Archived Has Target changed you? If so, how?

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I ask this because I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Yeah, it's not secret that I hate Target and working there. At the end of the day, it's the job I currently I have.

If I was to describe how Target has changed me, I could write a book.

A short summary: I've basically lost a piece of myself. I've become very cold hearted and bitter. I've also become isolated and hostile socially. My mental state is a wreck. My physical state is not much better. My family life is a joke. If I had a dollar for every time I've gotten into heated arguments with family members over Target, I would be able to go on a nice month long vacation.

I would sadly say that Target has changed me in a bad way. I will own up to my own failures. From day one, I have tried way too hard to please so many people at Target and in turn let people walk over me while at the same time, getting so hostile and frustrated when people mess up my groove, flow, momentum, or rhythm at Target. I've gotten into a routine in which people expect me to always do certain things because I always says yes.
I talked to my team lead today about saying yes especially when it comes pulling POGS and EXFs after 6pm and I was told to start saying no and focus on what I need to get done. I mean it's common sense.
I have to break the cycle. I definitely need to leave Target but while I'm still here, I have to change my approach. I have to stop letting me people take advantage of me and making me their radio edit. People will just have to deal with it.

I know this is coming off as a rant or pity party but I really would like to hear if any of you have had Target change you in either a good way or bad way.
 
I was very, very socially anxious when I started. I was terrified of everything at first and probably for at least two years I was still in that same mindset. I'm not perfect now, but years of cashiering and especially service desk has made me a much happier person. That doesn't mean I necessarily love my job. We're all underpaid and plagued with inconsistent hours, but I'd rather serve my time and mentally prepare myself for whatever else may come than have not had that experience.

I'm sorry you're going through such troubles. I know there have been days when I came home and didn't want to talk to anyone. Sometimes you just get that way. External and intrrnal forces beat against you, and it's all too much. It's cyclical and you'll get through it. I have no job specific advice, because I'm bad at advice, but just do what you need to get your work done and keep going.
 
Only recently, and not for the better. The other day I told my boyfriend that keeping this job is making me a nasty person.

There are parts of what I have to do each shift that go totally against MY idea of "amazing" customer service. It just isn't right. I make the best of it and move on.

But I have to get away, and soon, because my family deserves better. Heck I told my mom today I'd rather go back to working with my unmediated bipolar uncle than this. She was shocked.

And it's really hard to explain... But it's there. It's real. It just is sucking something out of me. It is also sucking it out of a couple of my former favorite ETLs. I can see it.....
 
I've worked for chefs who threw things if you didn't move fast enough and would swear at you in five different languages.
I was never fired from those jobs, in fact I was promoted, learned the craft.
I also did a lot of work in politics where back stabbing is often how they say hello.
Nothing prepared me for certain aspects of working for Spot the.
Part of it was my own damned fault, too straight forward for my own good and a tendency to believe the best in people bit me in the ass.
I'm still the same person, it's the company that's changing and not for the better.
 
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Target drained the hell out of me. I've battled depression and anxiety for years but never really did anything about it. Until I worked at Target and every symptom became amplified and I would have to hide in a cooler to keep from having a full blown anxiety attack. I went to a therapist and ended up being prescribed antidepressants. I had to learn to let things go and that being perfect isn't something I have to do all the time, unlike what management expected of me. Once I got into therapy, my therapist pushed hard for me to find another job, even one still in retail just to get out of Target. She is the one that pushed for me to apply at Trader Joe's. It was such satisfaction to get hired there and turn in my 2 weeks at Target. I was somewhat bullied by managers once I put in my 2 weeks. Constant "oh you don't really want to leave", or "you'll be back, all the good ones end up coming back", "oh you're gonna hate it there, I know you will. You won't be happy" and so on.
 
well, I did work fast food before working at our beloved employer so there is not really that much left to lose. Fast Food is very obvious about it being a soul crushing experience while Target… well we all no the party line Target spouts.
 
Bad news: I have always been kind of a loner at times, but I never hated people like I do now. Of course I don't hate everyone, but like 65% of target shoppers are awful people. I usually kill with kindness, but sometimes they're so mean that I just don't have it in me.

I'm more negative, in general.

