Archived does target only want etls with NO management experience?

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I keep hearing that they hire etl's straight out of college, i recently finished grad school but i have supervisor experience working in a call center as i needed to work during undergrad and graduate school. Does that disqualify me?? I'm only 27 so I'm fairly young but not fresh out of undergrad... Also, can i get some tips on interviewing?
 
It's an exaggeration to say they don't want any supervisory experience but they seem to prefer as little as possible so that they can train to their specifications.
Also it means they can abuse/push you more then most places would, since you don't have anything else to compare it to.
 
I think a lot of people here don't fully understand why so many ETLs these days are fresh out of undergrad with no work experience.

I was working at Target in the 1990's until recently. Back in the day, Target was a place that a viable long term career. We had retirement pensions, damn good health insurance, and damn good wages. That applied to *everyone* from TM up to STL.

Over time, the company started to cut down on the things that made Target a good place to work.... so that today the health plan is trash, there is no pension plan, and wages for everyone are low with very little chance of "real" raises.

Once it got to that point (I would say it became a "bad" place to work in the mid 2000's) many people who worked at Target (TMs up to STLs) simply decided it wasn't worth it anymore. So what happened? The people who had other options in life (read: the people with degrees - ETLs) jumped ship for other companies.

People with college degrees and years of work experience have options. They look at target, look at the pay/benefits, and realize they can get a better deal by taking their degree and working for another company. It is not that Target doesn't hire ETLs with experience - it is simply that they CAN'T hire ETLs with experience because the pay/benefits are so trashy now that they aren't competitive with other companies. The only ETLs they can hire are those fresh out of college who have no work history and therefore find it difficult to get a job at a better company, so they have to settle for Target.

To put things in perspective for you..... I was a TL during my last few years at Target. I absolutely hated what the company had become and wanted to quit. My problem? I had no bachelors degree and couldn't jump ship like many of the veteran ETLs I used to work with did. One day, our Sony rep mentioned to me that he was getting promoted with SCEA and offered to put in a good word with his manager for me. Thanks to my experience as an electronics TL, I was just the kind of person they were looking for and got the job. I have already earned several raises and make $22/hour right now with benefits that absolutely destroy what I had at Target. (great health insurance, 8 hours vacation a month, 8 hours sick a month, company paid life/disability insurance, great dental plan, 401K with dollar for dollar match, cash bonuses when I meet my goals, and about a 70% discount on most Sony products) Will I ever go back to being a TL at a retailer again with my current experience? Hell no. Guess what? I am at the bottom of the ladder at SCEA. (well, janitor would technically be a lesser job for the company) This is the difference between "bottom of the ladder" at a computer entertainment company compared to "bottom of the ladder" at retail. My education? I have an AA degree in general studies! Target laughs at that, but it helped me get my job.

Now take my boss for example. He is a regional manager. He has a bachelor's degree in business. He makes a little over $100,000 annually salary. He gets a new company paid for car *every year*. He gets profit sharing and stock options. Plus he has all the benefits I have such as great health insurance. He has zero contact with the public. He has his own office in a corporate building. How many hours does he put in a week? About 30-35. But guess what? He kicks ass and anything we reps ever need from him is taken care of pretty much overnight, and he is considered a top performer. Do you think Target could ever hire him as an ETL for 50K a year with pretty much zero benefits compared to what he gets now to work 60 hours weeks? Hell no. He would laugh in their face. That is the difference between management at a computer entertainment company compared to management at a retail store. But guess what? He had to work his way up to that job. Target management is a "walk in the door" management job - his is a "prove yourself first" management job.

It isn't that Target wouldn't LIKE to hire someone like my boss.... it is simply that they CAN'T afford someone like him. So who do they hire? New college grad with zero work history who can't get a job that college grads with experience can get.

So in answer to your post, Target WILL hire someone with experience for ETL.... it is just that they can't get many people who have it.
 
