Archived From Intern to ETL

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redcardroy

ETL-AP
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May 22, 2014
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Can anyone explain the process of being offered an etl position at the end of the executive internship? Do you have to go on through the extended internship? If so, how demanding is it? I'll have to take 27 more credit hours in fairly demanding classes after the summer to graduate. Also, when it comes to work center selection, is that up to you? If I really want to do AP, could I make that a contingency of my full time acceptance? How does that selection process work exactly and how soon before you're assigned a store?
 
We have had interns work 1 or 2 days per week as extended interns. Not even remotely demanding. If you are interested in AP and only AP, you might want to work somewhere else entirely. I suppose it depends on area, but there is a surplus of ETLs, and as HRs and APs continue to be cut, I imagine new ETLs will not be able to be too choosy.
 
We have had interns work 1 or 2 days per week as extended interns. Not even remotely demanding. If you are interested in AP and only AP, you might want to work somewhere else entirely. I suppose it depends on area, but there is a surplus of ETLs, and as HRs and APs continue to be cut, I imagine new ETLs will not be able to be too choosy.

I'm glad you mention that. The phase out of etl-ap seems to be affecting a lot of districts. Oddly enough, it doesn't seem to be affecting my area. At least not yet. What do the extended interns do on their one/two days a week?
 
Depends. Often, LOD. We had one who was a TL and worked a full week--her choice. A couple of them worked as overpriced regular tms. They didn't last very long as ETLs. I would think one or two LOD shifts would be great for you and the store.
 
Depends. Often, LOD. We had one who was a TL and worked a full week--her choice. A couple of them worked as overpriced regular tms. They didn't last very long as ETLs. I would think one or two LOD shifts would be great for you and the store.

What do you do on an LOD shift? I know you're the leader that everyone goes to when they need leadership in the moment, but what sort of routine does an LOD have?
 
Make sure the store doesn't go to shit. Direct as needed for teams to make sure things get done. Get the zones done. Check on red cards if you're below goal. Check the fitting room. Assign pushers for CAFS or research if needed. Depends on the time you're LOD in my opinion. Open vs. close should have two different routines.
 
What do you do on an LOD shift? I know you're the leader that everyone goes to when they need leadership in the moment, but what sort of routine does an LOD have?
Early LODs walk the store and find opportunities to fix for the first part of the day, and assign who will be working on them. Truck, plano, instocks, and price change followup. Mid LODs will focus more on CAFs, and the closer will focus on finishing any CAFs and zone recovery. Essentially the AM is for projects while evening is for recovery (although zone recovery is changing with the use of zone assists/early morning end to end teams).
 
That sounds do-able. I used to do the same thing as CVS on a much smaller scale. Scanning outs, pulling merchandise from the backroom, zoning, etc. Hopefully it'll all be second nature soon after I start in June. Thanks for all the info!
 
You will be offered an ETL position at the end of the summer internship program. You must receive a "meets expectations" during your bieeekly statuses, receive blessing from training ETL and STL, and successfully complete the Operational Review at the end of the internship.

Once the Operational Review is completed, you'll receive a phone call from the recruiter for your area with an offer. This is typically scheduled during one of your final internship shifts.

Extended Internships are completely optional, and not required to move forward as an ETL. If you are interesting in an EI, make your interest known, especially with the DTL.

EI's schedules vary... some work on special projects within the store, others may learn a different workcenter, some do LOD shifts a couple times a week, and others just work during the holiday season. Since you retain your internship pay rate, payroll challenged stores may not be able to "afford" extended interns. I was the only EI in my internship class of 10 to get one.

If you do EI, make sure your expectations are clear with your ETL trainer and STL. My summer internship was in logistics, and my extended internship was in Guest Experience... I was supposed to keep mentor and coach a struggling GSTL, and was basically a Sr. GSTl (minus opening/closing solo)... but then my STL blasted me for not being global enough. Just be clear on your role as an EI... a bad EI can result in your original offer being pulled.

Honestly, while I didn't have the greatest experience as an EI, it did give me the push to pursue other career opportunities. And I'm very thankful for that experience.
 
You will be offered an ETL position at the end of the summer internship program. You must receive a "meets expectations" during your bieeekly statuses, receive blessing from training ETL and STL, and successfully complete the Operational Review at the end of the internship.

Once the Operational Review is completed, you'll receive a phone call from the recruiter for your area with an offer. This is typically scheduled during one of your final internship shifts.

