Pass the Walmart Application Process Successfully and Get a Job
Walmart is the world's largest private employer, with 2 million employees and over 30,000 open job postings at any given moment.
These proportions naturally affect Walmart's hiring process, making it nearly completely automatic - a sieve very few people eventually get through.
We've spent six months researching Walmart's jobs and hiring process inside-out for the best inside tips and information about the hiring process to this unique company - and how to successfully pass it.
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Perhaps the most dreaded phase of Walmart's application process is the online assessments. If that is what you're here for, check out this video:
The Walmart application process contains 4 main stages:
Further below, I will provide a detailed description of each stage and what to do to succeed. But before we get to that, let's describe some of the most popular jobs at Walmart.
These are the most popular jobs in Walmart stores. All of them have the same hiring process, detailed below.
Cashier
Cashiers at Walmart handle the cash register, bag products, and offer service to customers. They are expected to be polite and kind at all times.
Front End
This job is a general name for Walmart employees taking care of the appearance and functioning of the “front-end” – namely – the stores. This includes cleaning, cart gathering, and other janitorial services.
* Note that Walmart refers to cashiers and front-end workers as a single position – cashiers & front end. Therefore, you will be able to apply only to both at once.
Food & Grocery
Fresh food & grocery associates at Walmart serve customers at the store’s deli, bakery, dairy, and meat departments. They are also responsible for the orderliness and cleanliness of the department, as well as the availability of products.
Stocker
Stockers are responsible for the proper operation of the store-to-backroom relationship. The job includes unloading trucks, arranging the backroom, sorting products on shelves, and assisting customers in finding what they need.
Order Filler
Order fillers are the first link in Walmart’s delivery chain. They will go around the various departments, preparing products to be delivered to customers based on their orders.
Sales Associate / Personal Shopper / General Merchandising
The Walmart sales associate serves customers and fills orders on departments other than groceries (apparel, toys, etc.). Although it is mostly a customer service position, it is also, as the name suggests, a sales-driven job.
All hourly store jobs at Walmart require a four-step hiring process:
You will fill in your personal details, job experience, availability, etc. on Walmart's online career center. You will not be able to upload a resume when applying to Walmart’s store jobs, so don’t bother making one.
Immediately after your application, you will be requested to take an assessment test. It is highly recommended to take some time to prepare before taking it.
If you have successfully passed the assessment, you will be invited to an interview. Make sure to prepare carefully so you present yourself in the best possible manner.
Once you have successfully completed the screening process, you will be requested to go through final pre-employment checks (background check and drug screening, if necessary), and will be given an offer of employment.
Jobs under this category have the same application process, but somewhat different assessment tests.
Truck Driver
Drivers comprise one of Walmart’s fastest-growing workforce, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, Walmart takes effort in providing its drivers with benefits, bonuses, and reset hours.
Freight Handler
Freight handlers are responsible for the operation of Walmart’s distribution centers. Order filling, delivery loading, and quality assurance are all a part of the job.
Area Manager
Area managers are responsible for all aspects of the operation of their warehouse area. They supervise freight handlers and maintenance technicians and monitor productivity goals and business plans. According to candidates, it is a very demanding job, but one that pays well.
Power Equipment Operator
Power equipment operators transport freight in Walmart’s distribution centers, using tractors or trailers. It is a physically demanding job that requires high responsibility.
Maintenance Technician
The demand for maintenance technicians in Walmart is on the rise. It is a professional position, requiring experience and knowledge over multiple areas. A maintenance technician is basically responsible for the proper operation of all warehouse equipment (forklifts, conveyors, electronics, etc.)
The hiring process for Walmart distribution center jobs (including drivers) is as follows:
You will fill in your personal details, job experience, availability, etc.
Unlike stores jobs, here you will need to submit a resume.
Immediately after your application, you will be requested to take an assessment test. The exact assessment differs based on your desired position. For instance, drivers and freight handlers will take the Walmart Freight Handler Assessment, whereas maintenance technicians will take the Walmart Technical Maintenance Assessment.
If you have successfully passed the assessment, you will be invited to an interview. Make sure to prepare carefully so you present yourself in the best possible manner. Learn the 4 rules for acing the Walmart interview.
Walmart holds its managers in high regard and picks only the best candidates. Considering the fast-paced environment and the large scope of the job, being a senior Walmart manager really is a position to aspire to.
Hourly Supervisor & Training
Hourly supervisors and managers are usually the entrance path for a career as a Walmart manager. Supervisors are in charge of a certain department and work hand-in-hand with the associates to make sure that the department operates properly. Unlike other management jobs, the pay is by the hour.
Assistant Manager / Coach
The assistant manager (changed to “coach” in 2020) is the store manager’s second-in-command. He or she will take the manager’s place in their absence, as well as make sure that the manager’s policy is executed throughout the store. Walmart considers only highly qualified candidates for that position.
Team Lead / Department Manager
The familiar department manager position has been changed to “team lead” in 2020. The position includes responsibility for a particular department and its associates.
