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Good News for Those Seeking Work

Home-improvement stores hiring

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Home-improvement retailers are hiring additional employees to handle the spring and summer rush.
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Here's some positive news for those looking for work: Home Depot and Lowe's both say they will hire about 133,000 workers between them to help the home-improvement retailers handle the spring and summer rush.

On Wednesday, Home Depot, which has a reputation for hiring older workers, said it would employ 80,000 seasonal staff members, while Lowe's says it will bring on 53,000 temporary workers. Home Depot's hiring plans are on par with what they did last year, while Lowe's goal is up from the 45,000 target it had in 2017.

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Filling such a massive number of both full- and part-time positions is no easy task, which is why Home Depot is rolling out some new human resources tools. Not only does the chain offer a 15-minute application as well as the ability to apply on mobile devices and via text, but it also allows applicants to use a new digital resource, available 24/7, to schedule their own interviews.

"Just as we're continuously evolving to meet the changing expectations of our customers, we're harnessing new technologies to do the same for job seekers," said Tim Hourigan, Home Depot's executive vice president of human resources, in a press release. "This consumer-like experience helps us hire the best talent to serve our customers."

Job seekers can search for a list of opportunities in their area and find out more about the application process by visiting careers.homedepot.com/retailjobs. Seasonal employees at Home Depot will work approximately 12 weeks, with nearly half of them predicted to become permanent employees. The Atlanta-based chain currently employs more than 400,000 permanent workers.

When it comes to Lowe's, the North Carolina-based chain announced it would host its first national hiring day on Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. All of its stores will offer open interviews with conditional job offers being made on the spot. In addition, Lowe's plans to host a "Facebook Live" event at 2:15 pm ET that day for those job seekers who are unable to show up at a store in person.

"Lowe's is a great place to build a career, and we're excited to host our largest-ever job fair to introduce people to our culture," said Jennifer Weber, Lowe's chief human resources officer, in a press release. "We're looking to hire customer-centric and service-minded people who are passionate about being a part of something bigger."

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Lowe's, which employs about 250,000 permanent workers, predicts that about 40 percent of its temporary employees will move into permanent positions.

The hiring push comes amid a tightening labor market that's seen a 4.1 percent unemployment rate — a 17-year low — hold steady since October.

If you don't want to work for a retailer, try a job-hunting app such as Glassdoor or Snagajob to search for your next career opportunity. You can sign up to receive alerts whenever a new position in your field is posted, and you can even shoot your résumé to potential employers straight from your device.

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