Kmart was founded in Detroit in 1899 by Sebastian Kresge.
Originally it functioned as a 'five and dime' store but it has long since abandoned that image.
Nowadays, it has a turnover of $16bn and employs 133,000 workers in its 1,382 stores and 55 Super Centers which collectively extend right across the USA and further afield to the US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.
Following a rather murky period in the company's history at the turn of the millennium, Kmart filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy but was then taken over by Sears Holdings who laid off 34,000 workers as part of the process of getting the company back on its feet.
Things have picked up in the last five or six years and, now the company is growing again, it might be a good time to join them.
Despite the take-over, Kmart continues to operate under its own name.
That said, Sears are still watchful of the way in which their key asset is performing and Sears Holdings has literally just announced that 6 Kmart stores in Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah and Wisconsin, will be closing by the end of April 2011 because they have failed to demonstrate their viability.
Working at Kmart can provide a wide range of employment possibilities.
For example, the standard stores offer electronics, clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, homewares and food.
The bigger stores have garden centers and pharmacies and a 'K-cafe' or deli.
The Big Kmart stores feature all of these facilities and even a bank, tax center, portrait studio and petrol station.
The Kmart Super Centers also have a complete supermarket and are similar to a European hypermarket.
Kmart offer the range of employee benefits that you would expect from a big company - such as: Health Care Benefits which include a medical and dental plan and a flexible healthcare spending account.
Disability & Survivor benefits comprising long and short-term disability benefits, an optional life insurance policy which is based on annual earnings and a business travel insurance policy.
Work & Family benefits that includes discounts on company products, assistance with adopting, discounts on drugs and prescriptions, low-interest education loans, assistance locating essential support services such as childcare and elder care providers, staff counseling and a tax-savvy commuter travel account.
Retirement / Financial benefits that provide the option for staff to purchase stock at a discount, a savings scheme and discounts for retirees.
Time Off such as paid vacations (allocation dependent on service), national holidays and personal and unpaid leave on request.
A quirky feature of Kmart is its 'blue light specials' - something which has appeared in a number of successful films.
The 'blue light' refers to a mobile police light which a member of staff would suddenly set off in order to attract shoppers to a particular promotion the store was offering.