Why is WalMart hiring so many IT people?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'm on Careerbuilder and seeing over 100 postings from WalMart, all of which have some variant of the following language in the description:

This opportunity is located in Bentonville, Arkansas. We are offering relocation assistance to that area for this position

Walmart is currently hiring Senior Business Analyst in Bentonville, Arkansas and we will be hosting a hiring event in Northern New Jersey on May 3rd and 4th, 2010. These are fulltime, direct hire positions. Upon successful completion of a phone interview, you may be invited to meet with the hiring managers at this event in New Jersey. Hiring managers will be prepared to extend offers to those candidates that meet their requirements.

So what's up? Why is WalMart hiring so much? And why are they paying for relocation at a time when almost no one else (in the private sector) is?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Walmart is hiring across the board. The business model seems to be working.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Walmart is hiring across the board. The business model seems to be working.

But why pay for relo to Arkansas?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

That's the main office. Wal-Mart believes in micromanagement, on a large scale. All the handheld devices, registers, etc., communicate with the home office

Edited April 27, 2010 by ##########

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Yes, but why pay for relo?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Have you been to Arkansas? Things are a little "shallow" there. Even in the 60's, my dad was hired out of California to work on a defense contract there.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

And why are they paying for relocation at a time when almost no one else (in the private sector) is?

Bentonville, Arkansas

That's why...

But why pay for relo to Arkansas?

Clearly, you haven't been there. Otherwise, you wouldn't be asking this question.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

But why pay for relo to Arkansas?

ever been to bentonville?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

No, I've never been to Arkansas. But I'm reading through these job listings and the skillsets they're asking for aren't all that rare or niche-y. Even with high-supply skillsets like that, you guys don't think some of the unemployed or underemployed IT workforce would be willing to go work in Arkansas for a while?

[Ali G. 37]

Walmart is hiring across the board. The business model seems to be working.

You are right. Sell cheap ####### to the idiots that buy it.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

No, I've never been to Arkansas.

That explains your confusion on the issue. It's a sad, sad place. I could not see myself moving that way.

[scandal 951]

No, I've never been to Arkansas. But I'm reading through these job listings and the skillsets they're asking for aren't all that rare or niche-y. Even with high-supply skillsets like that, you guys don't think some of the unemployed or underemployed IT workforce would be willing to go work in Arkansas for a while?

Why don't you attend their job fair and find out? I'm sure if you ask them, they'll tell you.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Why don't you attend their job fair and find out? I'm sure if you ask them, they'll tell you.

Monday and Tuesday, no can do.

I imagine they're doing this in other parts of the nation as well, maybe someone here has heard.

That explains your confusion on the issue. It's a sad, sad place. I could not see myself moving that way.

What makes it so sad?

Have you been to Arkansas? Things are a little "shallow" there.

What does that mean?

[Ali G. 37]

That explains your confusion on the issue. It's a sad, sad place. I could not see myself moving that way.

Realistically which part of America is not. My wife and I were looking at relocating somewhere else prior to moving to AUS and nothing really caught my eye. Excluding NYC or Chicago, which other city has over 3 million people and a thriving city that is not a ghetto. The rest are all little, pipsqueaks with a dead downtown and most living in the boring burbs.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Ali G.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

You know Walmart lost their appeal today for a class action lawsuit....may cost them billions.....

I'm sure relocation compensation won't last for long.