Despite being more negative overall, I've been working on it and I try to see the positive in everything, soo, the good news:

I was battling anxiety that isn't technically social anxiety, but social stuff is a big trigger for me. I was medicated when I started at Target. Quitting the meds had nothing to do with work, but I think forcing myself into retail has helped a ton. I couldn't answer my own phone at one point. I couldn't dream of answering Target's phones. I used to be anxious even answering on walkie. I would just not get one in the beginning. Then I had to take one for backup calls and eventually I was actually expected to respond lol.

I think the walking lowered my cholesterol. I have nearly a mile walk between the bus stop and target, and I walk a ton at work. I guess despite eating the crap foods at Target, I still lowered it. (This is only speculative because I'm just assuming since my doctor didn't call me that everything is fine this time. I was at 301 when I was 21. I feel the need to say that I'm thin lol, because no one expects that number for someone my size)

If I missed any, pardon the swype-os
 
Was a shy kid when I first started store-side years ago (and still am to some degree in my personal life), but over the years I've learned to delegate others, keep my cool under pressure, and most importantly, how to multi-task. Working at the RDC also changed my eating habits. I now eat like a obese man with no self control, but the work is hard enough that most people think I have gym membership. Oh well, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
The only thing that comes to mind is my fear of heights has completely disappeared. I lied during the interview and said I was fine with it... first time all the way up on the Wave and I thought I was going to piss myself. But I got over it really quickly and now being up in the air is as natural as being on the ground.

I'm a firm believer that you ultimately are in control of your attitude, not the environment. I make a serious effort to be positive at work, no matter how shitty things get.
 
I have learned not to trust anyone. Whatever you are told or promised are bullshit.
I hate Christmas now. I truly hate it. Last year I didn't even put up a tree. Holidays crush my soul now
I consider this my job and source of income now. If something that paid more or the same came along I would be gone. I drank the koolaid for years and believed the tag lines. My eyes have been opened wide in the last 2 years. I consider Walmart and Target completely equal now. Target is just the Eddie Haskell that sucks up more.
 
Unintended BM said:
I was very, very socially anxious when I started. I was terrified of everything at first and probably for at least two years I was still in that same mindset. I'm not perfect now, but years of cashiering and especially service desk has made me a much happier person. That doesn't mean I necessarily love my job. We're all underpaid and plagued with inconsistent hours, but I'd rather serve my time and mentally prepare myself for whatever else may come than have not had that experience.
Click to expand...

Same here. Working mostly as a cashier for 3+ years helped me to come out of my shell, which has helped a lot in social situations. I've made more friends at my store than I ever did in all my years of school.

The downside? I fucking hate people. And I dread almost every holiday.
 
I completely relate to pretty much everything I've ever seen you post, @Jackswastedlife99 . Target made me hate all people, hate my life, suffer severe depression and anxiety, etc. I know it's easier said than done, but you must remember that it's just not worth it. There were many days that I would have rather died than to go to work. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I would encourage you to actively begin a new job search, something about just knowing you are being proactive in getting out of that place helps you get through some of the days, at least it helped me, just to know that there is hope. Every application, every interview, gets you one step closer to getting out of there. Fortunately for me, I was able to get out. I have since left Target, and my life, attitude, and level of happiness, have improved greatly. At the core I'm still the same person, forever jaded by the damage years of retail has done to me, I still get slightly annoyed by people when I'm out shopping, still will dread the holiday time of year, but not nearly to the extent that I would if still working there. My new job is not 100% fabulous all of the time, and life will always bring challenges that will leave us with good days and bad, but by leaving Target I am relieved to know that I am not nearly the horrible/miserable person I was when I worked there. I was afraid that it was just me, that things wouldn't change when I left and that I would always be that soulless, shell of a human being, but so far it seems that Target was the main problem.
You are right to say no, you are right to change your approach. Take time off, call off, tell 'em to fuck off! In the end none of it will matter. What have you got to lose? Your shitty job that you hate? Don't let them walk all over you, don't let them give you guilt trips. They act like everything you do matters so much but in the end, it doesn't. You'll put in your two weeks and they'll act like they don't even give a shit that you're leaving, and a week after your gone it'll be like you never even worked there. And then you'll hear through the grapevine that things have really gone to hell after you left.
 
