ATLANTA - The Home Depot says it has already begun filling more than 80,000 seasonal positions to assist customers during its busiest selling season - 10,000 more than last year.

Spring is the peak season at its 2,256 Home Depot stores - comparable to the Christmas selling season for many retailers - so it requires help in addition to 300,000 permanent employees. The lumber, power tool and hardware centers uses the season to find permanent candidates.

"Many of them have built long, meaningful careers with us," says Tim Crow,  VP human resources. Openings are posted at http://www.careers.homedepot.com/.

For returning military and veterans, The Home Depot recently launched an Online Military Skills Translator, which matches an applicant's military skills with positions that might offer the best fit.  Visit www.careers.homedepot.com/military. Crow says students fom technical schools and colleges, as well as retirees, are encouraged to apply at Home Depot.