Archived Brand Spankin’ New Consumables TL

[TargetIsWeirdWTF]

Hey guys! First post, and I felt it necessary, because I’m pretty lost. Brand new to Target, external hire as a Consumables TL. Here’s my situation...I’m currently training at another store, for less than a week, and the following week I’ll have Starbucks training at my home store, for the entire week (no Cafe or Pizza Hut, thank goodness!). My question is...is this sufficient time to be a successful Consumables TL? I feel so utterly lost...I have a solid background in retail management/grocery/produce, and know all the common sense things. But I’m lost with Target. Between all the Target jargon, and bizarre ways of doing things, I’m afraid I’m going to completely fail in my position. The SR TL of Consumables who is training me has straight up told me that less than a week of market training for an external hire is nonsense, and being trained for Starbucks management by my own team is absolutely unacceptable. I guess I’m just looking for some input. Should I ask for more training? What is the usual amount of time someone spends training for this position? Any tips? Help!

 

[Planosss]

You can ask for more training, you can ask.
I think minimum of two weeks in each work center is a start.
Market is a beast and SBuX can be hell if you don’t have the right team.
You should not be getting trained at your own store for SBUX. With holiday launches coming up in SBUX this will be a rude awakening , unless you have a solid team.
Also your experience in Market will depend on what shape it is in right now..... good luck, and be ready to “self train”...

 

[Proficient]

Get some real help from the regulars in your store especially if you see one that has been crosstrained af in your workcenter for many weeks or months that the team likes + the person is comfortable with it but can't be permanent there.

 

[TargetIsWeirdWTF]

Yikes to the “self training”. I’m trying to avoid that, but it’s somewhat of a downer, when the SR TL training me has nothing positive to say about the situation. I would LOVE to ask for more training, however...Target is paying all expenses to put me up in a hotel, cover gas/mileage, meals, etc. I’m not sure they’ll go for at least another solid week of training, but I’ll certainly try. I’m staying real positive about this company. So far, they seem to genuinely CARE about their employees, but this short training is honestly making me a bit worried 😂

 

[Black Sheep 214]

So far, they seem to genuinely CARE about their employees, but this short training is honestly making me a bit worried 😂

Appearances can be deceiving.😂 Everything at Spot is short- training, time, payroll, patience, pay, caring, communication, you name it, it’s short - except for workload. There’s always more than enough of that to go around, especially in market.🙄 If you aren’t sufficiently trained, my advice would be to learn what you can from your veteran TMs if you have any, or former market TLs if your store has any. Good luck.🍀

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Welcome!

 

[sigma7]

Take the time to learn how Target’s systems and processes work (or at least how they’re supposed to) before you try to make any changes to anything. But if you see verifiable inefficiencies, then don’t be afraid to make changes.

 

[Yetive]

I trained in-house for Starbucks, and it was fine.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

One week is gonna extremely short for an external candidate. I got one week going from GSA to GSTL. Also usually frowned upon to train in your own store and can cause problems with your team. It all depends how you manage it. Target is also huge on self teaching. You can’t posisbly be trained everything by someone and I come across things all the time that I don’t know and have to look up. Spend a couple hours on a computer and just dog through workbench, especially the process tab for your departments.

 

[Fix It]

Don’t be afraid or uncomfortable to tell your TMs “I don’t know” or ask questions. It’s hard enough to have a new boss let alone having a boss who assumes answers. Ask them to show you and teach you and in turn you’ll also get to know them better.

 

[Planosss]

Also rule with an iron fist. 45 cases/HR or else.

 

[Greenie]

Didn’t Market just roll out a whole new optimization? Wonder if you’re being trained the “old” way or the “new” way.

 

[TargetIsWeirdWTF]

Apparently, I’m being trained the “new” way, which also poses a new set of potential issues with my team, since they’re accustomed to doing everything the “old” way, and I’m not proficient in the “new” way 😂😂😂 I’m confident that I’ll figure everything out eventually, but it’s definitely going to be a bumpy ride for the first couple months

 

[CleanMyBackRoOm]

Biggest thing with Starbucks is to not put them on the back burner and don't allow them to feel like they don't matter. For the love of god check in on them a few times a day and communicate effectively. With the work load you're going to get from the floor it can be hard for some leaders to find a balance. I will tell you right now if you Starbucks feels like they're being put out on an island and feel like they don't matter it will start to reflect in their work and you will lose good people.

 

[Yetive]

I will tell you right now if you Starbucks feels like they're being put out on an island and feel like they don't matter it will start to reflect in their work and you will lose good people

Fast.

 

[TargetIsWeirdWTF]

Update: I’ve been made aware that I will only have THREE days of Starbucks training (Aren’t I required to have 40 hours? Or is the 40 hours also including the computer “training” that went in one ear and straight out of the other, since I’m definitely more of a hands on learner?), and I recently met my DM at my training store, and he has informed me that my Starbucks team is basically awful (his words, not mine) 😂 This is going to be interesting lol. After my four days of market training, I DO feel more confident on the basics of the department, but Starbucks is a whole new and terrifying beast to conquer.

 

[TargetIsWeirdWTF]

On the plus side, I have every intention to help out as much as possible in Starbucks. Thankfully, my Market team seems potentially pretty solid, and I feel like once I get into the swing of things, I’ll find some sort of balance between the two departments.

 

[YoNanas]

Wonder how they hired you to be a consumables TL

 

[Planosss]

Update: I’ve been made aware that I will only have THREE days of Starbucks training (Aren’t I required to have 40 hours? Or is the 40 hours also including the computer “training” that went in one ear and straight out of the other, since I’m definitely more of a hands on learner?), and I recently met my DM at my training store, and he has informed me that my Starbucks team is basically awful (his words, not mine) 😂 This is going to be interesting lol. After my four days of market training, I DO feel more confident on the basics of the department, but Starbucks is a whole new and terrifying beast to conquer.

There is nothing meaningful you’ll learn in three days.