unique because our customers are typically shopping for a solution for a problem,” he said. “We find that military associates possess excellent problem-solving skills that our customers greatly appreciate.”

Veterans have an advantage in the retail industry, where leadership and team-building skills are necessary and highly valued, Schelling said.

There are a variety of positions across the country in the stores, including sales associates, department supervisor and management positions. At the store support center in Atlanta, there are also opportunities in supply chain, IT, global sourcing and customer care. The technology center in Austin also has numerous IT positions available.

Salaries vary depending on position, location, experience and education, but are competitive and feature a bonus program and an attractive benefits package, Schelling said.

No experience required
John Matz, 51, store manager in Holiday, Fla., said his military experience in the Air Force taught him how to be an effective leader and how to manage a heavy work load under extreme conditions.

“I learned that just because you know how to manage a process, it did not necessarily mean you are an effective leader or know how to manage people,” he said.

The Home Depot was attractive to Matz when he separated from the military because he wanted “a career, not a job” and he could find that with the retailer.

“I had no prior experience in retail at the time, but my military background with the experience and leadership was a benefit to the company,” he said.

Despite the lack of experience, Matz found a good match in the retail industry.

“The military prepared us to take on new challenges,” he said. “Like anything else, it is not easy and sometimes overwhelming, but at the end of the day, there is a sense of accomplishment.”

‘Recruiting is really sales’
John Jones, 43, said his experience as an Army recruiter was invaluable to his career in sales with Sears.

“In my military career, I learned how to do a great presentation, which is one of the best sales techniques out there,” he said. “Recruiting is really sales.”

His leadership and team-building skills learned in the Army are also called to the forefront every day, he said. Jones leads a team of 17 sales associates.

“I was a combat engineer in the service and I wasn’t sure how those skill sets would realistically translate into a civilian career,” he said. “But it has worked out extremely well. Once I got my foot in the door, I was able to display those skills.”

Military experience is obvious when he is interviewing potential employees, according to Jones. “I can tell from the way they speak with confidence and authority without even looking at a résumé,” he said.

Sears values tangible and intangible skills
Tom Aiello, division vice president of public relations for Sears, said the company values veterans such as Jones.

“Sears knows that veterans bring valuable tangible skills such as logistics and automotive,” he said, “and intangible skills such as leadership and interpersonal skills to the table.”

Sears also has programs such as the Associate Military Support Network (AMSN), where they match new veteran employees with others in the company to help them succeed.

Aiello said Sears currently has opportunities in inventory management, logistics management, retail management, and positions as service technicians and service technician managers.

Salaries vary with experience, education and job location, but Sears has a competitive salary with excellent benefits, Aiello said.

Walgreens Woos Vets
As a community recruiter for Walgreens, Navy veteran Glen Williams sees the advantages of working in retail from both perspectives.

Williams’ military experience helps him recruit other veterans for positions at Walgreens, an attractive employment pool for the company.

His own background in the military focused on the medical field, but Williams worked on special assignments that taught him flexibility, “embracing change,” and operating at a high level – skills helpful in his recruitment duties.

Williams, 37, said there are opportunities at Walgreens corporate, distribution centers, store operations and Take Care Clinics, just to name a few.

Job opportunities span all levels of professional experiences, he said, and include sales positions, IT, e-commerce and technicians at the distribution centers.

Salaries are competitive, and education and experience varies by locations and positions.

Vet Helping Vets
Williams said helping other veterans find new careers is extremely satisfying.

“I am able to help candidates discover both professional and personal growth through aligning with a great company,” he said.

In his role, Williams gives advice to other veterans and encourages them to consider a career in retail.

“It takes a multitude of experiences to run a large complex enterprise such as Walgreens,” he said. “Large-scale organizations serve a wide breadth of services, therefore requiring a diverse deep talent pool.”

Safeway
Jobs
While the Retail Leadership Development Program tops the list of Safeway’s recruiting efforts, there are also numerous openings beyond the stores, including positions in:

• Accounting
• Payroll
• Manufacturing and distribution centers
• Human resources/management
• IT
• Finance
• Labor relations
• Safety
• Risk management
• Marketing
• Merchandising
  

Pay
Salaries are competitive and vary by position, location, and experience.

Lowe’s Companies Inc.
www.gijobs.com/lowes

Jobs
Lowe’s has many opportunities in locations across the company, including positions in:

• IT
• Stores nationwide
• Distribution centers
• Customer support centers
  

Pay
Salaries are competitive depending on position and experience, according to company officials.

The Home Depot
www.gijobs.com/homedepot

Jobs
The Home Depot has a variety of positions across the country in the stores, including:

• Sales associates
• Department supervisors
• Management positions
  

At the store support center in Atlanta, there are also opportunities in:

• Supply chain
• IT
• Global sourcing
• Customer care
  

The technology center in Austin also has numerous IT positions available.

Pay
Salaries vary depending on position, location, experience and education, but are competitive and feature a bonus program and an attractive benefits package, according to company officials.

Sears Holdings Corporation
www.gijobs.com/sears

Jobs
Sears currently has opportunities in:

• Inventory management
• Logistics management
• Retail management
  

And positions as:

• Service technicians
• Service technician managers
  

Pay
Salaries vary with experience, education and job location, but Sears has a competitive salary with excellent benefits, company officials said.

Jobs
Walgreens offers opportunities at Walgreens corporate distribution centers, store operations and Take Care Clinics, just to name a few. Job opportunities span all levels of professional experiences and include:

• Sales personnel
• IT personnel
• e-commerce personnel
• Technicians at the distribution centers 

Pay
Salaries are competitive, a company official said, and education and experience required varies by locations and positions.