Archived choosing target as my intership????

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signing genie

Former GSTL that got his soul back
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Hi guys im new to the forum or should i say i finally stop stalking the forum lol. So my question for everyone is i need a intership for my degree. I have been asked to apply for here even though im the signing team member i was wondering how will that all work out if im a intern plus a team meamber???
 
I really don't think that's possible. Maybe someone else will have more insight, but I know that the internship is a paid position where you'll be bouncing around different departments at an assigned store, and you can't do that if you already work at a store. It would be like getting hired at two stores within the same district. Plus, Target almost always picks interns with zero target experience for the internship because they want college minds that they can mold into corporate mindset.
 
Lol true we just had two interns in our store for two months one walked out and the other got hired on as etl hr at another store. So from what my hr etl i will have to quit for 90 days and then go through the intern program,
 
Since an intern is a paid position I don't think you can do both. Maybe you can LOA the TM position while on the internship but that might be more challenging for HR than they'll want to deal with. From my experience it's easier for a person with no Target experience to reach ETL level than it is for a person with the same qualifications who is already a TM.

Do you really want to internship in retail? If so, find out where your local district(s) do college recruiting and go through the process. It's too late for this round but you'll be eligible for next summer if you meet all other requirements.
 
Im really wondering about that. I have a lot of bad experiences at target plus its not a guarantee i am going to be hired. I already have one foot out the door right now over bs at our store. Thanks for the help guys gotta lot to think on this now.
 
What is your major? Take a look at other internship opportunities outside of retail. Retail is alright but tough once you start having a family. Having a 9-5, weekends/holidays off job is invaluable as you age.
 
We have a guy interning with us right now...he's worked with Spot for 14 years, working his way up from cart attendant to SrTL. He literally went from being a SrTL at one store to an intern at our store with about a week between the two positions.
 
If you hate Target now, working at Target for double the pay doesn't make it double the fun. I suggest you look elsewhere for your internship. Gotta tell you, NOT getting my internship through Target was probably the best thing that ever happened to me in hindsight. I have a job in my field, and while it is unpredictable at times and per diem and does not have benefits, I enjoy it and make a good amount of money.
 
We have a guy interning with us right now...he's worked with Spot for 14 years, working his way up from cart attendant to SrTL. He literally went from being a SrTL at one store to an intern at our store with about a week between the two positions.

So what happens after his internship? Does he go back to SrTL?
 
If you hate Target now, working at Target for double the pay doesn't make it double the fun. I suggest you look elsewhere for your internship. Gotta tell you, NOT getting my internship through Target was probably the best thing that ever happened to me in hindsight. I have a job in my field, and while it is unpredictable at times and per diem and does not have benefits, I enjoy it and make a good amount of money.

I agree with the above, find something in your field that you'll enjoy.

Anyone can find a better job with higher salary and benefits. Don't settle for retail, unless you bleed retail. My pay and benefits as an ETL were horrible compared to what I have now. The perfect job is out there for the taking.
 
Im majoring in infomation management systems with a minor in business, Great program just they really suggested target since i work there also because of my etl log having the same degree, He said he learned a lot from his internship here in how a business is run and the downfalls with it.
 
My etl hr suggest for me to become a tl since we have several openings but im cut my school time short just by staying as a signing tm. Imagine as a tl, i think ill go crazy just from the workload and high turnover rate our store has,
 
I have other offers but its non paying and i cant take time off from work just to complete 160 hours for my intership,
 
Im majoring in infomation management systems with a minor in business, Great program just they really suggested target since i work there also because of my etl log having the same degree, He said he learned a lot from his internship here in how a business is run and the downfalls with it.

Ok so retail is a good option with that major. Also, consider an internship in consulting. Consulting pays well, very business and IT driven, and it has a great work/life balance. Tons of opportunities in consulting in a wide range of specialties. From my experience (Former ETL-Log) I didn't feel that a degree was needed to be a successful ETL. Target does all the thinking for their executives, called Best Practices. No matter how inefficient a process can be your supervision will quote Best Practice like it was handed down from God. They even look dumb believing the Best Practice themselves but our job is to follow orders not make decisions.

A TL position would be rough while in school. Follow up on the internship process and see if you qualify for the next class. Target's website has a ton of information about internship opportunities.
 
Im majoring in infomation management systems with a minor in business, Great program just they really suggested target since i work there also because of my etl log having the same degree, He said he learned a lot from his internship here in how a business is run and the downfalls with it.

