Archived Cleaning house of Team Leads

[dek067]

I don't know what's wrong with your District/Store, but the things you portray don't match mine. Heck, a STL in my district just left spot for a VERY high position in a Fortune 500 company, an ETL was promoted to STL just a couple months ago and a SrTL looks to be headed to ETL within the next month or so.

what does an stl promoting or srtl promoting NOW have to do with them being in an stl or etl position as of retirement age, which i thought was the point of my post? what age are the individuals you are referring to?
your stl left for another company. most do. have you seen an stl retire from target as an stl?
your etl was promoted... update us when he retires and we'll see if he made it to that age as an stl (or etl for that matter).
our stl out right told us we can't hire old people. given her background, it was a very stupid move. i hope she realizes she ain't no spring chicken.

 

[mrknownothing]

Just an update. I haven't seen any of my GSTLs since the day I posted this blog and the Backroom TL was sent out of the HR office Sobbing. O.0

For what it's worth, my opening GSTL called in this morning.

 

[Stuckinsoftlines]

You know what I noticed the Tl's with a degree are actually kinda not as enthusiastic as the ones that are working on their degree but granted there's only 2 of them with degrees. The 3-4 of us working on them haven't heard anything about this. And others without degrees are going for Tl interviews But here is a rush to graduate and get promoted were pressured to take as many classes as we can. Tl's don't be a full time student and work 40 hours it will drive you crazy...or at least do it in the spring not the fall when holiday stuff is stressful :/

 

[Red11]

and in response to all the pyramid talk on page three...

If Stl/Etl positions are so coveted and hard to come by (which I agree that they are, especially in this economy), why are they hiring completely incompetant people for these spots? The last STL we had was a joke, ZERO people skills, anxiety and an Obvious social phobia, and he talked in a funny voice without being able to look you in the eye. He inhereted a good running store with a high functioning team (with decent moral), and when he left, he had fired all the good teamleaders and replaced them with the worst bozos he could find (I think because he was underqualifed and incompetant he tried to find even worse people then himself to make himself look better in comparison), and completely turned the entire store off.

This is exactly why I never tried for a TL position at Target. Every time we get a new stl they clean house.

 

[Ace944]

I just got promoted to APL last month and I do not have a college degree. My store is mostly run by SrTLs who do not have a degree. I hope they don't expand this.

 

[commiecorvus]

Stick with me on this analogy, I promise it'll make sense ... eventually.
Back in the 90's the car company's started making cars a whole lot harder to steal.
The locks didn't have little knobs on them anymore, they had electric starters that were much harder to hot wire, and peoples cars weren't getting stolen of the street as much.
All of you paying attention know what happened next.
Car jacking became the crime de jour.
A lot more people got hurt and even killed because cars got harder to steal.

And so we get to internal promotion.
Boy were we happy to hear that the company was going to stop hiring business school grads with only a few weeks internship experience as ETL's.
What we didn't know was that we were going to be car jacked.

 

[Electronics Man]

Interesting... my TL just recently became a SrTL. As far as I know he doesn't have a degree. Hopefully this policy doesn't become practice @ my store, otherwise we might wind up with a whole new lineup of TL's.

 

[Dr Laytex]

Stick with me on this analogy, I promise it'll make sense ... eventually.
Back in the 90's the car company's started making cars a whole lot harder to steal.
The locks didn't have little knobs on them anymore, they had electric starters that were much harder to hot wire, and peoples cars weren't getting stolen of the street as much.
All of you paying attention know what happened next.
Car jacking became the crime de jour.
A lot more people got hurt and even killed because cars got harder to steal.

And so we get to internal promotion.
Boy were we happy to hear that the company was going to stop hiring business school grads with only a few weeks internship experience as ETL's.
What we didn't know was that we were going to be car jacked.

Wait... We're the little knobs, right?

 

[Softlines Owns My Soul]

Stick with me on this analogy, I promise it'll make sense ... eventually.
Back in the 90's the car company's started making cars a whole lot harder to steal.
The locks didn't have little knobs on them anymore, they had electric starters that were much harder to hot wire, and peoples cars weren't getting stolen of the street as much.
All of you paying attention know what happened next.
Car jacking became the crime de jour.
A lot more people got hurt and even killed because cars got harder to steal.

