Archived Advice on becoming GSTL

[xxTheDudexx]

How does one become a GSTL? I'm soon to be trained as GSA, but am just curious on how one becomes a GSTL. I'd like to get promoted to one eventually. Do you just get recommended or do you have to apply for it at another store typically? Also, how long should I wait after becoming GSA for potentially being promoted or applying as GSTL?

 

[SeniorAP]

Advise for becoming a GSTL?

Don't.

 

[buliSBI]

If you already becoming a GSA. They are going to watch you as a GSA. Show them you can motivate the front end team, get Red Cards, provide guests with professional guest experience, troubleshoot guest incidents without the need of leadership, keep the Front End neat and zoned, front end alerts promptly...

 

[StaticSun]

18 months is the desired "learning and developmental period" for which you should be in a role before promoting/changing.

 

[Wildfirez]

18 months is the desired "learning and developmental period" for which you should be in a role before promoting/changing.

I thought this was only for ETL's? I was promoted to GSTL after only a month of being a GSA (and still mostly doing SL shifts)

 

[StateofTarget]

I thought this was only for ETL's? I was promoted to GSTL after only a month of being a GSA (and still mostly doing SL shifts)

18 months is only for ETLs. There is absolutely zero 18 months anything for TLs. TLs can move around after 1 day. In theory, anyway.

 

[targetslave101]

GSA is a joke. The same workload as GSTL without the money. And the GSTL's get pushed around and verbally abused. I agree with SeniorAP....don't.

 

[Crohl]

I got promoted to gstl from electronics and I really like it. It was a bit stressful at first but since I've been in role our metrics have all been green and morale is up within the team.

It helps to be a people person. You'll have a bigger team than any other TL position in the store. Which means you'll be doing a lot more coaching and you rarely get time off the floor to do paper work.

You need to be good at time management, especially if you're at a higher volume store.

 

[tahu300]

GSA is a joke. The same workload as GSTL without the money. And the GSTL's get pushed around and verbally abused. I agree with SeniorAP....don't.

I am about to become a GSA but I totally agree. I have been a cashier/Guest Service/Cash office TM for 19 months now and I think the GSA position is terrible. The GSA's at my store have a terribly high turnover rate because their position is so demeaning in that they do the exact same job as the GSTLs but are paid almost half and given less "power" to give coaching and hire/fire people. The only benefit is that the GSTLs are "blamed" when things aren't going well but they always pin the GSAs down with them, because they really are performing the same duties. I only want to become a GSA because it will look good on my resume that I was a manager at a major retailer. Yes, MANAGER, the GSAs literally do 95% of the same responsibilities that GSTLs do at my store except that they are out on the floor about 20 mins a day more than GSTLs because they go into the GE office and work on the computer with either shift changes or to check planos.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Go to Salesfloor, better chance there.

 

[Mr Quickart]

As someone who has made that leap I have a few things. First you need to show that you can lead a team through what ever your stores process is. As an example at our store that would entail starting the front end zone at an appropriate time, keeping cashiers busy and not just standing there, working out returns as able, etc.. You should also be able to resolve all guest issues yourself without ETL assistance but it looks like you are already GS so that shouldn't be a problem.

This position doesn't really have a middle ground. You are either so slow that you are literally just pacing back and forth or you are so busy that the dings on the LPDA never seem to stop and you are running all over the store. GSTLing is easily one of the most stressful TL spots, if not the most stressful. You have to balance what the guests need with what the rest of the store and leadership want. If you call backup to frequently the sales floor hates you, but the guests love you and vice versa. If you can master GSTL you will go pretty far with your stores leadership team because you end up reducing their interactions with guests which can get pretty intense at their level. As a side note to prove my point I had to go out and cart one night because our CA called in and even though there were 3 other leads in the building, closing the front was given to one of my GE TMs because the other leads wanted nothing to do with the lanes.

 

[mxrbook]

Those who think that a GSA does everything that a GSTL does have never been a GSTL. Having been both, I can attest that the GSTL work load and responsibility level is much greater than the GSA. Who do you think does the scheduling, the grid, the coachings, the reports, the supply orders, the reviews, the planos on front end? Little Target fairies at night? Wait, there is no night because the GSTL is the first in, last out every day. Maybe it's different in a low volume store, but our GSTLs work their butts off.

 

[Retail Girl]

Scheduling is done by HR. GSTL doesn't stay any later/come in any earlier than when the GSA is scheduled. Grid...is that the scheduling breakout? That's done by whoever is covering the lanes the night before, whether it be the GSA or GSTL. Plano is done by the Plano team.

I will give you the coachings, reports, supply orders and reviews, though.