Store Manager
Store managers are the peak of the Walmart store career track. The store manager is responsible for everything going on in a Walmart store. Therefore, this job is highly demanding, but the typical manager can make over $100K annually.
The hiring process for Walmart managers contains the same stages as in most jobs, yet the level of complexity and standards will be much higher.
Fill in your personal details, job experience, availability, etc. Take this stage at careful consideration, since Walmart is assessing you and checking how well you fit for the position as early as here.
A solid resume is probably most crucial when it comes to management jobs, as openings to such positions are fewer in comparison with other positions.
Immediately after your application, you will be requested to take an assessment test. There are three assessments for Walmart management positions, depending on the exact job you applied to - the Teaming Employment Assessment (TEA) the Supervisor Employment Assessment (SEA), and the Manager Employment Assessment (MEA).
If you have successfully passed the assessment, you will be invited to an interview with some of Walmart's senior managers. Although you probably know your way around interviews, it is still highly recommended to prepare carefully so you present yourself in the best possible manner. Learn the 4 rules for acing the Walmart interview.
Below I will list the four main stages of the Walmart application process, giving some insights and tips on how to ace it.
Walmart's standard online application includes filling in your personal details, work and military experience, and other questionnaires such as an equal opportunity questionnaire and availability hours. The process takes around 15-20 minutes.
On the surface, this application process is pretty straightforward and intuitive. However, don't be misled - you are ALREADY being assessed.
Here are some 6-months worth of research insights to help you get hired by Walmart.
Walmart is pretty obsessed with both procedures and availability. Let them know you are on their side on this right from the start.
When applying, you may be asked for your availability and salary expectations. Research the job's common working hours and days, as well as the average base pay before applying.
Being the enormous organization it is, wages at Walmart are fixed and unnegotiable. Before you apply, see if the wage suits your goals, as what you see is what you'll get.
Availability is one of Walmart's soft spots. The more available you are, the more chances are you will get hired.
Think that Walmart's HR department is going over your application? Think again. Out of the four stages of the hiring process, the first three (application, resume, and online assessment) are completely automated. To pass, you must learn how to get past Walmart's AI.
As all of the world's top employers, Walmart uses an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to track, assess, and manage its candidates.
It is an AI system with zero tolerance for errors. Any application that doesn't fit the mold will be disqualified with a heartbeat.
Here are the most important things to remember when applying through Walmart's ATS:
Some of Walmart's jobs will require you to submit a resume, and some don't. Some jobs will require documents you need to prepare in advance. Preparing everything and only what you need for the application will save you time and stress.
What to prepare for your application at Walmart:
Applying to many positions at once will naturally increase your chances of being hired. Once you have applied you can use your previous data to apply to many jobs quickly, but there's a catch.
After your first application at the Walmart careers website, you can use the data from your previous application to apply for more positions as fast as possible.
However, remember - your application for each job will be considered separately. Therefore, give thought to each application and don't just click the "Submit" button over and over again.
Think about the different skills, traits and experience required for each position, and highlight them in your application. That will not only increase the quantity of your applications, but their quality as well.
Sometimes, you will not be able to find distant jobs on Walmart's careers website. But there is a way around it.
In some cases, you will be asked to fill out a specific city or a zip code, and you won't be able to view all the areas where your preferred position is available.
If you are willing to relocate or work far from home, we strongly recommend looking for open positions on websites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor and not directly on Walmart's careers website.
This one might sound counterintuitive so I've saved it for last. But if you want to beat Walmart's hiring algorithms, it's probably the best course of action.
When submitting your application, you will immediately get an invitation for an assessment. Although you don’t have to take it straight away, we recommend that you take the test as soon as possible, so the position isn't taken by other candidates.
Taking the test quickly also shows Walmart's ATS that you are highly motivated and immediately up to the challenge.
Considering the fact that many of Walmart's assessments are similar across positions, preparing in advance will highly increase your chances of being hired for multiple jobs.
Some really little tips to save you time and trouble.
How Long Does Walmart's Application Process Take?
The initial registration process at Walmart will take about 45 minutes to an hour. After that, applying for additional positions is much quicker.
Can I Stop My Application and Get Back to It Later?
Yes, you don’t have to complete Walmart's entire application process in one sitting. You can always save your progress and return to the registration later.
What Is Walmart’s Job Requisition Number?
The requisition number is an internal number used by Walmart to classify jobs. It is recommended to write it down because it’ll be easier to return to find that specific job at a later stage. That is especially true on your first registration when the system tends to throw you out of the session.
Should I Fill the WOTC Questionnaire?
If the job includes a WOTC questionnaire, fill it. The WOTC (Work Opportunity Tax Credit) is a tax credit available to employers who hire from certain target groups such as veterans, food-stamp recipients, etc. If you belong in one of these groups, it will increase your chances of passing the application process.
Should I Name My Friend Who Works at Walmart
If you were referred to the job by a friend who works at Walmart, mention them. It may result in a bonus for him or her, or even both of you.
I Made an Error in My Application. Can I Get Back and Fix It?