Ok so retail is a good option with that major. Also, consider an internship in consulting. Consulting pays well, very business and IT driven, and it has a great work/life balance. Tons of opportunities in consulting in a wide range of specialties. From my experience (Former ETL-Log) I didn't feel that a degree was needed to be a successful ETL. Target does all the thinking for their executives, called Best Practices. No matter how inefficient a process can be your supervision will quote Best Practice like it was handed down from God. They even look dumb believing the Best Practice themselves but our job is to follow orders not make decisions.

A TL position would be rough while in school. Follow up on the internship process and see if you qualify for the next class. Target's website has a ton of information about internship opportunities.

Thanks didnt think of a consulting internship, also i am but hopefully its a internship at a different store but probably not since all of our Interns come to our store because we are the district store and with the dtl here she basically manages the interns with our stl and their mentors'
 
Sorry if someone else said it already I didn't read them all, however yes you leave your current position in your store. You essentially quit the position to take on the internship. The goal for intern conversion is 75% or higher. So if you pass interviews for the internship you have a great chance you'll get offered a position. Some times (much like one of the people here have posted about) at the conclusion of your internship you can stay on as a TL like position until you graduate. bullseyekindofguy (something like that) on this board was in that situation, he stayed on as a GSTL until he graduates. If you're considering a career at Target it's definitely the best approach you can take. If you're not considering a career with Target it's still a great approach. You'd have job security (they offer at the conclusion of the internship even if you have a while left in school to my knowledge) and then you can at least have options open while you search for other career options. You can also work at Target for a while upon graduation and use that experience to go elsewhere as well. They're actually good at training managers.. I've heard several times "target is good at training managers for other companies"...
 
Sorry if someone else said it already I didn't read them all, however yes you leave your current position in your store. You essentially quit the position to take on the internship. The goal for intern conversion is 75% or higher. So if you pass interviews for the internship you have a great chance you'll get offered a position. Some times (much like one of the people here have posted about) at the conclusion of your internship you can stay on as a TL like position until you graduate. bullseyekindofguy (something like that) on this board was in that situation, he stayed on as a GSTL until he graduates. If you're considering a career at Target it's definitely the best approach you can take. If you're not considering a career with Target it's still a great approach. You'd have job security (they offer at the conclusion of the internship even if you have a while left in school to my knowledge) and then you can at least have options open while you search for other career options. You can also work at Target for a while upon graduation and use that experience to go elsewhere as well. They're actually good at training managers.. I've heard several times "target is good at training managers for other companies"...

I have heard that also but i dont think i can drink the "kool-aid" target serves to be a etl.
 
Sorry if someone else said it already I didn't read them all, however yes you leave your current position in your store. You essentially quit the position to take on the internship. The goal for intern conversion is 75% or higher. So if you pass interviews for the internship you have a great chance you'll get offered a position. Some times (much like one of the people here have posted about) at the conclusion of your internship you can stay on as a TL like position until you graduate. bullseyekindofguy (something like that) on this board was in that situation, he stayed on as a GSTL until he graduates. If you're considering a career at Target it's definitely the best approach you can take. If you're not considering a career with Target it's still a great approach. You'd have job security (they offer at the conclusion of the internship even if you have a while left in school to my knowledge) and then you can at least have options open while you search for other career options. You can also work at Target for a while upon graduation and use that experience to go elsewhere as well. They're actually good at training managers.. I've heard several times "target is good at training managers for other companies"...

-Yes, you have to quit your current position in order to take the internship. I don't know if it is the same for internal hires, but once you are done you "go to back to school" and come back the following summer (or winter, if a fall graduate) and complete the formal ETL training. "Extended internships" are available, but do not have to be offered by the store or other stores within the district. Best bet is to take to your STL and DTL as soon as possible.

-They will try to place you in another store... Many stores have multiple interns working in different departments

-I loved the internship. It was fun and informative... But ultimately, I ended up leaving Target. Why? Because the experience in the internship looked good on a resume and I was able to find something better without the BS, politicking, and ass kissing.

Take the intern. Take everything you can learn from it... AND LEAVE.

BTW if you wondering....
-My ETL mentor left Target shortly before I did
-2 other ETLs left the company due to stress after going to other (high volume) stores
-My STL had to start therapy after accepting her role because of the stress and headaches of being a retail manager
 
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-I loved the internship. It was fun and informative... But ultimately, I ended up leaving Target. Why? Because the experience in the internship looked good on a resume and I was able to find something better without the BS, politicking, and ass kissing.

Take the intern. Take everything you can learn from it... AND LEAVE.

