Home Depot
Top Jobs, p1
The Home Depot builds strong careers, knowledgeable employees
By Heidi Howell
Advertising Staff Writer
Their
signature orange aprons are easy to spot — with those unmistakable
corporate logos splashed across the front. Knowledgeable crew members at
The Home Depot are always in demand to help customers find what they
need to complete projects.
Founded in 1978 in Atlanta, Georgia,
Home Depot (www.homedepot.com) is the world’s largest home improvement
retailer, with 1,500 stores across North America. The store caters to
do-it-yourselfers and construction and maintenance professionals.
Home
Depot stocks more than 35,000 types of building materials and lawn and
garden products. Services include design and decorating consultation,
truck and tool rental, home delivery, free in-store educational clinics
focusing on home improvement skills, free potting, and more.
Career
opportunities abound at the sprawling warehouse store, according to
Leslie Longoria, human resources manager for the Carpenter Road site in
Modesto. “Positions include sales associates, specialists, department
supervisors, lot attendants, pro sales associates and a whole-home
decorator,” Longoria says.
Positions are available in virtually
every department. Especially needed are sales associates in garden,
lumber, building materials and millworks, plus cashiers, lot attendants
and pro sales associates.
Part of a specialty department called
special services, pro sales associates work directly with contractors,
customers and vendors, performing and/or coordinating installations.
Experienced pro sales associates who “speak the same language” as
contractors are sought.
“We’d love to have a person, especially
in our pro sales department, who’s been a contractor or worked for one,”
says Longoria, “because when someone comes into our pro desk, they want
to work with someone who’s knowledgeable about plumbing, roofing and
other things we deal with. They need to be able to look at a set of
blueprints and help clients calculate how much material they’d need.”
Longoria
says Home Depot is “really family oriented.” For example, a special
fund has been established for employees to help one another out. “The
Homer Fund helps associates in times of need,” Longoria says.
“Associates donate to the fund to raise money for an associate who’s
having troubles in life.” She clarifies that the fund is for associates
who are experiencing some kind of challenge such as an illness, natural
disaster, flood, etc.
Also available is an associate matching
gift program. When associates contribute to the non-profit organizations
of their choice, the company offers gift matching. “We also have Team
Depot, which is an associate volunteer program that is basically driven
by the needs of the local community and associate interest,” says
Longoria. “It enhances the quality of life in the communities in which
Home Depot conducts business. In Fresno, we built the Kaboom playground.
Associates volunteer their time and go out and help build things like
the playground,” Longoria says. “When I say Home Depot is family
oriented, I believe that our associates are giving to one another and
the community. You can really feel that in the store.”
Longoria
says Home Depot cares about its employees. “The company invests in
furthering associates’ education, offers growth opportunities for
planning a long-term career with Home Depot” and more.
Benefits
include full health care packages for both full- and part-time
employees, including medical dental, vision and prescription coverage.
Additionally, there are childcare and medical reimbursement accounts,
tuition reimbursement, 401K options, corporate training and a success
sharing bonus program.
Home Depot also supports diversity in
hiring. “We have a ‘Diversity through culture’ program designed to
educate, enlighten and encourage associates to share cultural
experiences in our store support centers,” she says.
The best
candidate for a job with Home Depot is “somebody who is customer
service-oriented and eager,” Longoria says. “Home Depot really wants
people who want to grow within the company.”
Working at Home
Depot means more than wearing a “beautiful orange apron,” Longoria says
“Home Depot really is an all around package, from caring about your
health and wellness, to ways for associates to volunteer and get
involved in and take ownership for their individual jobs and futures.”
For more information, contact the Home Depot nearest you:
1617 Carpenter Road, Modesto, 491-0200
2800 Countryside Drive in Turlock, 656-1911
250 Commerce Ave, Manteca, 825-9139
Other nearby locations include Tracy, Stockton, Merced, Fresno and Livermore
Numbers to know
Home Depot ...
• is the fastest growing retailer in U.S. history, now with $50 billion in sales
• has 22,300,000 customers visit per week
• opens a new store every 43 hours
• employed 300,000 associates at the end of fiscal 2002
• employs more Olympic hopefuls than any other U.S. company
© HHWS for The Modesto Bee
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