Archived Considering pursuing GSA position?

[BF Hardlines]

Hi! I'm a 17 year-old who has been working in Hardlines (as the name may imply) for 1 year . However, whenever backup is called for the front lanes, I am consistently the one who ends up going. I will voluntarily go up, as I want to help the store run smoothly, and the other team members pick up on this and will flat out ignore (or at least I assume they ignore) multiple calls up to the front lanes, until I once again have to pick up a rather large amount of slack for the team.

Recently, however, there has been what seems to be multiple openings for GSA at my store. And from what it seems, the explicit role of a GSA is to overlook the lanes, and essentially perform the duties of a GSTL without the same level of authority (I am also aware of the lower pay compared to GSTL). It also seems that the implicit role of the GSA is to boost RedCard enrollment, which I guess I could see how that could drive customer guest loyalty. From my understanding, there is nothing in the job description that requires a certain age, as most responsibilities are for GSTL?

I know that almost all GSTLs have openly thanked me at huddle for being essentially the only one on the floor to respond. Additionally, I prioritize quick service, as to prevent inconvenience on behalf of the guest, and to get back to my role as Team Member. This I believe can be problematic, as I often don't have the time to discuss the RedCard with the guest, thus getting few new RedCards.

My questions, as a 17 year old, who is currently in school, and has worked at Target (in Hardlines) for 1 year now, are..

1. What would the viability be of someone of my age/experience getting the position?

2. If the chances are relatively low, what might I do to improve my chances before applying?
(IE: Get RedCard, train in service desk, work longer/be older etc.)

3. Is this position worth pursuing? I am aware of the fact that GSTLs make considerably more for "the same job". Also, being 17, and primarily using this as a summer job, I am not afraid of physical taxation.

4. I don't think I'll be available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays this summer. Would 4 day work weeks affect my chances significantly, or could I just work weekends?


I'm sorry if this is really long, or if it's not necessarily in the right forum, I'm completely new to this site, and I appreciate any responses! Thank You!

 

[FiestyPlano]

1. At 17 I'm not sure. I only say it because GSA's have to ring up liquor and some states you have to be 18 but if that isn't the case the. You should be fine.
2. First you need to let your leader know you are interested and then apply for the position and then try to be the best leader possible in the area you work in. It would also be important that you are always asking guests to sign up for a red card even when you are backing up.
3. My boyfriend was a GSTL for 5 years and although he loved it. It got so bad for him that he had to leave the front end. And when I say bad I mean the sometimes very unrealistic goals for red cards and you get yelled at when your team isn't asking but there is only so much you can do and say to get your team to push the red card. I wouldn't be a gsa if my life depended on it. My Plano role is stressful enough but at least my goals are achievable and I can physically do something about my goal whereas the front end guests just don't want red cards sometimes.
4. If it works for the rest of the GSA's and GSTL's then that availability could be fine. Some of our GSA's are in college and can only work nights so that is fine with everyone so it works.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

You have to be 18 to get a red card. Stay in hardlines.

 

[Firefox]

1. What would the viability be of someone of my age/experience getting the position?

Might be an issue, at least until you turn 18. It might not be, it depends on how much faith your Leadership has in your responsibility and maturity. I started as a GSA at 18 turning 19, and I probably would have been fine at 17 if I had had access to reliable transport.

2. If the chances are relatively low, what might I do to improve my chances before applying?

Express interest about it to your ETL-GE, ETL-HR, and your ETL-HL/SF. Ask for their input, and if they don't think you're ready you can ask how you can develop towards the position.

3. Is this position worth pursuing? I am aware of the fact that GSTLs make considerably more for "the same job". Also, being 17, and primarily using this as a summer job, I am not afraid of physical taxation.

It's not so much physical taxation, it's mental. The position can be very stressful and mentally taxing, especially if you have to worry about school. Honestly though, it's good experience. You will quickly learn how to think on your feet, deescalate angry guests and confrontations, obtain a thick skin if you don't already have one, prioritize certain tasks, and develop a leadership mentality and it's a good step toward handling the responsibilities of a TL. It's not for everyone, but for it can be a valuable experience. It can also get your foot in the door with retail management elsewhere.

4. I don't think I'll be available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays this summer. Would 4 day work weeks affect my chances significantly, or could I just work weekends?

Again, this depends on your store. We have multiple part-time GSAs work only work a few days a week, and I myself only worked 2-3 days during the school year, but I had wide-open availability during the summer. If your store needs multiple full-time GSAs, it might lessen your chances, but having an extra part-timer can't hurt. It shouldn't be an issue, but ask about it when you express interest in the role to your leadership.