Spot has changed in some ways. I was a teenager when I started at Spot, I was naïve and really didn't know about workplace politics. I have seen Spot build people up , use them up, then throw them away like a piece of trash. I have seen people lie on others just so that they could get ahead . I have found that I am not as trusting of people...I always feel that no matter how hard I work...it will never be good enough for some...because I don't kiss ass. I do however, know that no matter what happens with Spot I will not get ahead by throwing others under the bus...or stabbing them in the back or kissing ass. Spot will not change the fact that at the end of the day...I go home and have no issue looking at myself in the mirror knowing I treated people the way I want them to be treated.
 
Target never changed me.

If anything I think it gave me major some insight on the type of person I am. I realize now that I am an incredibly hard worker. This was my first job, so I could only "believe" in that thought, know I know. I also have realized how much I take after my Father, and my Grandfather (on my mother's side) both are brilliant at business, but in totally different ways. I have also realized that sitting at a computer all day to work would have made me incredibly unhappy (I have Bachelor's in Computer Graphics) I honestly wish I would have worked here before I left for school so I could have realized this.

I have also learned that, like my dad, I LIVE to be in stressful situations. My favorite part is getting through those situations and looking back and knowing I did a damn good job, or I did the best I could possibly do.
 
For the most part, I'm still me. Working at Sport has helped me become less shy. Approaching guests and interacting with people I don't know on the sales floor on a daily basis forced me to be a little more extroverted. I've made friends and allies (I say "allies" because we're not friends but we're not just acquaintances either). I'm even more sympathetic and empathetic towards people working in retail or service. I've always minded my manners, been polite, and patient. I wasn't surprised to see upset guests, I just couldn't believe all the grown "adults" I've seen at Spot throw full-on temper tantrums-- I never want to become THAT person. My patience runs much deeper now. That said, I'm not afraid to call out people's bullshit whereas I would have held back and just bit my tongue.

Holidays are torture; I used to love Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. For a person who always spends holidays with huge a huge family+extended family+family friends that might as well be family, I always feel like I'm missing out. I have such awkward schedules (full time, open availability) that work-life balance is such a foreign concept to me. My family rarely sees me anymore.

I don't like people as much. I work at a Spot located in a rather affluent neighborhood and I have no tolerance whatsoever for all the entitled, snobby adults, teens, and children that stroll through the store. I hate that I have to smile at them and be courteous when all I want to do is call them out on their downright awful behavior.

My health is not as good as it used to be. I was excellent in hardlines. One HLTL said I was the best sales floor team member. I prided myself on the work I did. I worked hard and felt appreciated by my own TL. It felt so great to be able to work in multiple work centers and know a little bit about everything. I got promoted to PA, and I don't work anywhere else now. I do like the independence. I liked learning about and working in pfresh. Unfortunately, I hurt myself on the job so I'm not as efficient as I used to be. I'm still working my ass off and then some but the CTL doesn't see that. I've become increasingly anxious.

I've echoed a lot of what other people said in this thread already. While I'm happy we've grown from our time at Spot, at the same time, I'm sorry that some of our experiences changed us for the worse.
 
I've been at Target through several life changes the past six years. Started junior year in college, graduated, got a temp government job, lost job, got into a serious relationship, got a job in my field, went through three roommates, now am living in my own place.

I'd say Target partly contributed to my low-self esteem and helplessness in 2011 where I was working weird hours and got involved in drama at work. I didn't have the government job and relied on just Target to pay the bill. Ended up being put in a year final which increased my depression. I also hated the job ("I've graduated college and and this is what I'm doing?!"), the people who shopped there, and couldn't pay bills and had an ever increasing credit card debt. I would be on Facebook all the time comparing myself to others who had better jobs. That led me to do more stupid stuff which I rather not say. I remember one morning in March 2011 I was driving to work and was very seriously contemplating parking my car and jumping off a bridge at 4:50 in the morning. I started to think of the one coworker I worked with the shift that would have been horrified at my decision and continued to drive to work. I then met my boyfriend in July of that year who has been with me ever since (I was pretty codependent on him at first and then a year later I slapped myself saying that I need to be independent). With my raised self esteem I applied for the job I have now (which, I could have applied straight out of college but didn't) and got it. I still keep Target as a safety net (and I know how to be assertive and not demanding so I only work M-W, hopefully I'm gonna chop that down to 2 days).

The past 4 years have been rocky but I came out okay at the end. I was always looking for attention from people. I was always being dramatic (The stuff I put on Facebook, wow...) Now I've matured and am much more down-to-earth.

...I still hate people though.
 
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