Archived Hello. I'm new here and perhaps new to Target.

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So, I have an interview with Target on Thursday morning.

It's just an entry level cashier job but I have a lot of retail experience including low level management experience and so I'm hoping it could lead to something more.

I need to make more money but I'm torn between use my prior retail experience to work my way into a management position versus go back to school and do something different.

Anyway, I was just reading up on Target online, happened across this forum and thought I'd join up.

I would welcome any advice, opinions, etc. regarding Target, how to approach the interview, what to wear, etc.

Thanks.
 
I'd really appreciate any advice on what to wear to the interview.

I want to be dressed enough to look professional and serious about wanting a job, but I don't want to be overdressed. Especially given I know the person doing the interview will be in the obligatory khakis and red Target polo.

My current plan is solid color long sleeve dress shirt with a tie, dockers and lace up dress shoes.
 
I'd really appreciate any advice on what to wear to the interview.

I want to be dressed enough to look professional and serious about wanting a job, but I don't want to be overdressed. Especially given I know the person doing the interview will be in the obligatory khakis and red Target polo.

My current plan is solid color long sleeve dress shirt with a tie, dockers and lace up dress shoes.

You will be dressed to impress. VERY RARELY do I see potential employees dressed as you suggestion. Personally I would ditch the tie, unless you are looking for a higher position. (Which you already said you were applying for a cashier position.) First impressions are important but I think potential employers remember more of what was said during the interview process rather than what you were wearing.You will go through a series of interviews before you are hired. When they ask you to take the drug test & tell you about a background check you're as good as hired, as long as they both come back OK. Good luck!
 
I had always heard that you should dress one step up from what the job required.
So I went for a nice pair of slacks and a polo shirt, in black and red.
It worked.

Greetings and salutations.
 
Welcome to The Break Room! I don't think I would wear a tie, but just try to look nice and professional; like you're serious about this job and you mean business - even if it's just a cashier job. If you make a good enough impression, they'll love you.
 
I'd still be more comfortable in a tie, but maybe I'm just showing my age.

I'm not THAT old, but I was raised by an old school Grandfather.

Anyway, I'll take the advice here and ditch the tie.

Current plan is long sleeve dark blue dress shirt, no tie, dark gray dockers and lace up dress shoes.

Thanks for the advice.
 
Welcome to the board.

Back when I interviewed, I came in wearing pressed khaki pants, and a button down shirt, and brown shoes.. no tie.

In my experience working in HR for the past few years, you can't come in as under-dressed as some people I have seen come in. Then again, we have had people come in wearing fancy dress clothes.
But, I have to say I have extended job offers to both types. It's all about your personality and the way you communicate. Have a fun and friendly and outgoing personality and you will get the job in any dress, but be closed minded and you will not likely be sent an offer!

Be yourself and you should be good :)
But, ditch the tie.. it's more casual ;)
 
I'm off to bed and then to the interview.

I'll take the advice from everyone regarding ditching the tie.

While driving to the interview, I'll think about a world that really wasn't that long ago when jacket and tie was de rigueur.

Thanks again for the advice.
 
So this is the strangest interview process I’ve ever experienced and I’ve no idea whether I’m going to get a call back, I need to keep looking, or somewhere in between.

First off, I’d like to thank everyone for the advice on ditching the tie.

Even in slacks and an open neck dress shirt, I was the best dressed person in the store…

I will start with the clown who was working the service desk.

He was maybe 20, long, shaggy hair, shaggy beard, wearing khakis and a polo that looked like he’d slept in them, with his shirttail hanging out.

He took me over to the computer to do the assessment and asked me if I needed any help.

Surely you jest, is what I wanted to say.

In his defense, he was very polite, even after he found out I was there for an interview and not a customer, he was still, yes, sir, no, sir, etc. and with the computer assessment he was probably just doing what he’s been told to.

I did the computer assessment and then he told me to go have a seat over in their Starbucks and somebody would be to get me for an interview.

From there, I first met a guy who seemed like an absolute prick, also wearing khakis that looked like he’d slept in them, with his shirttail hanging out and told me that somebody would be with me in a few minutes.

So, I was sitting in their little Starbucks thing and there were three employees on break/lunch, I don’t know which but they were all three wearing what seems to be the standard uniform of, pants and shirt you slept in, with your shirttail hanging out.

I did take the advice offered here and got to the interview early. Interview was supposed to be at 10:30, I got there about 10:15, I had the assessment done by 10:30 and it was about 10:45 by the time they came to get me for the interview.