Extended Internships are completely optional, and not required to move forward as an ETL. If you are interesting in an EI, make your interest known, especially with the DTL.

EI's schedules vary... some work on special projects within the store, others may learn a different workcenter, some do LOD shifts a couple times a week, and others just work during the holiday season. Since you retain your internship pay rate, payroll challenged stores may not be able to "afford" extended interns. I was the only EI in my internship class of 10 to get one.

If you do EI, make sure your expectations are clear with your ETL trainer and STL. My summer internship was in logistics, and my extended internship was in Guest Experience... I was supposed to keep mentor and coach a struggling GSTL, and was basically a Sr. GSTl (minus opening/closing solo)... but then my STL blasted me for not being global enough. Just be clear on your role as an EI... a bad EI can result in your original offer being pulled.

Honestly, while I didn't have the greatest experience as an EI, it did give me the push to pursue other career opportunities. And I'm very thankful for that experience.

Wow thank you so much for your input. My only concern for skipping on the EI is the chance that the full time offer will be rescinded. But since only you out of 10 people in your class were extended that opportunity, I guess I shouldn't worry about that. Do you have any pointers on making a good impression during the internship?
 
Wow thank you so much for your input. My only concern for skipping on the EI is the chance that the full time offer will be rescinded. But since only you out of 10 people in your class were extended that opportunity, I guess I shouldn't worry about that. Do you have any pointers on making a good impression during the internship?

Just to clarify, everyone in my internship class received the ETL offer at the end of summer. I was only one to get the Extended Internship opportunity. I don't know if it was because no else asked, or because their stores didn't have project for them to do...

To make a great impression during your internship, just jump right in. Your first few weeks will be the department you were assigned to, and the second half is LOD duties. But don't be afraid to learn about different workcenters and how they relate to each other (like how logistics coordinates with the salesfloor team).

Ask questions. Read the best practices. If possible, try to find someone in your store who is good metrics and financial reports and have them explain to you. I came from another retailer and always found profitability, inventory levels, margin, and sales figures interesting... It'll help you understand how everything ties together.

You likely go on several outings with other interns in your market (including a community event, teambuild, distribution center visit if nearby, kick-off day, intern swap day, and operational review). Remember that you will be 'on stage' at times, so always be professional and try to get involved. Standing in the corner texting doesn't give off a good impression... This is especially important during kick-off day as you will likely not know who's who.

Try to build a good rapport with your DTL. Don't be afraid to step up and offer to lead a DTL walk. Some DTLs may even let you tour another store with them. Take advantage!

Get to know the team members. I know my training ETL and STL would ask them for feedback about how I was doing. Also, more importantly, you will be seen as a leader in the building if you try to get to know them, instead of just treating them like employees. TLs and tenured team members can give you a wealth of information... recognize them!

If possible, try to get a feel for what leaders wear in the building. My STL was always big on leaders wearing Target Polo shirts or red button shirts, especially during LOd shifts. While you don't need to dress like you work at a Saks Fifth Avenue, dressing the part of a manager can go far in establishing credibility.

Finally.... LOD shifts were always my biggest opportunity. Try to shadow a couple different LOD's and take the best of each's rountines and work them into your own LOD rountines. Remember, everyone does LOD a little differently. Don't feel that just because your trainer does it one way mean that you cant customize to your own needs.

Hope this helps. It's been a few years since I've been through the internship, but I'll try to answer any questions you may have.
 
Just to clarify, everyone in my internship class received the ETL offer at the end of summer. I was only one to get the Extended Internship opportunity. I don't know if it was because no else asked, or because their stores didn't have project for them to do...

To make a great impression during your internship, just jump right in. Your first few weeks will be the department you were assigned to, and the second half is LOD duties. But don't be afraid to learn about different workcenters and how they relate to each other (like how logistics coordinates with the salesfloor team).

Ask questions. Read the best practices. If possible, try to find someone in your store who is good metrics and financial reports and have them explain to you. I came from another retailer and always found profitability, inventory levels, margin, and sales figures interesting... It'll help you understand how everything ties together.

You likely go on several outings with other interns in your market (including a community event, teambuild, distribution center visit if nearby, kick-off day, intern swap day, and operational review). Remember that you will be 'on stage' at times, so always be professional and try to get involved. Standing in the corner texting doesn't give off a good impression... This is especially important during kick-off day as you will likely not know who's who.

Try to build a good rapport with your DTL. Don't be afraid to step up and offer to lead a DTL walk. Some DTLs may even let you tour another store with them. Take advantage!

