From in store to in training, Hunter remains focused on our customers.
Hunter Deisering enjoyed jumping in to help customers one-on-one when he worked in a Walmart store. Now, in his second year of the Accounting and Finance Development Program (AFDP), Hunter says he keeps those customers top of mind.
“I think about how I affect customers differently now,” he says, noting that decisions he helps make behind the scenes can still save customers money, and get them products they need. “I still think about how, in any role, we can affect customers.”
Hunter started as a garden center associate at Store 212 in Norman, Oklahoma, in 2015, when he was still in high school. He became a customer service manager soon after graduating high school.
While studying accounting at the University of Oklahoma, he supervised Store 212’s registers, the money center and the service desk. After three and a half years, he became the bakery/deli team lead.
“I learned about AFDP from my regional manager, Jarred Crabtree, who told me there was this really awesome program at the Home Office I should apply for,” Hunter explains. “Once I looked it up, I knew I had to apply.”
How the AFDP Works
In the program, associates rotate through four six-month roles that give them hands-on experience within core finance, strategy and accounting teams.
Hunter is currently in his second rotation, working with transportation finance, where he helps with tasks like inbound and outbound operations and reports. His first rotation was with Sam's Club merchandise finance.
Other participants of the program can rotate through strategy, operations, merchandising, treasure, capital markets, tax, real estate, forecasting and more.
There are two paths for associates to enter the program: They can be accepted directly into the full-time program after they graduate from college or they can obtain a return offer after completing a 10-week summer internship while in college.
Participants are assigned a peer mentor who is in the final year of their rotations as well as a professional mentor within senior leadership. They also attend development sessions focused on progressing their careers at Walmart.
Customer First, Always
Hunter believes his in-store experience helps him succeed in the AFDP. “I learned so many things in the field that I am able to use today—especially the customer-first mindset and how that plays into everything we do at the Home Office.”
The program is giving Hunter and other associates the knowledge and experience they need to be future leaders at Walmart.
“My advice to someone who is interested in making a career change at Walmart is that Walmart has roles for everyone,” says Hunter. “If you are looking for it, then it probably exists.”