 

[redeye58]

You don't want this.
If there's 'multiple' GSA openings at your store, there's a reason behind it.
Most common complaints: you're doing almost the same work as a GSTL for a fraction of the raise, you don't have any 'real' authority (some GSAs get run over by other TMs), you may not get any support from your leadership when it comes to enforcing policy & dealing with difficult guests, your other GSAs may have been 'performanced out' because they weren't getting enough red cards.
Ask around because if you've got SEVERAL GSA openings, something's really wrong up there.
Run the other way & don't look back.
Not kidding.

 

[Theweather]

I'm 18 and asked to be trained in GSA at the beginning of this year. It honestly opens up a lot of doors as to how the company is running and you get to learn a lot more about Target! I guess it varies from location to location, but I love my job. You'll have to open or close most likely and can't do so because you're a minor- so let them know you're interested, get a foot in the door, and do your best! We're always looking for positive people who really support Target and want to make it the best experience for the guests AND team members. again, they most likely won't hire you as GSA because you're a minor, but best of luck in the future!

 

[redeye58]

ASANTS.
Particularly the OP's store.
There's something wrong with a store's culture when there's THAT MANY GSA openings at once.
You're lucky to be in a store with supportive leadership; quite a few aren't so lucky.

 

[Flabbergasted]

ASANTS.
Particularly the OP's store.
There's something wrong with a store's culture when there's THAT MANY GSA openings at once.
You're lucky to be in a store with supportive leadership; quite a few aren't so lucky.

If you want to know what it's like to be a GSA with upper leadership who hates you, feel free to read some of my past rants from back when I worked for Spot. Really, you should. It's the gold standard of complaining about being GSA. I too once made a thread like this asking, begging for advice on how to get that 'promotion' because I wanted it so badly. What a fool I was. Literally the ONLY thing GSA was good for is getting me in a similar management-type role at a different company for more $/hour. So, if you want the management experience, take it. But don't expect to enjoy your job for the duration that you have it. Again, Ms. Red is right here. It's all ASANTS. If you have supportive, amazing leadership who cares about their team members, GSA might not be so bad. But when you mix shitty leadership, shitty guests and shitty pay all into one piping bowl of crap, you get a very unhappy Flabbergasted. If you do get the job, best of luck to you that things turn out better.

But my advice, personally, is to run as far away as you can. Especially when there are multiple positions open, you have to ask yourself why they haven't been able to fill them?

 

[BullseyeBabe]

Our shiny new GSA kept asking why no one wanted the position. She loved the training and thought she would "just love the job!"
Tonight she closed by herself for the first time. She looked like she was going to cry. At one point tonight, as she walked by me she said, "I swear to God I'm going to quit! I mean it I'm just going to walk out!"

 

[LUR99]

Our shiny new GSA kept asking why no one wanted the position. She loved the training and thought she would "just love the job!"
Tonight she closed by herself for the first time. She looked like she was going to cry. At one point tonight, as she walked by me she said, "I swear to God I'm going to quit! I mean it I'm just going to walk out!"

We just had two openings for GSA. One of the new GSA newbies looks likes she's about to cry too. The other one thinks she's better than all of us now but she hasn't worked by herself yet, always had an experienced GSA with her so far. That will change next week. Maybe she will get off her high horse then.

 

[redeye58]

Maybe she will get off her high horse then.

More than likely KNOCKED off.....

 

[LUR99]

More than likely KNOCKED off.....

She's still walking around like she owns Target and pissing everyone off including the others GSA's. She needs to get KNOCKED off her high horse sooner than later.

 

[thatguyattarget]

I love all my GSAs because they never exceed their role. Meaning, they know they have authority but not a TL. BUT there's a newly-promoted one who thinks he knows everything (been there <3 months to GSA) and is very arrogant. I always put him in his place because he's annoying. No one likes him.

 

[BlueSide]

At my store, GSAs are expected to do the same as the GSTLs; NOTHING! Lol they'll have 2 GSTLs and a GSA all standing together at the front end, all calling for backup.

 

[NitroKing2110]

BUT there's a newly-promoted one who thinks he knows everything (been there <3 months to GSA) and is very arrogant. I always put him in his place because he's annoying.

One of our GSTLs is like that. He's a brand new outside hire from about a month ago, and originally wanted Sr. GSTL but they told him no. He'll call half the salesfloor up to backup cash, including market/electronics, and send half out to go fetch carts because he took the cart attendant to ring, and then need help finding something on the floor and get pissed when nobody responds, to the point where he sent an angry email to the salesfloor leadership about the "abhorrent lack of concern" for front end operations. The ETL-SF looked like she was going to punch him when she read it and found out that we were all doing front end things.

