Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon is set to retire at the end of this month, and has spent his entire four-decade career climbing the ranks from the warehouse to the C-suite. Reflecting back on his whirlwind of a run at the $938 billion retail giant, McMillon had three lessons for Gen Zers first stepping into the workforce—and the first doesn’t require a fancy degree, only determination.
“Career-wise, the first thing I tell anyone who asks for guidance is to do today’s job well, be present, drive change, deliver results, and do it the right way,” McMillon told graduates during his commencement address at the University of Arkansas in 2024. “Being present in today’s role and earning trust leads to the next job opportunity.”
McMillon knows a thing or two about leveraging loyalty to leapfrog in his career. The retiring CEO got his start at Walmart back in 1984 picking up orders and unloading trailers at a warehouse for just just $6.50 an hour. This summer job blossomed into a four-decade journey at the business; after earning his MBA from the University of Tulsa, he transitioned to corporate work at Walmart in 1991 as a fishing-tackle buyer and worked his way up to CEO in 2014.
Dedicating one’s entire career to one employer is no easy feat, but McMillon has said he’s never “been bored one single day”—and advised Gen Zers to find a career they love, too.
