Welcome to The Break Room!
1. The internship and business college are about managing business. It's one thing to sell TVs and cameras; running a store is a whole different animal.
2. Anyone with a Bachelor's degree or higher can be an ETL. Target prefers business degrees, but any degree will work.
3. This one really could go either way, so I'll let the other members take it.
Oh, thanks for the reply! I do appreciate it.
I'm well aware about the differences between selling TVs and cameras and running a store. I may have forgotten to mention this in my post, but my store is low-volume, so if those were the only two things I did all day I'd be incredibly bored. In my downtime I do a lot of work in other areas (ie. salesplanners, etc.)
3. Will my experience as a Target team member better my chances at being hired as an ETL?
But I just don't see how being a former team member (and a fantastic one at that) would inhibit my chances at being hired at the exec level -- considering that I have leadership experience through extracurriculars, and an impeccable academic record.
I appreciate the reply and time spent answering my questions, truly. But I just don't see how being a former team member (and a fantastic one at that) would inhibit my chances at being hired at the exec level -- considering that I have leadership experience through extracurriculars, and an impeccable academic record.
Thank you so much for the words and advice, Sigma!Go for the internship. It's much more pay for that summer and will give you a more realistic look a what leadership at target is. You'll also be working in another store, so you'll see how other Target's are. That can be an eye opening experience in and of itself.
Thank you so much for the words and advice, Sigma!Go for the internship. It's much more pay for that summer and will give you a more realistic look a what leadership at target is. You'll also be working in another store, so you'll see how other Target's are. That can be an eye opening experience in and of itself.
While I appreciate everyone chiming in with their comments and advice, I don't know that I'll continue using this site -- there's SO much anger and bitterness here. I'm very sorry to hear that you guys have had such bad experiences with both Target as a company and your leaders. Target has been nothing but good to me, and I'm eager to continue on with them in the coming years.
I hope that you guys find an employer that does a better job at making you happier than Target, and I wish you the best!
While I appreciate everyone chiming in with their comments and advice, I don't know that I'll continue using this site -- there's SO much anger and bitterness here. I'm very sorry to hear that you guys have had such bad experiences with both Target as a company and your leaders. Target has been nothing but good to me, and I'm eager to continue on with them in the coming years.
Thank you so much for the words and advice, Sigma!
While I appreciate everyone chiming in with their comments and advice, I don't know that I'll continue using this site -- there's SO much anger and bitterness here. I'm very sorry to hear that you guys have had such bad experiences with both Target as a company and your leaders. Target has been nothing but good to me, and I'm eager to continue on with them in the coming years.
I hope that you guys find an employer that does a better job at making you happier than Target, and I wish you the best!
We applied for those open positions (or were not told about them), only to be passed over...and told to work even harder, next time it would be our turn. Instead, they've hired young things off the street that have never worked retail before. Try harder, they tell us, next time it will be our turn.
That was a good read.OP: If you don't want to take it from us, you can read about it straight from other ETLs:
http://www.thebreakroom.org/index.php?threads/before-you-sign-your-life-away.171/
While I appreciate everyone chiming in with their comments and advice, I don't know that I'll continue using this site -- there's SO much anger and bitterness here. I'm very sorry to hear that you guys have had such bad experiences with both Target as a company and your leaders. Target has been nothing but good to me, and I'm eager to continue on with them in the coming years.
I hope that you guys find an employer that does a better job at making you happier than Target, and I wish you the best!
OP: If you don't want to take it from us, you can read about it straight from other ETLs:
http://www.thebreakroom.org/index.php?threads/before-you-sign-your-life-away.171/
Thank you so much for the words and advice, Sigma!
While I appreciate everyone chiming in with their comments and advice, I don't know that I'll continue using this site -- there's SO much anger and bitterness here. I'm very sorry to hear that you guys have had such bad experiences with both Target as a company and your leaders. Target has been nothing but good to me, and I'm eager to continue on with them in the coming years.
I hope that you guys find an employer that does a better job at making you happier than Target, and I wish you the best!
I'm sure that some of what you see as bitterness is actually experience and cynicism born out of reality.
Here's the thing, I remember coming home from Target after being there for six months and telling my wife it was one of the better places I had worked in a long time.
They seemed to respect me and care about the people.
Three years later they performanced me out because of my disability.
All it took was a change in management.
So yeah, Target can be a great place to work.
It can also be seriously painful and disappointing.
^This.
Once you learn the ugly underside of ETLs, the last thing they want is for one to step down & tell other TMs what leadership REALLY thinks of TMs' contributions & their hard work: they don't care.
As long as their team keeps them green, helps them get their bonuses, don't get uppity by demanding decent wages & health care they'll pretend to care by plying them with empty gestures like vibe cards & shout-outs over the walkie.
An ETL who truly cares about their TMs & shows empathy doesn't last long.
An ETL promoted from TM could be just that type.
I don't mean to sound offensive but this mindset is what makes most people bad leaders: "As long as the company does right by me, there's no need to worry about those below me". It's not a philosophy that anyone should live by. It's also the reason Target keeps moving closer and closer to Walmart in terms of business practices. Less empathy for the people on the lowest rung means bigger savings for the company and bigger checks for the executives. Low worker morale doesn't matter because they know we aren't in any position to affect positive change.Thank you so much for the words and advice, Sigma!Go for the internship. It's much more pay for that summer and will give you a more realistic look a what leadership at target is. You'll also be working in another store, so you'll see how other Target's are. That can be an eye opening experience in and of itself.
While I appreciate everyone chiming in with their comments and advice, I don't know that I'll continue using this site -- there's SO much anger and bitterness here. I'm very sorry to hear that you guys have had such bad experiences with both Target as a company and your leaders. Target has been nothing but good to me, and I'm eager to continue on with them in the coming years.
I hope that you guys find an employer that does a better job at making you happier than Target, and I wish you the best!
I don't mean to sound offensive but this mindset is what makes most people bad leaders: "As long as the company does right by me, there's no need to worry about those below me". It's not a philosophy that anyone should live by. It's also the reason Target keeps moving closer and closer to Walmart in terms of business practices. Less empathy for the people on the lowest rung means bigger savings for the company and bigger checks for the executives. Low worker morale doesn't matter because they know we aren't in any position to affect positive change.Thank you so much for the words and advice, Sigma!Go for the internship. It's much more pay for that summer and will give you a more realistic look a what leadership at target is. You'll also be working in another store, so you'll see how other Target's are. That can be an eye opening experience in and of itself.
While I appreciate everyone chiming in with their comments and advice, I don't know that I'll continue using this site -- there's SO much anger and bitterness here. I'm very sorry to hear that you guys have had such bad experiences with both Target as a company and your leaders. Target has been nothing but good to me, and I'm eager to continue on with them in the coming years.
I hope that you guys find an employer that does a better job at making you happier than Target, and I wish you the best!