And so we get to internal promotion.
Boy were we happy to hear that the company was going to stop hiring business school grads with only a few weeks internship experience as ETL's.
What we didn't know was that we were going to be car jacked.

Yeah...it definitely seems that they're going to hire college grads as TLs and SrTLs, only to promote them to ETL so they'll have experience when they get there. The problem with their logic is that I don't think they'll get people that are as qualified because who wants to get a BA and then make 14-21 dollars an hour?

 

[AsAdvertised]

One of the GSTL's came back today, she was avoiding talking about why she left and what happened. All she would say is "I am not friends with the STL at the moment and school is out of the question"
The other GSTL, my favorite, is never coming back. They said she was going to be demoted and on November 1st she was to be a GSA. She high tailed it and went on an "medical LOA" that same day. I'm really sad, I won't see her anymore.

I'm really pissed they chose the EVIL Gstl to stay. It's not fair they can the one who gets ************ done the right way, and keep the super disrespectful, ass kisser who pawns ALL her jobs on to me, the other GSA's and all the cashiers.

I tried to transfer to another target but they have no spot for GSA. I told them, I didn't care and would even take a cashier job, but they said no :/

 

[Electronics Man]

The problem with their logic is that I don't think they'll get people that are as qualified because who wants to get a BA and then make 14-21 dollars an hour?

Eh, I'd love to be making that right now...

 

[StateofTarget]

Well finally got a response from the ETL-HR today.

Walked in to clerical and she told me "Hey, I got your transcript for your AA degree. Really I don't know if it will meet the requirements and probably won't know until after 4th quarter." I was like "oh ok" and went about my business.

Soooo....... WTF?

Part of me thinks maybe she really doesn't know, but another part of me thinks she realizes I plan on walking out the door so she isn't telling me the truth.

 

[SuzyTarget]

Yeah...it definitely seems that they're going to hire college grads as TLs and SrTLs, only to promote them to ETL so they'll have experience when they get there. The problem with their logic is that I don't think they'll get people that are as qualified because who wants to get a BA and then make 14-21 dollars an hour?

Eh, I'd love to be making that right now...

Me too--I don't have a degree and getting one doesn't fit into the financial budget right now so if there were a sweat equity path to a promotion I would take it. At one time, I would've taken it even if Target stipulated I be working toward a degree in order to keep my promotion, because with a raise I could afford to go to school—and I do have some college so I can prove I am willing and capable of attending college. But since Target regards me as near-worthless without one that's not going to happen (my store has very clearly put the "must have degree" message out there). However, if or when I do get a degree I wouldn't even consider rewarding Target with the fruits of my hard work--not after years of being treated like an utterly disposable part. I can understand requiring a degree for positions above a certain level, but I will never understand why Target (or any company) insists on treating anyone without a degree like a second class citizen no matter how hard they work or what kind of commitment and real life skills they display. Only about a third of working age Americans have a bachelor's degree, so automatically regarding the other two-thirds as unqualified seems to me a foolish dismissal of a huge pool of potential talent.

 

[naterstx]

Me too--I don't have a degree and getting one doesn't fit into the financial budget right now so if there were a sweat equity path to a promotion I would take it. At one time, I would've taken it even if Target stipulated I be working toward a degree in order to keep my promotion, because with a raise I could afford to go to school—and I do have some college so I can prove I am willing and capable of attending college. But since Target regards me as near-worthless without one that's not going to happen (my store has very clearly put the "must have degree" message out there). However, if or when I do get a degree I wouldn't even consider rewarding Target with the fruits of my hard work--not after years of being treated like an utterly disposable part. I can understand requiring a degree for positions above a certain level, but I will never understand why Target (or any company) insists on treating anyone without a degree like a second class citizen no matter how hard they work or what kind of commitment and real life skills they display. Only about a third of working age Americans have a bachelor's degree, so automatically regarding the other two-thirds as unqualified seems to me a foolish dismissal of a huge pool of potential talent.

