Walmart Hiring Process: Hiring Age/Job Positions/Applications

Applying to a job at Walmart is easy through its online portal, the Walmart Hiring Center. The minimum age requirement is 16 – however, there are many positions where you need to be at least 18 years old before applying.

Read on to find out more.

Are you looking for a position at Walmart but aren't sure how to apply? The Walmart hiring process at this retail giant is pretty simple, and there is always a broad range of career opportunities awaiting Walmart's new and current employees.

Here is how to find a job at a Walmart Hiring Center and see whether you are eligible. You'll also learn what the hiring process at this company looks like and what happens after you get hired. Read on to find out more.

How to Find a Job at the Walmart Hiring Center

To comprehend the basics of finding jobs at the Walmart Hiring Center, the first thing to understand is that Walmart only accepts online applications.

If you don’t have computer access, then it’s recommended that you visit a local library or workforce solution center; however, many stores will allow you to complete an application on site.

You can find many suitable roles online and make an application on the Walmart Careers website.

You'll find a search bar at the top of the landing page. Here, you can enter a desired job title or keyword related to a position. You can also narrow down your search by choosing specific areas of work and locations.

There are several other ways to search for available jobs online. Looking through social media is a great strategy, as companies often post their available positions there. You may also find that there is a local neighborhood Walmart hiring event nearby.

In addition to the Walmart hiring events, You can also visit one of the numerous websites that enlist jobs posted by companies (like GlassDoor) and specialty sites (such as retail job sites). These sites usually have options for fine-tuning your search by entering the desired location, salary and other preferences.

Among the vast number of roles offered by Walmart, you'll find career opportunities in:

• Stores and clubs
• Auto care center
• Corporate
• Healthcare/pharmacy
• Technology/e-commerce
• Distribution and order fulfillment

Walmart Hiring Center: Who Can Apply?

The minimum Walmart hiring age is 16 years old. However, some positions (like those requiring selling tobacco and alcohol) have higher age requirements.

Generally, for data entry positions, customer service and support roles, and non-entry level roles, you must be at least 18 years old.

There are no real restrictions regarding nationality, and some positions are even available for international candidates, as Walmart offers sponsorship for work visas and permanent residence for applicants.

Entry-level roles only require a high school diploma or GED. Whereas specialized positions are only available for those with a college or university degree in relevant fields.

It’s also worth mentioning that there are pre-employment checks done by Walmart. This will also help you ascertain whether you are eligible for specific positions or if you should look for different ones.

What Is the Application Process?

While the job application at Walmart isn't overly complicated, it can be time-consuming and frustrating for candidates.

Below is the application process in detail:

Online Application

If you are applying through the Walmart Careers website, you must open an account first.

Make sure you pick an appropriate username and a strong password when registering. Answer the security questions to ensure you won't have trouble logging in even if you forget your password.

Search for suitable roles by location (using your city, state or zip code). Pick the type of position you are interested in (you can choose from professional, hourly or management varieties), and you will see a more detailed list of jobs.

For example, if you've selected hourly employment, you'll be able to choose between front-end, receiving, sales floor and other options. If possible, apply to several stores near your location to increase your chances of getting hired.

Resume

However, before you begin the application process, open your resume to have your personal information, educational history, employment history and references ready. After registering, you'll be asked to provide details from your resume.

Having it in front of you will save you 35 to 45 minutes, because you won't have to go back and forth and think about your answers.

When providing information from your resume, pay close attention to the employment history. Walmart places great value on this – which is why its application requires you to provide a comprehensive employment history covering the last 10 years.

Make sure to complete this part and that any information you provide is accurate and verifiable. This includes the salary history too. Walmart relies on a potential employee's salary history to determine the person's salary if hired.

If it can't do that based on your employment information, you won't be considered a suitable candidate, regardless of your qualifications.

Online Assessments

Next, the hiring personnel will evaluate your application. If they find you to be a suitable candidate, they will reach out directly.

When determining who will be the best fit, they will always try to find the best match for the position they are trying to fill. If your application is successful, you'll be invited to an interview.

You'll also be asked to fill in a four-section questionnaire regarding information about:

• Your ability to work weekends
• Salary expectations
• Qualifying questions for the government’s on-hold tax credit program
• Questions regarding food stamps and Social Security Income

Once you've submitted your application (whether online or in-store), check its status regularly. If you've submitted it online, keep logging into your account to see whether your application was processed.

If you've applied in-store, return to the site of application and inquire about the status of your application. This will show you are interested, and you'll be more likely to pique the interest of the hiring managers too.

Interview

At the on-site interview, be prepared to answer questions regarding:

• Any community volunteer experience you have – Having any charity or community service under your belt is a great way to align yourself with Walmart’s values, and is sure to impress the recruiting agents.
• Prior experience with customer service – At a company dedicated to customer service, examples of individual respect, striving for excellence, and acting with integrity will come in handy.
• Student status – If you are a student, you can capitalize on your status by taking advantage of Walmart's support for continued education opportunities.

