| Business Leadership Associate |
Having been through the process on the outside and a leader of it on
the inside, the machinations of this procedure appear fairly uniform
but are succeptible to simple manipulation. The steps are as follows:
1) BLP'ers (members of the current program) select candidates from a
resume drop at their respective college campuses.
2) A 30 minute telephone screen conducted by two BLP'ers takes place
in which 5-7 questions are asked. Starting with why you want to work
for Home Depot and ending with telling how you overcame a challenging
situation in your work/personal life, the interviewers rate you more on
your personality and your ability to engage than on the pure merits of
your answers.
3) The next and final round of candiates are brought to Atlanta for an
all-day Assessment Center at the Store Support Center (HD's
international headquarters). Expect one group interview, two to three
individual interviews, two to three multiple choice psychology exams to
determine 'fit' with the company, two tours (where you are being
observed) at the Store Support Center and at the retail store across
the street, and a non-alcoholic cocktail hour/dinner the night before
the Assessment Center.
4) The entire BLP comes together to discuss each candidate, much like
selection by a fraternity. If you manage to forge a fledgling
relationship with someone in the group, either from the phone screen or
simply by being persistent and calling to find out more about the
program, this influence will pay out in spades. If you can find that
one individual who takes a liking to you, and they go to bat for you in
the group selection process, then you may just slide in the back door.
Worth noting is that there is no timetable for HD to reply to
appicants. HD managers or BLP'ers may tell you otherwise, but it is not
uncommon for applicants to be selected to receive a job offer and not
receive a call back from the BLP manager for 2 months. And some who
make it through to the last round may never get a call back!
Persistence is key and, if anything, a note in your favor come
selection time.
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