 

[Flabbergasted]

One of our GSTLs is like that. He's a brand new outside hire from about a month ago, and originally wanted Sr. GSTL but they told him no. He'll call half the salesfloor up to backup cash, including market/electronics, and send half out to go fetch carts because he took the cart attendant to ring, and then need help finding something on the floor and get pissed when nobody responds, to the point where he sent an angry email to the salesfloor leadership about the "abhorrent lack of concern" for front end operations. The ETL-SF looked like she was going to punch him when she read it and found out that we were all doing front end things.

I don't understand how people can do this. Personally, I don't have the gonads, nor the desire, to go on power trips like this and talk down to people or act like I run the place. I treat my team as equals and am pretty fair and nice to people I work with. At both Target and Lowe's, several of my cashiers have called me their favorite. Not trying to be a braggart here; just pointing out that people appreciate you more and have respect for you when you don't treat them like scum underneath your shoe, like many members of management do. I know I'm not some big boss up the chain or anything but even as GSAs/head cashiers/low-level supervisors, we can affect change. We can choose not to be assholes to those we're managing. Who are these people in these positions that get off on treating others like shit? Like the Sr. Softlines TL witch who still works at my old Spot, who once admitted to another TL that she feels "productive" writing people up. Fuck "leadership" like that, man. You don't deserve to be called a leader if you behave that way.

 

[redeye58]

^This.
You catch a lot more flies with honey than vinegar.

 

[thetargetman]

At 17 you cannot meet the availability requirements. After you turn 18 you can go for it but I urge you to think it over VERY carefully. There is a reason there are so many openings for GSAs, As a GSA you will be basically an underpaid GSTL without the power of a TL. Depending on your store you might not get the backing of your leadership when it comes to policies and difficult guests. I am friends with two GSAs from my former store and they all tell me the same thing as to how miserable they are with getting the blame on not motivating the team to push those stupid Redcards. Please do not put this unnecessary stress on yourself!

 

[xxTheDudexx]

You would certainly have to be at least 18 for that role. Just know what you're signing yourself up for. Probably varies from store to store a little bit. Talk to the GSA's at your store and ask them how they like the position without hinting your intentions. I was a GSA for almost a year before asking to step down. I just wanted some management experience for my resume. For 50 cents more an hour I got chewed out by guests, had to babysit cashiers who weren't always team players about taking their brakes when you needed them to, lots of pressure is put on you from ETL's for driving red cards up front and making sure the cashiers hit their quota for the day, and expect to have 5 different TM's calling your name in 5 different directions needing 5 different things at the same time. The biggest thing you'll learn real quick is how needy all your friends up front suddenly become when you are running the lanes. Maybe not so much of a problem for your case since you're coming from the sales floor. It had it's perks, and I got out of it what I wanted, I personally just felt it wasn't worth all the added stress for a measly 50 cents per hour. If the pay was better, I might have stayed with it.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

So...you guys...I am a GSA now. I know, I know. I really wanted to do this. Now I want to do the best job I can. Please share any ideas you have about positive ways to drive RedCards.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

So...you guys...I am a GSA now. I know, I know. I really wanted to do this. Now I want to do the best job I can. Please share any ideas you have about positive ways to drive RedCards.

From the red cards thread:
Do ya wanna get a red caaaaaaaaaaaaaaard?
Saving 5% each daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay?
Don't really wanna whine; my job is on the line.
It's the only waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
I used to give great service once but now that's gone;
What are ya gonna dooooooooooooooooooo?
Do ya wanna get a red card?
Debit toooooooooooooooo.
*Do you wanna build a snowman
redeye58, Apr 8, 2016

Also, partner with salesfloor on big items & ask electronics folks to help you reach goals. Be positive & encourage your team to succeed.
Congrats on the promotion.

 

[redeye58]

The song that will never die.....lol

 

[BullseyeBabe]

Red! You're the best!

 

[sunshineyellow]

So...you guys...I am a GSA now. I know, I know. I really wanted to do this. Now I want to do the best job I can. Please share any ideas you have about positive ways to drive RedCards.

Congratulations on your promotion!
I'm still figuring out the redcards too, but I will say one thing I think is really important is recognizing your cashiers- not just for getting redcards, but for consistently talking about them. I know as a cashier I felt discouraged when leadership only cared that I hadn't gotten a redcard that day, even though I had been talking them up and asking everyone. I let the cashiers know that I sincerely appreciate their efforts, even when it doesn't result in anything that day. In my view, getting them to consistently ask every guest is the most important factor in selling redcards.

 

[fixurpunchordie]

You have to be 18 to get a red card. Stay in hardlines.

RedCards can be done at any age. I began when I was 16, and I did 3 RedCards in the first week. It could be a regionally specific rule, but any employee is required to ask at any age at all registers (except for food service cashiers).