Even a few months working for Home Depot will give you some solid job experience to include in your resume!
However, given the brand’s reputation, it’s not like they will take anyone off the street; you must meet the age requirement before moving forward in the hiring process. From what I’ve researched, let me tell you more about Home Depot’s hiring age.
In this article:
How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Home Depot?
16 is the minimum age to work at Home Depot. Anyone meeting this age requirement can apply for entry-level positions like customer service, cashier, or store support. These jobs mostly involve assisting customers and loading their purchases onto vehicles.
But what if you’re seeking a full-time role or have your eyes on a managerial position? Then, you must be 18 (minimum) to qualify.
Home Depot Employee Benefits
Medical Coverage (Full-Time Workers Only)
Full-time Home Depot employees are offered inclusive medical coverage with 24/7 Teledoc support, prescription drugs, COVID-19 aids, and discounted prices for every health-related product. Your family (e.g., same-sex/domestic partner, spouse, or kids) can also benefit from these services.
Just keep in mind that the specifics of the coverage may vary depending on which state you work in.
Vision and Dental Benefits
Home Depot always pays a lot of attention to employees’ health, so it offers vision and dental benefits even to part-time associates.
With dental coverage, you will receive support for basic dental services, regular checkups, and other complex procedures. Meanwhile, vision coverage assists you with rental imaging, glasses, contact lenses, frames, and monthly tests.
Like medical coverage, the details of these plans might vary from state to state, so make sure to research all options available to you.
Critical Disability and Illness Insurance
Suppose you or another family member faces a serious illness (e.g., stroke or heart attack). Home Depot has your back with its illness insurance, giving you a one-time payment to help cover expenses during these tough times.
There’s also a disability insurance plan, meaning employees will still have financial support when they get hurt/sick and can’t work for the store for a while. It doesn’t matter whether this disability is short-term or permanent!
401(k) Plan
Arranging your own future requires effort and strategic money-saving plans. Fortunately, Home Depot is here to help you with that!
The company offers a retirement plan called the 401(k); you can save money for your retirement goals and even get some tax benefits along the way.
Home Depot also contributes an extra company-matching sum to grow your total savings even faster. There’s no better chance to ensure a financially secure future for you and your family!
ESPP (Employee’s Stock Purchasing Plan)
Investing in a successful retail store like Home Depot is a smart move! Like other Home Depot employees, you will be given a chance to own a part of the company through the ESPP (Employee Stock Purchasing Plan).
Specifically, you can buy the company’s stocks at lower prices through easy payroll deductions. As its stock value goes up, your profits will also go up.
College Preparation Resources & Tuition Reimbursement
For decades, the company has strongly believed in the importance of education and strived to help its employees pursue higher degrees.
With its tuition reimbursement programs, Home Depot offers financial aid to any associate who wants to return to school for higher education. It also provides extra resources for college preparation, including:
- Guidance through the application process
- Access to expert college coaches with valuable advice
Parental Leave & Adoption Assistance
This fantastic benefit applies to every eligible employee. Whether you’re welcoming another family member through adoption or birth, feel free to take some time off to stay by their side and adapt to your new life!
The company also offers to cover some adoption-related fees if necessary. They even have support groups for employees who adopt children for the first time. The goal is to make sure everyone feels heard and understood along the way.
Pros and Cons of Working At Home Depot
The Pros
Life & Work Balance
Regardless of your position, Home Depot tries its best to offer as much flexibility in your schedule as possible. As a result, many of its employees can spend more time with their loved ones while still excelling in their professional roles!
Constant Learning Opportunities
Customers often come to Home Depot for assistance with their purchases or installation tips. To leave a strong impression on them, employees must know everything about home decor and improvement, including how the products they sell fit into the bigger picture!
That’s why Home Depot invests many resources into training to ensure all its sales associates are home improvement experts. These training sessions not only improve customer service quality but also benefit you in your own home projects!
The Cons
Monotonous Tasks
Home Depot is undoubtedly an outstanding retailer compared to other competitors. Nevertheless, a lot of the usual, repetitive work is still involved, such as handling the cash registers, restocking shelves, helping customers find items, etc.
So, for people seeking more variety in their jobs, working at Home Depot might feel pretty dull. It’s not something you can easily ignore, especially if you are considering a serious retail career in the long run.
Dissatisfied Customers
Needless to say, dealing with unhappy customers is one of the hardest parts of being a Home Depot employee. Even when they are upset and direct their frustration at you, you’re expected to stay calm, listen, and address all their questions with a smile.
Not everybody has the patience to run after upset customers day in and day out. Therefore, if you often find yourself easily losing your temper in everyday life, it might be a sign you are not cut out for this job opportunity.
How To Apply For A Job At Home Depot
Now that we have settled on how old to work at Home Depot, let’s move on to what matters most here: the application process.
Step 1. Visit the Home Depot careers website. Enter your location into its search bar/filter to narrow the findings.
Step 2. Look through the results to choose a role you’re interested in.
Step 3. Use a mail address that’s still working to create your profile on the website. Answer questions regarding your education, date of birth, whether you have worked here before, etc. This ensures you are qualified for the position you’ve selected.
Step 4. Complete the application form and tick the “Agree” box to undergo a background check and drug test in the future if necessary. Finally, hit “Submit”.
Available Home Depot Job Titles For Teens
Sales Associate
Minimum age requirement: 18
Average salary: $15 to $25 an hour
Education requirements:
- GED certificate
- High school diploma
Responsibilities:
- Selling products
- Helping all shopping customers
- Addressing customer demands
- Delivering excellent customer service
Store Support
Minimum age: 18
Average salary: $18 to $23 an hour
Educational requirements: None
Responsibilities:
- Offering manual support
- Helping customers load/unload and move merchandise
Tool Rental Tech
Minimum age: 18
Average hourly salary: $18 to $22
Educational requirements: None
Responsibilities:
Evaluating, maintaining, managing, and repairing store equipment
See more:
Conclusion
Securing a Home Depot job at 16 is totally a possibility, though most positions with better pay and great advancement opportunities are usually reserved for those 18 and older.
I must say there are some downsides to working at Home Depot, just like with any other big home improvement retailer. Nevertheless, they make up for it with amazing work-life balance for workers and many other competitive employment benefits. It’s worth a look if you’re searching for a new job!
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