You CANNOT change your application to Walmart once you’ve submitted it, so make sure you haven't left anything out.
You may or may not need a resume for your Walmart application.
Your resume is one of the most important parts of your application process at Walmart. Everything the company will know about you will ultimately come from this document.
In addition, today, all of Walmart's applicants' resumes are scanned by AI systems known as ATS (applicant tracking systems). This fact poses new challenges to writing your resume. To learn how to write a high-quality, job-specific resume for Walmart, check out the Complete Walmart Resume Writing Guide.
This is the most challenging part of Walmart's application process. Each and every candidate to Walmart, from cashier to store manager, is required to take the Walmart online assessment.
Here are the assessments used by Walmart:
If you want to learn more about Walmart's various assessments, check out this video:
Here are the most important things to pay attention to in order to pass and get hired:
Unlike most pre-employment assessments, in Walmart's tests, it's not only the final score that matters. That is due to Walmart's unique assessment policy.
Most of Walmart’s assessments have “behind the scenes” score bands that are known only to HR and management.
These score bands are:
Walmart has a stone-cold hiring policy when it comes to their job assessments:
If you score poorly on ANY test section, you will fail the entire assessment.
That is why you must make sure you know each of the assessment's sections, and that you are ready for them when the time comes.
Once you have applied, you will not have a lot of time to take the test. Moreover, if you fail the Walmart assessment, you will have to wait an additional six months before you can retake it.
As I mentioned earlier, since each position on Walmart gets hundreds (if not thousands) of daily applications, there are high odds that once you're done preparing, the job opening had already been closed.
You could take the assessment immediately, but that would mean showing up unprepared.
To overcome this, it is most recommended to prepare for the online assessment BEFORE you even apply.
Now, I could go rambling about test preparation all day, but to keep you focused, pick the test that interests you, and we'll keep discussing it there:
Walmart will assess everything you do and say according to its core values and behavioral traits.
A large portion of Walmart's assessment process will be aimed at your personality and behavioral traits. According to Walmart, the ideal employee is someone who:
Each and every one of your answers will be scrutinized compared with these 4 values. Therefore, it is highly important to know what Walmart expects of you and how to project that profile.
A high score on Walmart's assessment has benefits far beyond that of the particular job you applied to.
If you successfully pass your Walmart assessment, you will not be required to take that specific assessment for the next 2 years.
That means that you can apply to any similar position without taking additional tests during that period.
Since Walmart's tests are similar across many positions, that means that a high score on an assessment can open opportunities for higher-paying jobs as well.
The interview is your time to shine and show that you are more than a resume on a computer screen. Walmart has a very specific taste for candidates, and some of their recruiters have left some solid clues online as to what they expect from an ideal candidate.
Here are some tips to get you past your interview at Walmart:
As in any stage of the hiring process, preparation is key. It won't only help you, it's expected of you.
Walmart’s recruiters expect you to understand the company, as well as the role you are intending to take.
You should go over Walmart’s website and view the LinkedIn profiles of the interviewer panel. Feel free to ask your recruiter who will interview you, if that information wasn’t provided to begin with. you may also find it beneficial to visit a store and take notes. This type of research can also benefit you greatly in the long run.
Find the sweet spot between being a standard interviewee and a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.
Although in the earlier stages of recruitment it is recommended to stick to traditional formulas and practices, your interview is somewhat different. It is ultimately about YOU.
Never go into an interview expecting to get away with the typical generic answers. Think about how you fit into the company.
As one of Walmart’s recruiters has put it:
“We often ask candidates “Why Walmart?” and the most common response is a list of Walmart facts and excerpts of our mission statement… a better response is to tell how the company resonates with you personally…”
In addition, remember Walmart's first and formost core value - Service to the Customer. Anyone who connects with customers on a daily basis is expected to be positive, amiable, and polite.
This one comes straight from one of Walmart's top HR personnel.
According to Jimmy Prencipe, a director in Walmart’s Talent Acquisition Department, it is very likely that you will be asked about both your strengths and weaknesses. Think carefully about both of these areas and prepare yourself for the following questions:
Strengths – what accomplishments can you provide to exemplify this strength?
Weaknesses – what measures are you taking to improve that weakness?
Be honest when asked about your weaknesses. Don’t provide the million-times-heard-before “I’m a perfectionist” weakness. As Prencipe says: “A candidate that shows professional maturity in being self-aware is highly desired in the team dynamics.”.
Ask the Interviewer Panel Questions as Well
Most people consider an interview as a one-sided Q&A session. However, being able to also contribute something to the conversation has several positive effects.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions about anything the job entails, both before and during the interview. Doing so has several positive effects:
Some examples Walmart gives for such questions are:
And remember, good communication skills are one of the most highly demanded traits in any job, and especially so in jobs that require daily interaction with customers.
In order to pass the entire Walmart application process, you need to come prepared, and know exactly what is required of the ideal Walmart candidate.
Setting your resume right, implementing Walmart’s core values into your resume and interview answers, and acing your online assessment will highly increase your chances of success and land you a job.
