Kristie Wooddell, an Area HR Business Partner at Lowe’s, is no stranger to the stressors that a new assignment can bring to a military family – especially when it comes to relocating.
For her, change is no surprise – it’s expected and can be par for the course for many military families. But even for Wooddell, whose spouse has served for 17 years in the Army, the last thing any family wants to worry about is finding a new job when moving to a new duty station.
“Any move can be stressful,” she said. “But having to worry about whether you’ll have a job on the other end of the move just adds a little extra stress we really don’t need.”
One Less Worry
Before first starting her work at Lowe’s seven years ago, Wooddell experienced the stress of trying to find a new role firsthand. She and her husband had been living overseas, and she had a six-year gap on her resume that she worried could make her job search more challenging.
But when she applied for a position as a part-time phone operator, Lowe’s welcomed her with open arms.
“They called me for an interview and gave me chance,” Wooddell said. “I’ll forever be grateful for that.”
Wooddell’s new position, combined with her hard work and drive to succeed, would act as a potent catalyst for her growth within Lowe’s.
"Right away, I wanted to know about every aspect of the business, from running the power equipment to learning about mixers, so that I could use those skills to market myself," she said.
Encouraging New Opportunities
From there, Wooddell seemed to move into new roles as quickly as opportunities presented themselves – despite having to move to a new duty station several times along the way.
Because Lowe’s works directly with the Military Spouse Employment Partnership and military spouses to help make the process of finding work in a new location as smooth of a process as possible, Wooddell’s career was able to continue to grow uninterrupted. In the span of a few years, she moved from phone operator, to head cashier, to assistant store manager, before finally landing in her current role in HR.
For Wooddell, finding a military-friendly career with a company that understood her situation and supports her husband has been a great plus.
“Lowe’s does a great job of supporting our troops on a local and national level,” Wooddell said. “It’s given me endless opportunities for growth in my career.”
Finding Peace of Mind
As part of the HR team, Wooddell also spoke about the ease of making lateral moves within Lowe’s. Associates do not need to apply for open positions. They can simply request a transfer, cutting down on the time-consuming process of filling out applications, job searching, or interviewing.
This provides our military spouses with a secure job no matter where they end up.
“It just gives peace of mind to a lot of military spouses around the U.S.,” Wooddell said. “When the time to move comes up again, finding a new job will be one less box they have to check.”
When asked what advice she would give to a military spouse looking into a career at Lowe’s, Wooddell encouraged candidates to tackle the process with an open mind.
“Be as flexible as you can be,” she said. “There are dozens of opportunities to cross-train and grow your career – whether that’s at Lowe’s or elsewhere. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of those opportunities.”
Learn more and view open positions in your area and discover endless career possibilities with Lowe’s, today.