Archived Haphazard, unorganized training(sorry)

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jedijenchan

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First day was not good. It didn't seem like the HR department had an established procedure nor organization, rushed us through the various training docs and quizzes, and gave us name badges that were not ours because they could not find ours. They never told us how to punch in (like what we had to enter).

They had us reading all these documents in a noisy area, and I had problems concentrating, and I failed a lot of the quizzes because I could not concentrate on the task at hand. It was pretty ridiculous.

Trainers kept using lingo and terms that we didn't know or understand. Every time I asked clarification I got an odd look, like "why don't you know this". I had to remind these folks that this was ONLY my SECOND day(training no less).

We were given a crash course on sales floor, and we barley understood how to use the PDA, nor where to put stuff that is "back stock?". Our trainer didn't seem to have good public speaking skills, as they did not speak to us, but spoke as they were walking, and I could not hear them the majority of the time. I had to ask many questions, and it seems they were annoyed by them.

They basically "threw us to the wolves" on the sales floor without training us where stuff was in the store. Thankfully, since I shopped in the store I am working at, I knew where most of the stuff is, but not everything.
We were promised a tour of the store, and we never got that, nor where areas that we will be dealing with on a daily basis.


I hope this is not normal. How am I supposed to learn proper procedures if I am not shown in a precise manner? Has anyone else experienced the same experience?

Tomorrow is supposed to be Cashier training, and I just hope that people take more time to show us what to do, and not just set us up at a register and expect us to know everything.

I want to do my job the RIGHT way. Sorry all, I am really frustrated. I hope this gets better.

The good news was I successfully helped five customers find things, and it made them pretty happy. I probably should have filled out a vibe card, but I wasn't instructed on that either, so yeah.
 
Thats Target. Used to be good training now your lucky if you have any. No payroll means nobody has time to train anybody. Sorry you have entered the company when it is in decline. Their is more to know than ever in the stores and training has taked a backdoor to everything else. At least your not alone.
 
Do yourself a favor and just ask the questions. You can't let them bully you into not asking because it's inconvenient for them to actually speak to you.
 
Don't let them shove you off.
Keep asking questions and be a pest about it.
Better to be the one who asks too many questions but gets things right then not ask and gets stuff wrong down the line.

Unfortunately many stores have turned to this for their training.
It's slipshod and half assed but it costs less in the short term and after all the short term is what it's all about.
 
Target is horrible at training.

Those who lack a little bit of intelligence, and got hired for several years already still does NOT know how to read the schematics to find the product they need to push accurately. They have not been trained properly.

In the long run, these people F**k up the store so much, cuz nothing they push is in the right place! :/
 
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The Video I watched when I went in to one of my interviews suggested I ask questions...I kinda agree with it I mean If I ask a question but don't get an answer....I just basically just go find out myself or ask another more willing person. I'm a curious person I will shadow you and watch your every move and pull what I want to know from that lol

@Captain: I think the quality of training varies from store to store..simply some are good and some aren't
 
Unfortunately, training has taken one of the hardest hits in spot's race to the bottom.
Much of which, you'll have to learn on the floor.
Any questions you can't get answers to, that's what we're here for.
 
It's disappointing to hear that this is status quo. I will never stop asking questions. I want to do my job right.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I just hope today will be better. I left the store yesterday a frazzled nervous wreck and sick to my stomach. I hope every day isn't like that, because it's just not worth my health.

They stress on you to follow proper procedures, but they won't take time to teach you the right procedures. I don't get it.

Do you think it would be worth contacting the integrity hotline? Or do they even care?
 
Don't call the hotline.
This is SOP and it will just come back to bite you.
Keep pushing for information and don't let it get to you.
They have the responsibility to train you properly.
 
Don't call the hotline.
This is SOP and it will just come back to bite you.
Keep pushing for information and don't let it get to you.
They have the responsibility to train you properly.

What does "SOP" mean?
 
Be willing to explore certain things if you ever have downtime. I taught myself how to print labels, signs, do price cuts, SIM, go on the transition tool, run the perishable inventory, program callboxes, mysupport, submit help desk online forms, backstock and pull, etc all by poking around workbench and the PDA; some of that stuff a normal TM doesn't know/would never know what to do. Of course I explored everything during the time where our management was less strict and I had more free time. Regardless of how tough the RF Apps look to use, they are pretty self-explanatory. If you poke around and use common sense, you can figure out what does what (and usually it's difficult to really mess something up because of the numerous prompts).
 
Cashier training was lacking. We got a book to look through(that of course we cannot take home and study) and we had about an hour of "going through the book in the most organized manner, and then the training manual was taken away, and we were put on registers for the next three hours. It was horrible. I left crying, and shell shocked. For the most part the customers were cool, but the team leads would come by and harass us every ten minutes or so asking "are you asking for redcards to EVERY customer?", and yelled at me for dropping an empty bag on the floor. I felt like I was being hazed.