You would probably qualify for "free money" at most schools, in most states. Getting "free money" (aka Grants) isn't terribly difficult, doesn't require a whole lot of paperwork, and if your only income is that of a TM at Target, you'd almost certainly qualify. You should look in to it, see if you can't manage a couple of classes a semester.

 

[redeye58]

Just another random thought (since random occupies my mind so much): Even if you HAVE a degree, they may not promote you but it'll give spot one less reason they can demote you - for the moment.
I'm sure this is just house-cleaning for most stores, to clear the paths of 'undesirables'. It'll take a while for them to realize the pool of talent they've flushed away in the process.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

I am watching that fact, red!

 

[LogisticsPeon]

So, does anyone know if this is company-wide or just a test in one district.

 

[bennygirl]

So, does anyone know if this is company-wide or just a test in one district.

I haven't seen any changes around my neck of the woods. I'm hoping it stays that way.

 

[SuzyTarget]

You would probably qualify for "free money" at most schools, in most states. Getting "free money" (aka Grants) isn't terribly difficult, doesn't require a whole lot of paperwork, and if your only income is that of a TM at Target, you'd almost certainly qualify. You should look in to it, see if you can't manage a couple of classes a semester.

I wish I did qualify but I don't. I've been through the financial aide application process many times and the only time I've ever qualified for grant money was the one time I applied after my husband had been laid off for almost the entire prior year. I do fully intend to go back when I can and finish what I started but it will have to wait until my family is in a better place financially. My husband's last lay-off went on for a year and half and we are still trying to get the bank accounts looking good again and I've decided that I'm not taking out anymore student loans. Most financial-types will call student loans "good" debt but all debt has become nothing but an unwelcome burden in my mind. You are right though--lots of people don't take advantage of the grants and scholarships that are out there. No one who would like to go to school should assume they can't afford it--it doesn't take too much time to fill out applications and you might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[insiteful1]

I can't help but notice a pattern. All of this, "cleaning house of TL's" talk, seems to be more "dumping GSTL's and shuffling around GSA's." Has anyone else noticed that?

 

[justme]

I was a tl at Target for 10 years. In 2010 they came out with a list at the store i was at. No surprise all the tl names where on it and when they were scheduled to be performance out. The etl's had left it on a table by mistake. I didnt believe it well out of 10 years i was never wrote up, had correction action nothing. Then I was sent out of town to help open a new store. BAMMMMMMMMMMMM i was coached for not being accountable to my team while I was away???? Now how does that happen??? Wouldnt that have been my exc's job when they decide to extend my stay opening the new store from 2 weeks to 8 weeks??? One of the newer exec made the comment" we can get 2 for the price we pay you" So I took my first coaching ever went to the Hr person...they told me it would never happen again. BAMMMMMMMMMMMMM hes transfer ....the day after I'm wrote up for another bogus claim....Guess what I' looked and got a new job, never did replace my position til a month ago. Along with me went 4 other tl who had saw the paper. Just a warning....

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Whoa! I am scared!

 

[redeye58]

If they're smart, they'd wait until after Q4 or roll it out as part of AE2012.
Unfortunately, corp seems to have bankrupted the brain trust lately.

 

[commiecorvus]

I know a couple of TL's who are pretty sure they are toast after 4th quarter.
They have either been told directly that they will be demoted or it's been hinted that they aren't playing well with others.

 

[TLWorkerBee]

Well finally got a response from the ETL-HR today.

Walked in to clerical and she told me "Hey, I got your transcript for your AA degree. Really I don't know if it will meet the requirements and probably won't know until after 4th quarter." I was like "oh ok" and went about my business.

Soooo....... WTF?

Part of me thinks maybe she really doesn't know, but another part of me thinks she realizes I plan on walking out the door so she isn't telling me the truth.

Wait, so not only do you need a degree, but your degree has to somehow be related to Target business, even for TLs? I have an AA degree, but I still really really hope this doesn't happen at my store.