Before heading to the interview, research the company. It's also a good idea to bring a copy of your resume to your interview. This way, the hiring manager can verify your employment background, resume and qualifications firsthand.

They won't have to sort through papers containing your answers for the online Walmart hiring application assessment, as they will have everything in front of them on one piece of paper. Your interview will go much more seamlessly, which the interviewer will surely appreciate.

Remember, presenting a stellar profile paper is one thing. But giving a good first impression is even more important. Make sure to dress appropriately too.

Pre-Employment Checks

If your interview goes well and you are determined to be a suitable fit, you will receive a job offer and be asked to complete subsequent steps.

These include pre-employment checks, background checks and drug screens, if applicable.

Make sure you provide accurate information about yourself. Dishonesty isn't tolerated, and any discrepancies that arise during the background check will make you look bad in the recruiter's eyes.

Pre-employment checks are a long questionnaire with 65 questions, which take approximately 40 minutes to complete. You can start it, but you can stop filling it any time, save the questions you've answered, and continue at a later time.

The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate the appropriateness of a candidate's response to issues they might encounter at work, past experiences with similar problems, and how effective the candidate was in resolving them.

What Happens After Walmart Hires You?

The entire process lasts no longer than two to three weeks, so you won't have to be stressed out for too long. Once you pass all the pre-employment checks, you'll be offered a job.

You'll likely be given this news through phone or email.

If you miss calls or receive the notification by email, make sure to reply within a day. Otherwise, the hiring managers might consider you unprofessional and revoke their offer.

After getting hired, you'll embark on Walmart's orientation journey. While the company doesn't specify when the orientation takes place, it usually happens within a day of getting hired, typically between 8 a.m. and noon. This is during the morning shift when most of the leaders remain on duty.

The orientation procedure lasts for three days, regardless of the position you've applied for. It will take up to eight to nine hours a day, which means intense work.

However, because it's so well-structured, you will automatically gain a sense of trust during the process.

During the first two days, you'll be asked to fill out paperwork and watch videos about the company. The comprehensive background check happens at this stage too. Typically, you'll be doing this along with numerous new employees and your supervisors.

On the third day of orientation, you'll be required to participate in computer-based training modules. Each is designed to let you know what it’s like to be a part of the corporation.

One of these is the Alcohol Compliance module, which outlines company policies concerning alcohol consumption.

After completing the modules, you'll be asked to take a quiz to test what you've learned during the orientation.

You have to obtain a minimum score on this quiz. Otherwise, you'll have to repeat it until you achieve the required score.

Some of the questions and models will revolve around:

• Company policies and expectations
• Practicing the required skills
• Understanding the advantages of working at Walmart
• Sales training
• Applying communication skills
• Workplace Safety and Employee Protection
• Intellectual property safeguarding

Benefits of Working at Walmart

Walmart offers plenty of benefits employees get after they’ve been hired. Aside from the obvious benefit of a paycheck, here are the other benefits you can expect:

Physical Health Benefits

• Medical coverage for on-site and virtual healthcare programs
• Those facing cancer, surgery, or fertility issues can access some of the best medical facilities and experts in the US, courtesy of Walmart’s Centers of Excellence program
• Walmart medical plans cover a broad range of conditions at no cost
• A variety of insurance plans such as critical illness, company-paid life, accidental death insurance, and business travel or disability benefits

Emotional Health Benefits

• Cost-free counseling and access to licensed professionals
• Paid time off, paid sick leave, six weeks of parental leave and 16 weeks of paid maternity
• Access to a work schedule two weeks in advance, allowing employees to schedule their non-work-related activities accordingly, eliminating stress

Financial Benefits

• A 401(k) match and a Walmart associate stock purchase plan match
• Access to Live Better U, Walmart's program for paying for college tuition and books for its employees
• Walmart employees can take advantage of their free Walmart+ memberships. Similarly, Sam’s Club associates can access the Sam’s Club Plus membership
• 10% associate discount on fresh produce and select merchandise
• Discounts on cell phone plans and gym memberships within the Walmart network and associated companies

Other benefits the company boasts include continued investments in higher employee wages in all sectors and training and education pathways to build a better future for workers and the community.

What Happens if You Don’t Receive a Job Offer?

It's possible that, despite your best efforts, you won't receive a job offer.

Now that Walmart has recently raised its wages considerably (and provides plenty of employee benefits), the competition for the company's positions has never been fiercer.

Don't be discouraged if you don't land that job on the first try. However, your application remains in the Walmart system for 60 days. You can't apply for the same role or location during this time.

You can update your job preferences online, and more importantly, you can apply for that coveted position again later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Walmart's hiring process starts with an online application. This is followed by a resume submission and evaluation process, one or more interviews, and, finally, you must pass the obligatory pre-employment checks.

If you are hired, you get a great career opportunity and plenty of benefits courtesy of Walmart. If your application was unsuccessful, you can apply again after 60 days with updated job preferences and better preparation.