I might regret this soon, but I took a position with Walmart this week after not having worked in retail since May 2015, specifically Walmart. They have a open CSM position, and I applied for it, and did not get it, but may have a chance to do so.
I was told they had openings for Cashiers, Self Checkout Host, and CSM, but that as a rule they did not like hiring CSM's, they preferred promoting from within, because they felt it led to a better work environment.
I was offered the self checkout host position however and accepted it (It was my preference over cashier, but it was also what the Front-End Assistant Manager (equivalent of ETL-GE) said she felt was a better fit for me), and was told by her during the interview that the store does not require people be "in position" for any set amount of time before being allowed to promote or change roles - and that they had someone that had started in the past two weeks that had already been promoted, and that there was a possibility to quickly go from being a self checkout host, to customer service, to CSM. I took it with a grain of salt as it was basically what I expected to hear - no company is going to tell you that you have no chance to promote during your interview, but the few people I've spoke with at the store thus far have all seemed to agree that people can be rapidly promoted if they show ambition and competence.
I'm not the type to count my eggs before they hatch or get my hopes up, and honestly expect the current CSM opening to go to someone with more experience rather than it remaining open till I am given it, but I imagine if I stick around long enough that I likely will be offered it, eventually.
I am curious though how it differs from GSA, because knowing that will likely determine whether I'd want the CSM position or not if offered it. I know that Target does offer a credit card, but from what I've seen so far, it doesn't seem to be a gigantic focus for the front-end like the red card was (and I assume still is) for Target.
I was told they had openings for Cashiers, Self Checkout Host, and CSM, but that as a rule they did not like hiring CSM's, they preferred promoting from within, because they felt it led to a better work environment.
I was offered the self checkout host position however and accepted it (It was my preference over cashier, but it was also what the Front-End Assistant Manager (equivalent of ETL-GE) said she felt was a better fit for me), and was told by her during the interview that the store does not require people be "in position" for any set amount of time before being allowed to promote or change roles - and that they had someone that had started in the past two weeks that had already been promoted, and that there was a possibility to quickly go from being a self checkout host, to customer service, to CSM. I took it with a grain of salt as it was basically what I expected to hear - no company is going to tell you that you have no chance to promote during your interview, but the few people I've spoke with at the store thus far have all seemed to agree that people can be rapidly promoted if they show ambition and competence.
I'm not the type to count my eggs before they hatch or get my hopes up, and honestly expect the current CSM opening to go to someone with more experience rather than it remaining open till I am given it, but I imagine if I stick around long enough that I likely will be offered it, eventually.
I am curious though how it differs from GSA, because knowing that will likely determine whether I'd want the CSM position or not if offered it. I know that Target does offer a credit card, but from what I've seen so far, it doesn't seem to be a gigantic focus for the front-end like the red card was (and I assume still is) for Target.
