Lowe's Hiring Overview For 2023

Is Lowe’s on the Ban the Box list?

The Ban the Box campaign aims to get rid of the box on employment applications that asks people to disclose if they have any felonies or misdemeanors on their record. The Fair Chance Business Pledge, on the other hand, is a pledge companies make to not discriminate in their hiring process.

Both of these programs are important to former felons. Companies that participate in either or both programs may be more likely to hire felons.

Unfortunately, Lowe’s is not a part of the Ban the Box initiative. They are also not part of The Fair Chance Business Pledge.

Does Lowe’s have special programs for hiring felons?

Lowe’s does not have any special programs for hiring people with criminal records.

What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?

We rate your odds of getting hired at Lowe’s with a felony as average. There are a decent number of online reports saying felons and people with misdemeanors get hired here.

While Lowe’s isn’t part of any public initiatives that support felons, they are an EEO and don’t actively discourage those with records from applying.

Their application does not feature the box asking about criminal history, however, so you have a chance of interviewing before you get a background check done!

It looks like they hire former offenders depending on their actual circumstances. Before you make your case, let’s look at some entry-level jobs you could apply for.

What are some entry-level jobs?

Stocker: Stockers receive shipments, unload them and then stock them onto the appropriate shelves. Stockers need to be able to lift 50 pounds or more, be able to stand for extended periods of time and, above all else, must be trustworthy to ensure they do not steal the goods they are stocking.

Cashier: As a job description will tell you, the cashier is the final experience most customers will have with the store. Because of that, Lowe’s prefers personable employees who are able to effectively and quickly provide a great experience to their customers. You should be comfortable counting change and dealing with a variety of customer personalities. For this position, Lowe’s likes to see six months’ experience with both computers and customer service.

Tips to get hired here with a felony

Research

A great resume is something that takes your life and work experience and makes them relevant to the job you’re applying for.

If you need to know how to make a resume before doing that, check out our guide!

Since we’re interested in impressing a hiring manager at Lowe’s, it would be beneficial to go on their jobs site and learn more about what they value in employees. For example, Lowe’s says they’ve always been known for great customer service! Therefore, it stands to reason that any resumes showing things like active community service will highly impress Lowe’s.

Even if you don’t have any retail experience, you can make points on your resume about how you’ve gone above and beyond to please people. This will show hiring managers that even if you don’t have the most experience, you understand what they want from you.

If you’re applying more for the receiving end, you will want to orient your resume to show you have a record of being trustworthy and efficient. Any kind of warehouse experience will help set you apart, so be sure to place that on your resume.

Interview

So you’ve made a great resume, submitted it with your application and gotten a callback. Now it’s time to prep for your interview. You’ll want to dress in business casual, with emphasis on the casual end. Showing up dressed too nicely can send a weird signal, as it can make it seem like you’re not a good cultural fit for the company.

Something like black dress slacks and a neutral t-shirt or polo should do the trick.

Once the interview has begun, make sure to stress why you’re a good fit for the company. If you want to work on the receiving end, be sure to note any special skills you might have. For example, if you have a license to drive a forklift, you’ll want to empathize that as it will demonstrate you need less training to do more work.

If you want to work on the front end, be sure to be extremely friendly, courteous and professional. Having a great attitude along with the ability to answer questions about the company’s history will show you’re eager to work there rather than taking any job that will have you.

Be prepared with questions, yourself! This will show you have active interest in the job and make you a better candidate.

Our research shows that Lowe’s does perform background checks.

What to know about background checks:

For some states, seven years is the farthest a background check can go. If your felony happened seven years ago or more, it may not be a problem for you in these states:

• California
• Colorado*
• Kansas*
• Maryland*
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire*
• New York*
• Texas*
• Washington*

(* sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.)

More good news. In the following states, felonies in which you were declared not guilty will not show up on a background check:

• Alaska
• California
• Hawaii
• Indiana (limited check)
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• New York

If you live in the states below, however, we have bad news. These states make your entire record visible to background checks. Guilty convictions, not-guilty — everything will be on the table. You may run into bigger challenges when applying living here:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• DC
• Delaware
• Florida
• Idaho
• Indiana (extensive check)
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Company ratings

Lowe’s has a rating of 3.4 out of 5 on Glassdoor, with 61% recommending the job. Despite that average score, employees mostly had good things to say about the company.

When talking about the pros, employees praised the pay. Even with part-time hours, they said it’s possible to make good money. Employees also note that even part-timers are eligible for holiday pay and benefits like stock options!

On the con end, employees took issue with how full-time positions required open availability. They also said that, on the flip side, part-time can be very light on hours sometimes.

Make sure to keep these in mind to make sure you’re okay with them before applying!

What felonies Lowe’s will not hire

The company hasn’t said one way or the other if they have specific charges that will bar you from employment here.

What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?

Above all else, Lowe’s depends on its customers. So if you have ever had any kind of violent felony, chances are Lowe’s will pass you up due to a perceived risk of bad customer interactions.

Lowe’s also deals with lots of small, valuable parts. If you have any theft-related felonies, be they burglary or even something more minor than that, Lowe’s will likely pass on hiring you.

There is also some indication that those with drug-related felonies will have a hard time getting hired at Lowe’s. There have been online examples of people being denied during the background check phase because of a drug-related felony.

Just when does Lowe’s hire felons or people with other criminal records? Well, it might be when your record doesn’t look like a threat to them. Do your best to show them it’s not!

Does Lowe’s hire sex offenders?

We haven’t seen any firsthand information on this. It’s a good idea to expect to have to address this if it’s on your file.

Does Lowe’s drug test?

Research shows that Lowe’s does perform pre-employment drug screens. There is also indication that Lowe’s will do them on employees who are either injured on the job or suspected of intoxication.

Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences

Were you able to get a job at Lowe’s with a felony? Share that or any other experiences that may help others get hired below!