Sears Holdings Military Veteran Profile of the Month: Louis Deli

Sears Holdings employs over 30,000 military veterans, with 1,500 still in the National Guard & Reserves. We have a policy that will even pay the difference between their military and civilian pay when they’re called into active duty, so they’re not penalized for serving our country. Over the last 17 months,we’ve hired more than 5,100 veterans. 

What did you do in the military?

I was an 88M, Motor Transport. I served 3 years and 7 months active duty as an E4 Specialist for F Company, 2-27 Infantry Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. I’m currently on Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) until April 2017.

What do you do for Sears Holdings?

I’m a member of the Talent Acquisition team in college recruiting. I manage the efforts for the Online Business Unit.

When did you come to Sears Holdings?

I found some Sears openings on Vetjobs.com and applied. The response time was incredible; within weeks I was contacted, interviewed and offered a market recruiter position. Shortly before I started, I was asked, because of my background and past experience, if I was interested in doing college recruiting instead. I joined Sears Holdings in late April 2013.

What have you learned from the transition?

I am enjoying being a civilian again and working in a corporate environment. I’ve been adjusting myself to work in a more relaxed atmosphere – a working on responding to my superiors in this new job more proactively and less reactively than when I was in the military. I’m adjusting to a more strategic mindset in a different environment with different objectives but still trying to help my fellow soldiers and servicemen and women in whatever way I can.

Note: In the last 5 years, Sears has stood behind our military and veterans. In that time we’ve raised more than $33 million and helped more than 114,000 military and veteran families. Our Heroes at Home program, in partnership with Rebuilding Together, has rebuilt more than 1,365 homes for Wounded Warriors. The Wish Registry has raised more than $18 million for 105,000 active, guard, and reserve military families. Here is a video of some of that support of the Wish Registry from earlier this year.