To make sure you get a job at Walmart, you should either follow up with a call or go down to the store and ask for People Lead to talk to. Most of the time, you may not get them over the phone because they’re busy, so going down in person might be a better option.
Once you get to talk to whoever is in charge of hiring, give them your name and tell them you’ve applied online, and that you’d like to be considered for an interview. If you can, tell them that you have open availability, and give them your resume if you have one.
By doing this, that person will write your name and your number down to call you up when they need to hire someone. However, you still need to pass the assessment test first, so it’s a good idea to prepare for it, as well as for the interview.
The fastest way to get hired at Walmart is to directly call or meet whoever is in charge of hiring at the particular Walmart store. Usually, it’s the ‘People lead’, but you could also ask to talk to HR or a coach. Tell them how you applied for a position, and would like to come in for an interview as soon as possible.
The best time to do this is usually in mid-morning around 10 am on a weekday, as it’s not so busy during that time. This kind of approach applies to most retail service companies, whether it’s getting hired at Target, Costco, Apple store, REI Coop store, or Walmart. They are more likely to hire a person that just walked in because they know he’s ready to go.
To increase your chances of getting hired at Walmart you should apply when they’re actually hiring, next to having open availability in your application form.
Make sure to always be polite but consistent with your calls. If you can’t get anyone, keep calling every day because this may actually determine whether you get the job or not.
How Hard Is It to Get a Job at Walmart?
In general, it’s fairly easy to get hired at Walmart’s hourly position, even if you don’t have any experience, since the stores are often short-handed. The night shifts are especially easy to get since they have a high turnover rate, but they aren’t the easiest to do.
Getting a job in a managerial position is much harder and takes a bit more preparation and some prior retail experience, and sometimes college education as well.
Walmart Hiring Process
Walmart hiring process for an hourly position includes:
In some rare cases, people may get the job right away without any interviews, and you’ll simply be called for an orientation. This will depend on whether the store is understaffed or not. For an IT or higher managerial position you may have 2 interviews to pass and additional steps.
Walmart Application Process
Walmart’s job application process is pretty straightforward. You apply online, fill out your personal and work experience info, and then you’ll be redirected to the Walmart assessment test. Once you finish the test, you’ll be notified that your application was received successfully.
How to apply at Walmart?
You can apply at Walmart by going to Walmart careers and searching for open positions based on keywords and locations. Takes about 45 to 60 minutes to fill out an application for the first time, while subsequent applications will take less time.
Walmart Job Opportunities and Requirements
Walmart is always hiring, but you can look for specific positions by checking:
You can then select a position that fits your skills and go through the application process to submit your Walmart application.
Walmart hiring requirementsfor an entry-level hourly position include being at least 16 years old to work at Walmart and 18 to work at Sam’s Club, and being able to pass the assessment test. Higher positions may require stronger interpersonal and leadership skills, college education, and prior retail customer experience.
The majority of hourly positions don’t require a drug test, except for maintenance and L&G. Other positions that require drug testing include salaried managerial positions, AP, pharmacy, and TLE positions.
Walmart Assessment Test
To pass the Walmart assessment test you need to answer the computer questions by avoiding being too neutral and picking answers that enhance the positive traits and minimize the negative ones. Stay consistent with your answers, and don’t rush it.
Here’s a video to help you pass Walmart assessment test by learning how to properly answer Walmart application questions:
If you passed the Walmart assessment test it should say “Assessment Active” with green letters, and now all you need is to wait for the store to contact you for an interview. You can also check Walmart’s application status by calling the store directly.
If you fail the Walmart assessment test you have to wait additional 6 months to retake it.
Walmart Interview Process
For your typical hourly position, there’s only one round of interviews, which are generally easy and short. Many times you may not even have an interview. However, the interview for the coach or a managerial position might last for up to an hour and include proper questions as expected from an interview.
For the hourly positions, you don’t need a resume, but if you’re applying for a Team Lead or a manager, then you will need a resume to submit.
What to wear at Walmart interview? Try to look decent without any tights or hoodies, hats, or headphones. A nice shirt, jeans with no rips, and sneakers are fine.
Walmart interview questions
Your interview questions will depend on the position you’re applying for. For example, you may not even have an interview for a stocker position, but it’s a different thing if you apply for a coach or a managerial position.
However, a coach or operations manager position may require you to prepare for the Walmart interview by knowing how to answer some of the common Walmart interview questions:
Tell me of a time when you improved the store’s operations.
Here you need to show how you delegated tasks to your associates, and how you created strategies to implement improvements in the store. You need to be specific with what exactly you did, the steps you undertook, and how you accomplished it.