Get to know the team members. I know my training ETL and STL would ask them for feedback about how I was doing. Also, more importantly, you will be seen as a leader in the building if you try to get to know them, instead of just treating them like employees. TLs and tenured team members can give you a wealth of information... recognize them!

If possible, try to get a feel for what leaders wear in the building. My STL was always big on leaders wearing Target Polo shirts or red button shirts, especially during LOd shifts. While you don't need to dress like you work at a Saks Fifth Avenue, dressing the part of a manager can go far in establishing credibility.

Finally.... LOD shifts were always my biggest opportunity. Try to shadow a couple different LOD's and take the best of each's rountines and work them into your own LOD rountines. Remember, everyone does LOD a little differently. Don't feel that just because your trainer does it one way mean that you cant customize to your own needs.

Hope this helps. It's been a few years since I've been through the internship, but I'll try to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you so much! If I'm extended a full time offer at the end of the internship, is it one of those offers that needs to be accepted or declined right away or can I wait a year until I'm about to graduate without risking losing the offer? Also, to what extent is the salary negotiable?
 
Thank you so much! If I'm extended a full time offer at the end of the internship, is it one of those offers that needs to be accepted or declined right away or can I wait a year until I'm about to graduate without risking losing the offer? Also, to what extent is the salary negotiable?

From my impressions, interns are expected to accept/decline the offer right away... This may not be true, but that's the way it seemed... After all, you spent 8 weeks as an intern, and should know whether or not you liked what you saw. Typically, they will offer you the position after the Operational Review session. Your recruiter will send you an invite to a conference call, she/he will ask about your thoughts and experiences, and then offer the position. After the verbal offer, they'll go over salary, benefits, and business college expectations. Of course, they'll disclaim that benefits may change, and all the legal crap they need to discuss.

Salary wise... My salary offer was $49,500. I had worked at Kmart for 5 years prior (including their own intern program and other supervisory roles), so I'm not sure if it was adjusted for prior experience. Since it was inline with the market rate (and above my expectations), I accepted immediately, and didn't bother to negotiate. The only probably with it is, if you're coming in with just a college degree, and no experience, you may not have a lot of wiggle room to negotiate.

You can always do what I did... I accepted Target's offer, and used the school year to search for other jobs within my degree program (HR)... Other interns in my program did the same, and only 2-4 ended up at Target after graduation. The rest of us found jobs within our degree program, or went for their master's degree. While it may seem unprofessional, it is common for people to accept one offer, while waiting for another. Just be sure to give plenty of notice... Just note, that if you are an extended intern in the store, you may be let go immediately due to the pay associated with interns. My STL was nice enough to let me work the entire 2 weeks.

If you do decide to look elsewhere during the school, be extremely careful on LinkedIn... Stay away from headlines or profile content that alludes to your job search, and don't put your profile on publicly searchable databases that Target may use (including some College Career Services 'resume books').
 
From my impressions, interns are expected to accept/decline the offer right away... This may not be true, but that's the way it seemed... After all, you spent 8 weeks as an intern, and should know whether or not you liked what you saw. Typically, they will offer you the position after the Operational Review session. Your recruiter will send you an invite to a conference call, she/he will ask about your thoughts and experiences, and then offer the position. After the verbal offer, they'll go over salary, benefits, and business college expectations. Of course, they'll disclaim that benefits may change, and all the legal crap they need to discuss.

Salary wise... My salary offer was $49,500. I had worked at Kmart for 5 years prior (including their own intern program and other supervisory roles), so I'm not sure if it was adjusted for prior experience. Since it was inline with the market rate (and above my expectations), I accepted immediately, and didn't bother to negotiate. The only probably with it is, if you're coming in with just a college degree, and no experience, you may not have a lot of wiggle room to negotiate.

You can always do what I did... I accepted Target's offer, and used the school year to search for other jobs within my degree program (HR)... Other interns in my program did the same, and only 2-4 ended up at Target after graduation. The rest of us found jobs within our degree program, or went for their master's degree. While it may seem unprofessional, it is common for people to accept one offer, while waiting for another. Just be sure to give plenty of notice... Just note, that if you are an extended intern in the store, you may be let go immediately due to the pay associated with interns. My STL was nice enough to let me work the entire 2 weeks.

If you do decide to look elsewhere during the school, be extremely careful on LinkedIn... Stay away from headlines or profile content that alludes to your job search, and don't put your profile on publicly searchable databases that Target may use (including some College Career Services 'resume books').

You answered exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
 
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