When this woman came to get me for the interview, I thought she was just a flunky. Somebody dressed like that could not possibly be in a hiring manager position at a store as big as Target.

Wrong…

I didn’t much like her, but she seemed to be really impressed by me.

What I applied for was a cashier/customer service kind of job, but I can do a lot more than that and I told her that.

Her response was something to the effect of, yes, I can see that.

I told her some of what I did at my last job, which was the assistant manager at a convenience store and she was like, that’s exactly what we’re looking for.

From there, we moved on to the second interview, with a woman I did like.

She was about my age, attractive, professional, actually had her shirt tucked in, etc. but she acted like I was just wasting her time.

Yeah, we talked and cut up a bit, but at the same time, she seemed like she wanted to get it over with.

I’m hoping she was just busy with something else that I didn’t know about but I don’t really know.

I was told something to the effect of, we’re doing our seasonal hiring, we’re interviewing a lot of people, we’ll be in touch in a week or so, etc.

So, as I said, I’m not sure if I should wait for a callback, keep looking, or somewhere in between.

Oh and if they don't hire me, or at least call me back for a follow up interview, that's going to be REALLY depressing.

Especially given what I saw working there.
 
Well, sounds like the store you were at is in some disarray with their employees.

Unfortunate for you I don't think they are going to hire you, as when we do our interviews at my store after the 2nd person talks with you usually they come back in with a chain of custody drug test sheet and send you for a drug test at that time. But, I am not 100% sure what this store is doing, if it is their practice to call back and send for a drug test, or if they are doing mass-interviews then picking through what they have.

But, I don't want to get your hopes up, but I don't see them giving a call back. What usually happens is your application is entered as a turn-down and you get a post card in the mail saying sorry but they went with someone else..

Don't get down about it, you're probably over-qualified for the position anyway, and it might be in your best interest to find a better position elsewhere. Believe it or not, there is little room for "moving up" especially starting as a cashier.

Glad we could give some suggestions, but sorry it didn't work out for you. And if you do hear some news let us know!
 
Thanks for your advice and yeah, I’ve been dancing the retail dance long enough to know that you are almost certainly right regarding no call back.

My best guess is, manager #1 liked me, but the manager above her didn’t.

That said, in a company as big as Target, who the hell knows what’s going on in an individual store and so my thought is, give it a few days and see what happens.

Whether they hire me or not, I am curious?

Are clothes you slept in, with your shirttail hanging out, the norm for Target? Or is it just this store?

Either way on the hire, I’ll post back here, but you’ve confirmed what I already thought in that I need to be looking elsewhere.
 
So this is the strangest interview process I’ve ever experienced and I’ve no idea whether I’m going to get a call back, I need to keep looking, or somewhere in between.

First off, I’d like to thank everyone for the advice on ditching the tie.

Even in slacks and an open neck dress shirt, I was the best dressed person in the store…

I will start with the clown who was working the service desk.

He was maybe 20, long, shaggy hair, shaggy beard, wearing khakis and a polo that looked like he’d slept in them, with his shirttail hanging out.

He took me over to the computer to do the assessment and asked me if I needed any help.

Surely you jest, is what I wanted to say.

In his defense, he was very polite, even after he found out I was there for an interview and not a customer, he was still, yes, sir, no, sir, etc. and with the computer assessment he was probably just doing what he’s been told to.

I did the computer assessment and then he told me to go have a seat over in their Starbucks and somebody would be to get me for an interview.

From there, I first met a guy who seemed like an absolute prick, also wearing khakis that looked like he’d slept in them, with his shirttail hanging out and told me that somebody would be with me in a few minutes.

So, I was sitting in their little Starbucks thing and there were three employees on break/lunch, I don’t know which but they were all three wearing what seems to be the standard uniform of, pants and shirt you slept in, with your shirttail hanging out.

I did take the advice offered here and got to the interview early. Interview was supposed to be at 10:30, I got there about 10:15, I had the assessment done by 10:30 and it was about 10:45 by the time they came to get me for the interview.

When this woman came to get me for the interview, I thought she was just a flunky. Somebody dressed like that could not possibly be in a hiring manager position at a store as big as Target.

Wrong…

I didn’t much like her, but she seemed to be really impressed by me.

What I applied for was a cashier/customer service kind of job, but I can do a lot more than that and I told her that.

Her response was something to the effect of, yes, I can see that.

I told her some of what I did at my last job, which was the assistant manager at a convenience store and she was like, that’s exactly what we’re looking for.

From there, we moved on to the second interview, with a woman I did like.