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I completely understand. I have applied through the website and haven't been contacted, i thought that it may be because i have some management experience. Is it tire that you have to look like a model in.order to get a job there? I know someone who was hired last jan as a hardlined etl, interviewed for stl position less than a year later and got it. I was under the impression you have to work in different departments first, she is a minority so im not sure if that has anything to do with it...??? Now I'm a minority too so dont think I'm hating I'm just confused.....
 
I completely understand. I have applied through the website and haven't been contacted, i thought that it may be because i have some management experience. Is it tire that you have to look like a model in.order to get a job there? I know someone who was hired last jan as a hardlined etl, interviewed for stl position less than a year later and got it. I was under the impression you have to work in different departments first, she is a minority so im not sure if that has anything to do with it...??? Now I'm a minority too so dont think I'm hating I'm just confused.....

You can straight up apply for STL.... Go to the Target careers site - they usually show STL positions. Of course, you do need experience for that.
 
think about it this way, you are hanging out in college, racking up student loans, not really sure if you'll be offered a job when you are done.

Along come these peppy, energetic recruiters, eager for you to work for Target - lots of opportunity for advancement, travel/transferring every couple of years, and a real job so you can start paying off your loans.
 
think about it this way, you are hanging out in college, racking up student loans, not really sure if you'll be offered a job when you are done.

Along come these peppy, energetic recruiters, eager for you to work for Target - lots of opportunity for advancement, travel/transferring every couple of years, and a real job so you can start paying off your loans.


Yeah i completely understand, i hear target starts etls off between 45k & 50k, most people aren't offered that right out of college
 
But you gotta have the "look" (young, attractive, up-to-date) & the exuberance (be willing to drink LOTS of red kool-aid).
Move up fast while ya got your looks & enthusiasm 'cause once those start going, the ride slows down.

It almost sounds like a joke lol, really? "young & attractive", Is target a retail corporation or a modeling agency?
 
Ah SOT, still up to the same ol' song and dance eh?

Did he really just compare a regional manager to an ETL? Lol... excellent.
 
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Ah SOT, still up to the same ol' song and dance eh?

Did he really just compare a regional manager to an ETL? Lol... excellent.

<sigh> Reading comprehension problems?

The OP asked about why Target can't hire ETLs with management experience. I provided an example of why that is. "Experienced managers" (such as my manager) have worked their way up to higher levels/pay/benefits. Thus, I said that is why Target can't hire someone with management experience (like my manager) to be an ETL - because it is not a competitive job for him.

If I cited someone equal to an ETL (i.e. a manger with no experience), then that wouldn't be an "experienced manager" and thus not applicable to the original question.

I didn't "compare" anyone to an ETL. I never said an ETL was equal to a higher level manager, only that the higher level manager actually had experience, which was what the OP asked about.

You do understand that the main difference between an ETL and higher level managers is that one has experience and the other doesn't, right?
 
It almost sounds like a joke lol, really? "young & attractive", Is target a retail corporation or a modeling agency?
It sounds like a joke but all the ETLs that have come through my store are early 20s.
Our STL & an older exec started going to the tanning salon, lost weight & have been dying their hair.
The female execs dress like high-schoolers.
It's a subtle corp image.
 
1) That's not what you said at all. The OP asked about being eliminated from consideration for ETL due to being 27, having a masters, and having previous experience as a supervisor. You then drew a comparison (blindly) to a bunch of nameless ETLs nearly a decade ago, and then drew that line to a regional manager. Regional managers, at any company, aren't 27 years old with "some supervisory experience". Your comparison, even if murky, was ETL = Regional manager.

2) Also a quick search of your posting history shows me you got your "sweet job" in Q1 this year (about 8 months ago). It also tells me that you were making $17 per hour at that time. Now you're making $22? 30% raise for a brand new employee in a downish economy? Impressive. At your current rate you'll be making over six figures in just a few years.

3) Have a fine evening.
 