 

[mxrbook]

Seems as though some stores are different. The GSTLs are responsible for setting all the endcaps with the exception of three or four which are vendor set. As well, the GSTL does the schedule for the front end (photo, CAs, cashiers, Guest Service, GSAs, GSTLs) and writes/posts the grid for breaks/lunches/restroom cleaning, etc. Our GSTLs come in 30 minutes earlier and stay until all the work is completed for the evening. I usually walk out with the LOD.

 

[Retail Girl]

Yeah...the grid is done by the closing GSA/GSTL or LOD if they don't have time. The GSA/GSTL comes in 15 minutes before opening, and we generally all walk out together at closing. If the LOD is running behind (very rare) then the GSA/GSTL stays...

No difference in GSA versus GSTL responsibilities in any of these mentioned.

Basically, save for the paperwork, reviews, and ordering stuff, the rest they do at my store is the same. I don't know if it's a ULV thing or what.

 

[mxrbook]

Do your GSAs do interviews? What about maintaining equipment? ESIM sort/scan? VIBE walks?

I forgot about those duties.

 

[Retail Girl]

GSAs don't interview...good point. Maintaining equipment...they all share that same load... EISM scan...I'm not sure what this is...guest services gets the product in the bin, and then the LOD gets it to the backroom for receiving to deal with, if that's what you mean. Vibe walks...I'll admit, I've never seen any TL do one...so I can't respond to that one.

 

[mxrbook]

The GSTL takes the ESIM from the Service Desk and scans the items individually into the bins in receiving. We typically have two or three bins per day, more on weekends. Takes about 1/2 hour to get them sorted. VIBE walk replaced the business walk. We also have to do two brand walks a day.

 

[Retail Girl]

Ah...our LOD deals with all EISMs and other defectives. I've only seen one TL do a vibe walk (I see the LODs do them) and that CTL was standing in huddle last night passing it off to a TM. So I think they will have anyone do it at my store.

 

[redeye58]

Except for coachings, schedules, interviews & reviews, I handled everything else as a GSA.
Came in/left at the same time, maintained equipment, ordered supplies, posted grids/reports, scanned out EISM at the end of the night, set endcaps, oversaw training/cross-training & POS updates. And we're A+ volume.
I left the front end prior to the "vibe fest".

 

[SuzyTarget]

Ugh! I so sick of the GSA vs. GSTL debate! Clearly, GSA duties vary from store to store so arguing about what they do and don't do is pointless. (Apparently GSTL tasks also vary from store to store--no GSTL at my store has ever sorted ESIM). It's true that GSA don't do exactly the same work as GSTLs, but it is a demanding, underpaid role--a statement I could make about many (all?) roles at Target. However, taking on GSA can pay off for someone looking to move up.

To the OP: Your exact approach to pursuing a GSTL position is going to depend on your store's unique culture, but I would recommend that you start by making it clear to leadership that that is where you want to go. If they see you as a good candidate, they will probably show it right away. If you don't get a positive response, see if you can get someone to have an honest conversation with you about what's getting in your way so you know what to work on. During my time as a GSA, I regarded myself as not just support to the cashiers, but to my GSTLs. I felt my job was to take tasks off their plate so they could focus on leadership and to partner with them in regard to leadership to the fullest extent that my own role would allow. I have moved to another area of my store, but I had an excellent relationship with my ETL, GSTLs and other GSAs and they still occasionally come to me for my support or opinions. I didn't love everything about being a GSA (although I did like it quite a bit), but I'm positive throwing myself into it to the best of my ability helped me move up.

 

[mxrbook]

To be clear, I'm certainly not saying that the GSA job is an easy one; it's just that the duties are much different. Our GSAs are more task oriented - answering lights, funding drawers, filling lane supplies, change requests, working out EXF and reshop at the lanes, generally keeping the lanes tidy.

Edit to Add: Suzy, we pretty much posted at the same time. I didn't see it as an argument but rather an explanation that duties are different from store to store. Sorry if you felt otherwise.

 

[redeye58]

After seeing what the GSTLs had to endure at my store, I was glad I WASN'T in their shoes.

 

[SuzyTarget]

To be clear, I'm certainly not saying that the GSA job is an easy one; it's just that the duties are much different. Our GSAs are more task oriented - answering lights, funding drawers, filling lane supplies, change requests, working out EXF and reshop at the lanes, generally keeping the lanes tidy.

Edit to Add: Suzy, we pretty much posted at the same time. I didn't see it as an argument but rather an explanation that duties are different from store to store. Sorry if you felt otherwise.

Thank you, mxr--I guess I did take it as a bit of an argument. There is quite a bit of overlap in what each role entails but there are some significant differences and it's true they are not the same job.

 

[Barcode]

Suzy,

I Agree that all of us are underpaid, but i think it's safe to say that gsas are the MOST underpaid in contrast to all other tm positions. This is why there is a lot of bitterness among some gsas.