Cashier to Learning Mentor...Is it a promotion?

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Feb 26, 2021
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Hi! I’ve been working at my store for about 8 months now. I was hired as a cashier and that’s still my main job but i’m also trained in guest service and basically every other department in the store. i am told that i’m one of the best members of the front end team. recently i had a conversation with my s&e etl in which they told me that they have a new position called Learning Mentor and asked if i would be interested. they described it as being “the brains of the front end”. they said i would be responsible for training new hires(even new team leads) and keeping track of their performance during their first few months. from my understanding i am also supposed to be making sure that my team(new or not) is performing well and doing their best to provide good service to guests and promoting target circle/red cards/surveys. i looked into it a little and found that other stores have a couple of these trainers or “learning mentors” but it appears that they only train new people on their first day and that’s it so it sounds a little different from how my etl described it. currently, in our store, training new people is kind of done randomly whoever is there the day of and has the closest shift to the new hire is the one who trains them. my leaders have often specifically chosen me to train even if it’s not the most convenient for them as i’m really thorough with my training. i told my etl that i was for sure interested and they said they’re starting me out with the process as soon as they can. i just don’t know if i’m being like kind of promoted or not. i don’t think there’s any change to my pay so i’m guessing not? but my etl made it sound like a bit of a big deal so is it still a step up even if it’s not like a promotion promotion? i’m also worried it will cause resentment towards me from my team. they’re very nice people and i don’t think they would actually be mean to me or anything like that but i’m younger and newer than most of them so i’m scared they might be a little bitter which would be understandable. are any of you guys learning mentors? what is it like? also what is a learning plan? my etl mentioned that but we’ve never used a learning plan to my knowledge at least
 
A few people might be resentful, but they will get over it. If you like training people and like having a special role then go for it.
 
They made me one. I genuinely enjoy training people, and have no interest in being a TL (too stressful for me; I turned down the bench). I enjoy it. I do not, however, make any more money. In some ways, it feels like a way to sneak GSA back in without the "perks" being a GSA had (hours guarantee, every other weekend off).

Is it a promotion in the Target sense? No. Can you stick it on your resume as a skill (training and development)? I did.
 
My advice ; take it.
will give you a bit of freedom, a bit of exclusivity and a bit of power. Always a good thing to be the ‘go to’ person that has the answers.

‘If you treat other tm’s with RESPECT and not pull a power trip all should be happy for your new status. Be friendly, be fair, do not gossip - give the team nothing to feed off of to not accept you.

I have found that if something is offered to you and you refuse it - that is remembered - and not in a good way. Something is usually offered because leadership WANTS it to happen, if you say NO to their plans they will NOT be happy about it. You have already refused the bench, lit the flame to burn the bridge, you may be written off as “uncooperative” if you refuse yet another ask.
 
I don't think OP turned down the bench; that was me. Target isn't my only source of income, so I had that flexibility and was fully aware of the consequences.

That being said, you make a good point about too many "nos."
 
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