I was honestly sick all day yesterday, and could not function. I was a mental and psychical mess. Is this normal? I'm not sure if I can take this abuse.
 
Target's training program is good, but they don't give stores the hours to implement the training! I've been slowly training myself ever since I learned how to use Workbench. Whenever I have an issue or question, I log in and learn! Dig in the message boards, mySupport, news to use, insideTGT. You'll learn more on there then you'd ever learn on the floor. I wouldn't say I snoop on there, I just tend to know about new programs/policies before my STL does :p
 
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Do not stress yourself, even if it feels like the Target walls are enclosing on you. I still remember 10 months ago on my first day receiving cashier training and I was shadowing someone and I was ghost white just watching the cashier. Then when she said okay your turn, I was ready to book it and say no thanks. But, after a few transactions, a few shifts, it gets better and you become more knowledgeable about putting stuff in bags, using all the K functions and so forth. It just takes some time to grasp it, but it definitely gets easier and before you know it, you'll be soaring.

As far as the redcards, I like majority hate asking this question nor do I like badgering guests. However, I'm working for Target and it is part of my job, so you just have to find a way to bring it up that feels natural or comfortable to you. At first, I tried to repeat exactly word for word what others told me, but I would end up stumbling over a word and it just went downfall from there. Make it short, sweet and concise. If they're giving you a death stare, just ask and then continue scanning. If they're on the fence, persuade them by finding something that might peak their interest like the donation to schools or free online shipping, etc. Just find something that you feel comfortable saying because if you feel comfortable saying it, you'll more than likely do it more often and you'll get that someone who wants one at some point.

And sales floor is the same for cashiering. You just have to get some time on the floor and work through it, learn from your mistakes and practice. My training was very fuzzy and not well thorough. Whenever I can, I just shoot questions if I have them. Printing labels, answering red phone, clearing a request button, backstocking things, etc. If you're unsure, ask. They'll appreciate you more if you ask, versus just risking it and possibly getting into trouble. I got yelled at in the backroom for misplacing something and that made me realize that I'd rather just ask 100 questions, rather than feel hesitant about whatever you're doing.

Don't freak out, it's okay to cry, I did on the floor (after the LOD walked away and I was by myself in an aisle of course)

Ask as many questions as you feel you need to, if it comes in your head, ask.

One helpful tip: Ask your trainer or LOD how to use the redphones that are by several end-caps that have a trash bin under it and then an overhead thing with cleaning supplies. When those "15 second remaining call buttons" go off, you'll feel so much better being able to clear it, versus standing there confused and then getting yelled at later.
 
Thank you lifewithtarget, I hope this job works out. I really worried about my social and relationship now, working nights only.
 
Dont be let down, i feel you. When i was hired for flow, i got really good training, but that was 3 years ago, when i was put into backroom though, it was a different story...my trainer gave me a PDA, and pretty much explained to me for 20 seconds how to back stock. Terrible training for me, i pretty much had to learn how to do everything myself just by asking others, and going on this forum. Not going to lie, ive learned more on this forum than what ive learned at work.
 
Sorry to revive this, but the saga continues. So tonight was a nightmare. I was supposed to be training in pfresh, but instead I got a 15 minute tour of pfresh, then was told to sit down with the cashier manual to actually learn the register because my training was incomplete. I did that until my first break, and then I was told to return to the small office to continue the reading.

So I am returning from break, and another TL told me(in a very rude fashion) that I was not to do any more reading, that I was to "shadow" another cashier. Then the TL that was "training" me then tried to find me, and then asked why I was "shadowing" this cashier, and not reading my manual. I told them what I had been told. They said "Well, I want you to read the rest of the manual so we can discuss it." I said ok...and the TL proceeded to bring me to the room to read some more. On the way to the room, we get stopped by the same person that told me to shadow this other cashier and was told that I was to be on a register next to the cashier that I was shadowing.

So...I ended up getting NO pfresh training, and ended up cashiering the remainder of the evening.

I really don't understand what's going on. It's like they did not know what to do with me...or the other new person that was with me this evening. I'm really confused as to what my job is at this point, and what they really want me to do. I was hired for sales floor, and I know cashiering is involved and I have to respond to backups, but if I'm going to be trained, I want to be trained where and when I'm supposed to so that i'm not yelled at for doing something wrong.

Is it time to call the integrity line?
 
Don't call integrity.
Really it's not for stupidity or bad management, or they would be getting calls every 15 minutes.
You need to be proactive, don't let them shove you around.
Make it clear when you need answers to questions and ask where you are supposed to be trained.
Talk to the ETL HR and get clear answers as to the supposed progression of your training and when it goes off the the rails explain to the people that it has.
I know it sucks that you are being put in charge of your training.
It's like putting a kid in charge of raising and educating themselves but that has gotten to be the way of Spot.
 
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