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1) That's not what you said at all. The OP asked about being eliminated from consideration for ETL due to being 27, having a masters, and having previous experience as a supervisor. You then drew a comparison (blindly) to a bunch of nameless ETLs nearly a decade ago, and then drew that line to a regional manager. Regional managers, at any company, aren't 27 years old with "some supervisory experience". Your comparison was, even if murky, was ETL = Regional manager.

2) Also a quick search of your posting history shows me you got your "sweet job" in Q1 this year (about 8 months ago). It also tells me that you were making $17 per hour at that time. Now you're making $22? 30% raise for a brand new employee in a downish economy? Impressive. At your current rate you'll be making over six figures in just a few years.

3) Have a fine evening.

Lol, dude - you really don't read at all do you?

Notice I said "I have already earned several raises and make $22/hour right now "

Yes, in about 8 months I went from $17 to $22. I don't mean to be hateful, but that's the difference between working at a retail store versus a multi-billion dollar computer entertainment company. Guess what? You are probably going to accuse me of being cocky - but if you want to know part of the reason I earned those raises - I kick ass at my job, and unlike Target, they are willing to pay for that. (FYI - we do a hell of a lot more than simply go to retail stores. That is actually a small part of the job) It might be a down economy in the retail sector, but for SCEA we are making money hand over fist, and we have a new console coming out next year that in all likelihood is going to kick ass and make us even more money. Once you get out of retail you will see how a real company treats its employees. You see, at SCEA we actually get something called "raises" and "pay for performance". My job does have a wage cap, but unlike Target, it doesn't take 20 years to reach it.
 
It almost sounds like a joke lol, really? "young & attractive", Is target a retail corporation or a modeling agency?

He is totally correct about this..... Not the "young" part - but the attractive part.

Think about it (especially with female ETLs) - how many have you seen that are NOT at least considered "hot" or "good looking" by popular standards? Can you even name more than 1 at most? There are plenty of fat or otherwise less than attractive college grads.... do you *really* think it is a coincidence that none of them end up as ETLs at Target, and it just so happens damn near all of the "hot" ones end up at Target? They are clearly using good looks as part of their hiring decision. One of my friends just got a job as an ETL - and I told her she would get the job because she was hot. She told me the DTL that interviewed her was playing on his phone half the time she was answering questions, and the other half of the time was staring at her chest. You think physical appearance didn't play a role there?
 
If only it were a joke. Such a rule would obviously be illegal as it would be considered discrimination, but everyone knows it's one of those "unwritten" rules.

Actually there is no legal prohibition against hiring attractive people. It is 100% legal to openly state that you will only hire attractive people. Only members of a "protected class" (religion, race, sex, etc) can not be discriminated against. It is fair game for everyone else.
 
Sony stock price has dropped by nearly 50% in the time you've supposedly been employed by them. So no, your company is tanking, not making money "hand over fist".

A quick google search (took me literally 60 seconds to get dual sources) tells me sony rep's make an average of 31K (aka 60% of what you claim to currently make).

Next lie please.

EDIT: Target stock price has gained roughly 22% over that same span.
 
Sony stock price has dropped by nearly 50% in the time you've supposedly been employed by them. So no, your company is tanking, not making money "hand over fist".

A quick google search (took me literally 60 seconds to get dual sources) tells me sony rep's make an average of 31K (aka 60% of what you claim to currently make).

Next lie please.

EDIT: Target stock price has gained roughly 22% over that same span.

The stock price means not a damn thing. I work for Sony Computer Entertainment America - we are totally separate subsidiary company under parent company Sony Corporation. (which is the only Sony traded on the stock market) Under Sony Corporation there is - Sony Electronics, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Online Entertainment, Sony Ericsson Mobile, and those are just the ones I can remember. Then we have tons of other Sony subsidiaries in practically every country on the planet.

Several of those companies (Sony Electronics in particular - which handles the Sony TVs, radios, etc - but NOT playstation) are causing the stock price to drop. Everyone at work knows this. SCEA is actually *highly* profitable. Because the other Sony subsidiary companies drag the stock down doesn't mean our division isn't kicking ass. Do you think we have a damn thing to do with Sony Music Entertainment, for example, because music CD sales suck ass and they can't turn a profit with digital downloads of songs? We are not responsible if they don't turn a profit this year. The other divisions are like totally separate companies - and we all generate our own revenues for Sony Corporation. SCEA can't make up the slack if the other parts of the company are dropping the ball. What matters is that the company I work for - SCEA - is turning huge profits.

