Lowe's Companies

In the past 60 years Lowe’s has grown from a small town hardware store to a Fortune 100 company and the nation’s tenth-largest retailer. Relying on its long-term strategy and lasting reputation for low prices, the Mooresville, N.C. home improvement store has grown from a small hardware store in North Carolina to the second-largest home improvement retailer with 1,325 stores and 23 distribution facilities, employing more than 200,000 across the world. Many of those employees are veterans, but the company wants more.

G.I. Jobs asked Shane Cornett, a former paratrooper and combat veteran with the 82nd Airborne Division, why Lowe’s likes to recruit veterans. The company has a variety of opportunities, but sees it’s Retail Management Leadership and Distribution Management Training Programs as ideal opportunities for experienced leaders to quickly become front-line managers with one America’s leading corporations.

GIJ: What do prior military hires bring to Lowe’s that you like?

Lowe’s: Leadership, discipline, loyalty, motivation … all of which can be “contagious” in a working environment and help to improve the overall performance and dedication.

GIJ: What issues/surprises do you find that military transitioners/veterans need to be aware of when entering the civilian workforce?

Lowe’s: The biggest adjustment for many going into a retail environment is developing the people skills necessary to listen to and patiently assist customers with all types of issues (and resolve issues to the customers’ satisfaction).

GIJ: What advantages do military personnel have over their peers of the same age and education level?

Lowe’s: The leadership, results-oriented focus, and adaptability in a fast-paced environment are second nature in the military and provide a great advantage in a high-volume retail environment.

GIJ: What are the most common mistakes you see on military/veteran résumés?

Lowe’s: Many military résumés do not “civilianize” titles, previous positions held and accomplishments so that a recruiter or manager can see where they would be a good fit.

GIJ: What are the most common mistakes military/veterans make in interviews?

Lowe’s: Underselling their value and skills as leaders, team developers, and their adaptability. These are outstanding traits in a retail environment and nearly every military candidate is an expert in these categories.

GIJ: Is relocating essential to promote within your company?

Lowe’s: While relocation isn’t a necessity within Lowe’s, it is good to point it out if you are able to relocate. This opens you up to more possibilities within our company.

GIJ: What disadvantages do you find in hiring military?

Lowe’s: Not everyone leaving the military has the right personality and people skills to work in retail.

GIJ: What types of positions does your company recruit military for?

Lowe’s: As a Fortune 50 company, Lowe’s has many opportunities from loss prevention, human resources, information technology, marketing, finance, logistics and distribution and several different levels of management. The primary positions that we recruit for are management jobs in our distribution centers and stores throughout the country, although we source many candidates for our corporate office as well.

GIJ: Describe the responsibilities of one of these positions (responsibilities, daily duties, working hours etc.)?

Lowe’s: There are actually two areas for which we have continual needs as we grow and open new stores and distribution facilities. They are:

Lowe’s Retail Management Leadership Program is a rewarding opportunity to become front-line managers with a Fortune® 50 company. Lowe’s department managers are responsible for superior customer service, merchandising and sales performance at the store level. On a daily basis, department managers lead eight to 12 associates in departments that can average millions of dollars in sales per year. Training for this position is a combination of classroom, e-learning and on-the-job training that will prepare you to manage the business and understand the day-to-day operations of a Lowe’s store.

Lowe’s Distribution Management Training Program is a unique opportunity for college graduates to get hands-on management experience within a sophisticated, world-class supply chain network. Lowe’s front-line supervisors (coaches) handle management responsibilities for team members under their supervision. Each coach has management responsibilities for 20-50 team members. The coach ensures that accuracy and production standards are met, that a safe work place exists, and that damages within the distribution center are eliminated. New coaches begin their employment in an 11-week training program that will prepare them for success as a front-line supervisor.

GIJ: Can a new hire stay in these positions for an entire career or do you require new hires to “move up or move out” like the military does?

Lowe’s: Lowe’s provides succession models and encourages growth for every individual. However, Lowe’s also allows individuals to remain within their comfort zone if that’s what they desire (provided they are maintaining success at that level).

GIJ: What is the average starting pay for these positions?

Lowe’s: Since we are a nationwide company, we cover many areas with differing costs of living. That combined with the large variance in experience levels creates a variety of pay scales for every position. In every market, Lowe’s offers competitive pay and benefits among retail companies.

GIJ: Do employees need to pay for any of their benefits?

Lowe’s: While many of Lowe’s benefits are provided at no cost to the employee, there are several that require enrollment and payroll deductions. Please visit www.lowes.com/careers and select “Benefits” for more information.

GIJ: Describe the benefits of working at Lowe’s (healthcare, retirement, vacation, etc.).

Lowe’s: Lowe’s has a comprehensive benefit package which includes medical, dental, vision, sick pay, paid vacation, paid holidays, an employee discount plan, and much more. Additionally, Lowe’s provides:

• An Employee Stock Purchase Plan in which employees may purchase Lowe’s stock at a 15 percent discount.
• A great 401(k) program with a unique twist; After three years, employees are eligible for Lowe’s 401(k) Performance Match in which Lowe’s contributes additional money to employees’ 401(k) plans based on the company’s performance for the year.

GIJ: Are there any other special incentive benefits that might interest military new hires (i.e. tuition reimbursement, relocation allowance, company car, etc.)?

Lowe’s: Lowe’s provides many bonus opportunities within the stores for employees, based on position and performance of the company.

GIJ: Describe the typical career progression for someone at Lowe’s?

Lowe’s: If an individual remains in the store management field they will typically advance through the following:

• Zone Manager (assistant store manager)
• Sales Manager
• Administrative or Operations Manager
• Store Manager

Additionally there are numerous positions (district, area, regional and divisional managers) to strive for.

The time to reach these positions is completely up to the individual and their goals. Much depends on what they would like to pursue and the geographical area that they are willing to work within.

For a distribution coach, the career path looks like:

• Assistant Operations Manager
• Operations Manager
• Assistant General Manager
• Regional General Manager

Additionally, there are many specialized coach roles (HR, recruiting, training, planning, administrative, etc.) that an individual can move into. Often, coaches can be promoted within two years, based on their interest, performance and openness to available positions around the network.

GIJ: Do you look for any specific educational requirements (i.e. bachelor’s degree/associate’s/certification/qualification/clearance) for these positions?

Lowe’s: Lowe’s doesn’t place an education requirement on these positions, but a degree in business is a plus.

GIJ: What type of educational experience do you look for in military candidates?

Lowe’s: The majority of our store and distribution center positions do not have an education requirement. Other educational experiences would depend on the posted requirements for each job listing and would be the same for military as any other candidate applying for the position.

GIJ: Please provide three short tips or words of advice for military transitioners?

Lowe’s:
1) Be confident, even if you’re interviewing for a position that you don’t have “direct” experience for. Your military experiences will help you more than you know.

2) Focus your résumé on your leadership and team development skills. All employers have a need for this.

3) Follow-up with employers you have submitted résumés to or interviewed with. At Lowe’s, we get hundreds of applications for the positions that we post on our Web site. By following up and becoming more familiar with the recruiter or hiring manager, you give yourself an edge.