She was about my age, attractive, professional, actually had her shirt tucked in, etc. but she acted like I was just wasting her time.

Yeah, we talked and cut up a bit, but at the same time, she seemed like she wanted to get it over with.

I’m hoping she was just busy with something else that I didn’t know about but I don’t really know.

I was told something to the effect of, we’re doing our seasonal hiring, we’re interviewing a lot of people, we’ll be in touch in a week or so, etc.

So, as I said, I’m not sure if I should wait for a callback, keep looking, or somewhere in between.

Oh and if they don't hire me, or at least call me back for a follow up interview, that's going to be REALLY depressing.

Especially given what I saw working there.

It sounds like you are overqualified for that particular store. You should scout out area stores first before applying or accepting an interview to gauge what your possible new work environment would be like. Before I applied to the target I worked at for example, I had shopped there for several years so I knew what I was getting into and a few people recognized my face from interactions as a customer. I was hired on the spot after two short interviews.

According to what you described you would've hated working at that store, and frankly so would I. I'm very big on business dress as well. I wore a tie to my interview, luckily from what others said, it didn't hurt me at all.
 
I would that I have years of retail experience, my most serious criminal offense was speeding tickets and my last job, I missed two days in two and a half years.
 
It sounds like you are overqualified for that particular store. You should scout out area stores first before applying or accepting an interview to gauge what your possible new work environment would be like. Before I applied to the target I worked at for example, I had shopped there for several years so I knew what I was getting into and a few people recognized my face from interactions as a customer. I was hired on the spot after two short interviews.

According to what you described you would've hated working at that store, and frankly so would I. I'm very big on business dress as well. I wore a tie to my interview, luckily from what others said, it didn't hurt me at all.

As I've said to others, thanks for the advice, it is genuinely appreciated.

At the end of the day, I'm not really looking for a career, I'm just looking for a job while I go back to school to do what I really want to do.

I'm gathering that clothes you slept in, with your shirttail hanging out, isn't the norm for Target?
 
Eh, It's a "relaxed" dress-code there. No store is particular about dress, but for the most part everyone is well kept at mine. The norm is a red polo shirt that is not tucked in, and khaki.

I, personally, wear cargo pants and a Bullseye sweatshirt/hoodie and a Target Volunteers t-shirt under that. But, then again, I work in the HR office for most of my day.

The Execs in the store normally dress 'better' then everyone else, as they are in a higher position, we had one that always wore dockers, red button down shirt tucked in, and dress shoes.. He wasn't much of a get in and help out kinda guy as were the other ETL's but eh...
 
Eh, It's a "relaxed" dress-code there. No store is particular about dress, but for the most part everyone is well kept at mine. The norm is a red polo shirt that is not tucked in, and khaki.

I, personally, wear cargo pants and a Bullseye sweatshirt/hoodie and a Target Volunteers t-shirt under that. But, then again, I work in the HR office for most of my day.

The Execs in the store normally dress 'better' then everyone else, as they are in a higher position, we had one that always wore dockers, red button down shirt tucked in, and dress shoes.. He wasn't much of a get in and help out kinda guy as were the other ETL's but eh...

My own personal opinion is there needs to be a happy medium.

Yeah, I've seen the well-dressed prima donna with the attitude of, I'd help if I could, but I don't want to get dirty.

That said, what I saw yesterday...

Maybe I'm just getting old.

I'm not really old. I'm all of 36, but I'm still shaking my head that there are people working in a store that big, who go to work looking like what I saw yesterday.
 
Despite all the grousing on the board, there are those of us who do observe decorum & dress professionally.
Unfortunately, we've been overrun by kids hired into leadership positions who are 'leading' TMs that have been there yrs longer.
Long-timers have watched this & other changes slowly erode a company we were once proud to work for.
I think you deserve a better place.
 
I understand what you're saying, but I'm not going to beg.

If they want to hire me, okay, I really hope they do.

If they don't, that's okay to.

Somebody else will.

The longest it's ever taken me to find a job was about five weeks.
 
So, this was no huge surprise, in fact I'd been looking for it, but I just got the generic turn down email from them.

"Thank you for taking the time to apply with us. We are unable to offer you a position at this time, but we do appreciate your interest in Target."

As I said before, the first person who interviewed me liked me but the second one didn't.

The irony is, I liked the second one but didn't like the first one.

I have to admit, the not even being given a chance pisses me off, especially given what I saw of the quality of people they do have working there.

Oh and it will be a cold, cold day in hell when they get another dime of business from me.
 
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