It is pretty sad you don't understand the basic structure of how a corporation is setup. But then again, you have never worked for a company as large as ours, so that isn't surprising.

This is like if I say to you "Target India is bleeding money fast".... that doesn't mean the Stores part of "Target Corporation" isn't doing well. Target Stores and Target India are two totally seperate companies under "Target Corporation". See how that works? That's what makes a corporation a corporation - lots of small companies in one big company. (god I feel like I am explaining basic business to a 5 year old)
 
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No, the parent company is 100% relevant. It's basic economics and accounting. Explaining that, to you, if you don't get it already, would take more time than I care to spend on the topic.

I've heard quiet rumblings that PS4 may never happen b/c of the failings of Sony as a whole. 50% in a year? That's just plain awful. Also, margins in the console/entertainment industry are rather miniscule, volume is the key, and microsoft/nintendo are still owning sony in that regard.

Edit: Since you felt like tossing on that last... ridiculous... paragraph, I'll take this chance to explain how you're wrong yet again. Then I'm going to go watch Cabin in The Woods with my wife, I hear it's pretty funny.

SCEA is a part of the umbrella organization that is Sony Corp. The head of SCEA, whatever his name is, reports to Sony Corp, not vice versa. Sony Corp. owns all rights, intellectual property, physical land, equipment, buildings, etc. If Sony is failing, you are failing. Picture Sony Corp. as a human, the brain being Sony Corp. itself, if that brain fails, you... the leg, die. You're not parallel, you're not "target india vs. whatever you were trying to talk about", you are a subsidiary of a larger company, if they fail, you do.

Now have a good evening fella, I'm sure you'll be Bill Gates come this time next year.
 
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No, the parent company is 100% relevant. It's basic economics and accounting. Explaining that, to you, if you don't get it already, would take more time than I care to spend on the topic.

I've heard quiet rumblings that PS4 may never happen b/c of the failings of Sony as a whole. 50% in a year? That's just plain awful. Also, margins in the console/entertainment industry are rather miniscule, volume is the key, and microsoft/nintendo are still owning sony in that regard.

Lol.... ok, PS4 won't happen because SCEA is on the verage of going out of business. Everyone here reading your post (who has an actual grasp of reality) now sees exactly how out of touch you are.

Yes, 50% drop in Sony stock means PS4 is cancelled. SCEA isn't making money, and no one wants to buy our hugely successful products. I'm sure next year we will be bankrupt. To make matters worse, Nintendo, which is about to release a console which barely brings them up to current generation consoles, (and likely will be completely dwarfed technologically by what are going to put out next year) has us running scared. You've got it all figured out naterstx.

I'll make sure to drop my manager an email and let him know that when I logged into the corporate intranet at work today and saw SCEA year-to-date sales up 40 something percent on the home page it was an error and according to naterstx we don't know how to properly do our accounting.

Damn, I sure hope my next paycheck clears the bank.

"Also, margins in the console/entertainment industry are rather miniscule"

LOL - this is only true of the consoles, which we do sell at a loss. Too bad the cost of a PS3 game case, paper insert, and blu-ray ROM cost us about 10 cents each to produce in bulk and we sell them for $50-55 a pop to retailers so you can sell them for $60. Yea, that's what I would call a small profit margin..... You do know that's about a 550% markup for us, right? The retailers (read: you) are actually the ones getting screwed earning about $5 for each game sold. $5 profit for you, $50-55 profit for us. Again, you can't seem to realize SCEA is NOT A RETAILER. We have totally different (superior) profit margins. Because we sell intellectual property, that we can copy over and over again for very low cost and then sell at huge profit margins, we are extremely profitable.
 
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