How would you create a stronger customer service experience on the Front End?
To properly answer this question you need to explain how you would identify customers’ needs and ways to improve their experience. Give examples from your past if you can, and show how you took full responsibility for it, and how you were successful at it.
Can you give me a few examples of when you reduced the cost?
Here you need to give an example of how you developed a plan to reduce the costs, identified challenges, and used the proper technology to implement improvements. Try not to complicate your answer.
Give me an example of when you improved the workforce
In this answer, you need to show with an example how you understand the workforce and employee mentoring and their growth opportunities. They’re looking to see if you can manage your team effectively, identify their strengths and use them to improve the workforce overall.
Tell me about the experience when you had to criticize someone’s performance
You need to emphasize how you remained composed, and didn’t go personal. Say how you were specific in giving feedback, and clear in making the person understand what needed to be done. You remained positive and asked them if they had any questions about it.
Additionally, for a Team Lead you may get asked:
Name a time when you went above and beyond for a customer
The solution to this question is to practice the STAR method, in which you need to explain the Situation you faced, the Task that needed to be done to resolve the situation, the Actions you did to complete that task, and the positive Result you got in the end. This kind of technique works with getting a job at Trader Joe’s as well.
For an overnight stocker position they might simply ask you:
Can you stay awake and show up consistently?
This may seem like a silly question, but staying awake is important for this position because, unlike day positions, they can’t just call someone in to cover. You need to sell yourself as a reliable employee who can do this job.
Background Checks and Orientation
Walmart background checks include county criminal records, motor vehicle records (depending on your position), and any civil court records. They usually take between 5 and 10 business days, but this will depend on the county level of your state.
Depending on how desperately the store needs employers, Walmart may or may not check your previous employers or references. These days they seem not to be checking up for most hourly positions.
What Is Walmart Orientation Like?
You’ll do a tour of the store, or the warehouse, depending on where you’ll be working. You’ll talk to your team lead or coach and you’ll probably learn a bit on the computer. You’ll also be filling out your paperwork and learning about policies, and you’ll get paid for the orientation.
If your job includes operating heavy machinery you will watch a video and learn about the equipment, followed by a multiple-choice test, so pay attention. Furthermore, you’ll get hands-on training on that equipment, followed by a driving test of operating the equipment.
Bring your two forms of ID, and wear some good shoes. Try to link up with the best on the crew, and ask questions to get a hang of things.
Rehiring Policies at Walmart
Can You Get Rehired at Walmart After Being Fired?
Walmart will almost always hire you back, even at the same store. The amount of time you need to wait to reapply is store-dependent and is usually 6 months, but can be as low as 30 days depending mostly on the store’s needs for workers and the reason for termination.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Long Does It Take To Get Hired at Walmart?
Typically, Walmart takes about 2-3 weeks to hire, from applying online to having your orientation, but this will depend on your timing. Walmart jobs, especially the hourly ones, can be quick to get, but other times you may wait up to a month for the store to have enough people for the orientation.
How long for Walmart to process your application?
It can take up to two weeks to get a call about your Walmart application, but you may be able to speed this up by following up with a call or going down there in person after a few days.
Should you call Walmart after applying?
If you want to stand out, it’s almost always better to call the store or even go down in person after a few days. A good time is around 10 am on a weekday as it’s the highest probability of People Lead being present. If you have a resume, bring it with you and give it to them.
How long does it take to hear back from Walmart after an interview?
Typically, Walmart should call you back in a week or two after an interview, so it’s normal if it takes longer than usual compared to other similar retail companies. To get a call sooner, make sure to have open availability to work, such as on weekends and evenings.
Should I call Walmart after my interview?
If it’s been 10 to 14 days since your interview then you may want to give them a call, however, don’t be surprised if no one answers. They can be really busy, which is why you need to keep calling every day until you get to talk to someone in charge of the hiring.
What’s Walmart’s 2nd interview like?
Walmart doesn’t typically do more than one interview for hourly positions. The second interview is for Team Lead, manager, or IT positions. The 2nd interview is the final one but and it usually means you’ll get hired.
How long does it take for Walmart to call for orientation?
It may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to be called for an orientation at Walmart. Since they like to do group orientations with at least 3 people, you may have to wait longer than usual.
They’ll either call you or give you an automated email scheduling your orientation, so be sure to check your inbox regularly, as well as your spam folder.
How long is Walmart orientation?
A Walmart orientation lasts about 2 hours on average but can be anywhere from 1 to 8 hours. If it’s a longer one, you’ll have breaks and probably a lunch as well.
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