BTW if you wondering....
-My ETL mentor left Target shortly before I did
-2 other ETLs left the company due to stress after going to other (high volume) stores
-My STL had to start therapy after accepting her role because of the stress and headaches of being a retail manager

Take it for the experience. ETL life is alright for a few years but time much better spent building a career somewhere else. I've seen ETLs from new to seasoned leave Target to pursue less stressful jobs. Also iSign said- "target is good at training managers for other companies"... Very true. Look at Car Max or Home Depot. A lot of their managers are former ETLs or STLs.
 
-I loved the internship. It was fun and informative... But ultimately, I ended up leaving Target. Why? Because the experience in the internship looked good on a resume and I was able to find something better without the BS, politicking, and ass kissing.

Take the intern. Take everything you can learn from it... AND LEAVE.

BTW if you wondering....
-My ETL mentor left Target shortly before I did
-2 other ETLs left the company due to stress after going to other (high volume) stores
-My STL had to start therapy after accepting her role because of the stress and headaches of being a retail manager

Take it for the experience. ETL life is alright for a few years but time much better spent building a career somewhere else. I've seen ETLs from new to seasoned leave Target to pursue less stressful jobs. Also iSign said- "target is good at training managers for other companies"... Very true. Look at Car Max or Home Depot. A lot of their managers are former ETLs or STLs.

True my fromer stl is a regional manager now for carmax. I wonder though how are the interviews to become a intern???? Its it just like talent day???
 
-I loved the internship. It was fun and informative... But ultimately, I ended up leaving Target. Why? Because the experience in the internship looked good on a resume and I was able to find something better without the BS, politicking, and ass kissing.

Take the intern. Take everything you can learn from it... AND LEAVE.

BTW if you wondering....
-My ETL mentor left Target shortly before I did
-2 other ETLs left the company due to stress after going to other (high volume) stores
-My STL had to start therapy after accepting her role because of the stress and headaches of being a retail manager

Take it for the experience. ETL life is alright for a few years but time much better spent building a career somewhere else. I've seen ETLs from new to seasoned leave Target to pursue less stressful jobs. Also iSign said- "target is good at training managers for other companies"... Very true. Look at Car Max or Home Depot. A lot of their managers are former ETLs or STLs.

True my fromer stl is a regional manager now for carmax. I wonder though how are the interviews to become a intern???? Its it just like talent day???

I was an external hire (but I had previous management experience at Kmart), so I can't speak to the internal hiring process. But, the interview was pretty standard... Tell me about a time type questions. Most questions (I won't share exact questions, but you can go to glassdoor.com for them) involve team situations, time management, etc.

Interview process was straight forward... First was on campus with an STL/ETL-HR, second was DTL/STL, and final was the group leader. In between I heard from the group recruiter. I always received a followup e-mail and phone call within the time they stated. The whole process only took 8 weeks from career fair at my campus to offer.

As an internal hire, you will probably need to speak to your ETL-HR and STL for sponsorship (again, not an internal hire, but one of my team members was going for the internship). Have a firm grasp of your wins and opportunities! And speak to them!!

Just a couple words of wisdom/"just be aware":
-Should you choose to continue in an ETL role, know that relocation options are EXTREMELY limited. So if are looking to move or relocate, there is 95% chance it will NOT be approved. Doesn't matter how good you are, or how much you ask, you won't be able to relocate outside of a limited scope (i.e., spouse, military, etc).

-You do not get to pick your workcenter, both for the internship and ETL assignments. As a matter of fact, you will probably get the opposite of what you want, should you say something to your ETL... I mentioned to my ETL that merchandising was an opportunity, well my ETL assignment would have been in Salesfloor.

-As you said earlier, spending time as an ETL will take away from other opportunities. Do the internship, stay as an extended, then leave! Don't deal with the stress as an ETL. I strongly suggest getting out of retail all together... Unless you go corporate...

-Which reminds me, don't expect to be able to go into corporate by working as an ETL or intern. You will better chance as an external hire.
 
This is even more true now with cuts to corporate or district level positions and higher. If you can get a corporate position or anything not in store, take it. ETLs and STLs fight for BP positions or higher, but now most positions have been consolidated. Internally you'll have to climb the ladder. Most of the people I talked to at district or group level worked for Target for over 12 years, or were hired externally to that position. That's a long time to be in the store. And with recent cuts some had to choose becoming an STL again or leaving.
 
Honestly at the end of the day try it out and see what you think. I know ETL's that hated it, I know some that love it. The job isn't for everyone, but for some it's not as stressful to them as some seem to say it is.. Ultimately all jobs are going to have stress, whether it be the work-life balance that's awful like my major (Accounting), or the job itself.. Very few career paths will be really low stress...
 
I was a team member for 3.5 years and am participating in the internship right now. You'll lose your position, but become an executive intern for a particular department and learn all about that. Most likely you will switch stores as well.
 
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