Archived How do they select trainers at your store?

[SalesFloorSylph]

I think at one point, we had certified trainers. But now I'm positive they just throw a dart at the grid and pick whoever's name it lands on.
Like sometimes they'll pick someone good. There's one TM who used to be one of the softlines specialists when that was still a thing that usually trains in softlines and does an excellent job.
But sometimes they pick people who have only been with Target for a few weeks. One time they even picked this girl who really couldn't handle anything that wasn't easy reshop and backing up and had her train someone in softlines even though she's been known to cry while zoning RTW. They also had a Food Ave newbie train someone even though she was still learning how to close there.
Is it like this for anyone else? I honestly think this is why we never keep our new sales floor TMs for more than a week before they just stop showing up period.

 

[Deli Ninja]

The rule seems to be that if you happen to be scheduled with the new TM, you get to train them until you or the trainee clocks out. There's no real training and new TMs are all put through a trial by fire. None of the new TMs hired to be a Deli closer have lasted past their 90 days this year. No training hours, the schedule just gets finagled so that they have someone with them for 3-4 closing shifts and then they're on their own.

 

[SalesFloorSylph]

The rule seems to be that if you happen to be scheduled with the new TM, you get to train them until you or the trainee clocks out. There's no real training and new TMs are all put through a trial by fire. None of the new TMs hired to be a Deli closer have lasted past their 90 days this year. No training hours, the schedule just gets finagled so that they have someone with them for 3-4 closing shifts and then they're on their own.

See it didn't used to be like that when I got trained but that's how it's been recently. This new girl was expected to close food Ave even though she wasnt trained to close there yet. She went ballistic on the LOD that night

 

[NPC]

In my store they just seem to pick the person whom is "best" in that department. However, training also seems to be a team effort, and everyone seems to help out.

 

[Brine]

LOD - "Want to be a team trainer?"
YOU - "I don't know. What does a team trai-"
LOD - "GREAT!"

Pretty much how I was made a trainer. Blind-sided with it and put on the spot quickly to provide an answer.

 

[aj76257]

There doesn't seem to be anyone specific at my store. When I came in on my first day for training, nobody could direct me to the TM whose name I was originally given, so I ended up training with someone else.

 

[CrimsonRaven712]

I've been training people for about a year, but wasn't officially given someone I was responsible for training until this past month. Before it was just a "keep an eye on them and answer their questions", now I am actually scheduled to train people.

But I'm not sure how they choose who is a trainer, because we have one trainer who had been there less than a month before being made one, which is crazy because this person still didn't know how to do all the basic things for their department.

 

[redeye58]

ETL: "Have you ever trained anyone before?"
me: "Uhhhhh, no."
ETL: "Wanna learn how?"
me: "Uh, 'kay."
ETL: "Great! Here's your first trainee!"
me: ?!

 

[theanimal]

At my store the trainers are basically are the team leaders. Unless you are good and make a great impression at what you do we rarely have trainers. I've been to other store that also seems like the entire team is a trainer and in my opinion doesnt give the TM the extra bit to try and be better than the rest for possible leadership.

 

[HRZone]

We have so many team trainers, strikes me as a pat on the back for people who deserve to be team leads but don't even get a sniff of the bench.

 

[RTCry]

I got called to TSC to have my picture taken. That was when I was notified of my "trainer" designation.

On a side note, I find it strange that no member of mgmt has their name badge reflect their status. Why do I get a badge that says "Trainer" (whoopty dee doo) while actual leadership does not?

 

[Westcoast7]

Apparently I've been a digital advisor for over a year

 

[Yetive]

I got called to TSC to have my picture taken. That was when I was notified of my "trainer" designation.

On a side note, I find it strange that no member of mgmt has their name badge reflect their status. Why do I get a badge that says "Trainer" (whoopty dee doo) while actual leadership does not?

SrTL here. Mine says trainer. Once when I went to service desk to talk to an angry guest, he started to curse and said he didn't want to talk to some trainee. To his credit, he was pretty embarrassed.

 

[RTCry]

SrTL here. Mine says trainer. Once when I went to service desk to talk to an angry guest, he started to curse and said he didn't want to talk to some trainee. To his credit, he was pretty embarrassed.

Ah. I should have been more clear. Why wouldn't your name badge say "Sr. Team Leader"? Why doesn't the STL have a name badge that says "Store Team Leader"? I get the whole "team" culture that Target is cultivating, but on a practical customer service level guests want to know who exactly they are dealing with and the easiest way is via the name badge.

 

[Yetive]

Ah. I should have been more clear. Why wouldn't your name badge say "Sr. Team Leader"? Why doesn't the STL have a name badge that says "Store Team Leader"? I get the whole "team" culture that Target is cultivating, but on a practical customer service level guests want to know who exactly they are dealing with and the easiest way is via the name badge.

In some cases it might help, but the average person would have no clue what ETLGE is. We have tms who think SrTL is STL . Maybe the very not Target "Manager on Duty" would work!

 

[mrknownothing]

LOD - "Want to be a team trainer?"
YOU - "I don't know. What does a team trai-"
LOD - "GREAT!"

Pretty much how I was made a trainer. Blind-sided with it and put on the spot quickly to provide an answer.

At least they asked you. Once I could be trusted not to screw everything up at the lanes, they just threw trainees at me. No "Train the Trainer," no special nametag, no learning plans, none of that. When I would train new cashiers, all I had to go off of was the cashier guide and bag of goodies.

In my current workcenter, the "trainers" are the TL and her favorites (i.e. the TMs who always manage to get 40 hours no matter how shitty payroll is).

 

[RTCry]

In some cases it might help, but the average person would have no clue what ETLGE is. We have tms who think SrTL is STL . Maybe the very not Target "Manager on Duty" would work!

True, but maybe just "Exec. Team Leader"? Anything that would say to the guest they are speaking with someone who can actually (maybe) do something.

When answering calls, I ask guests if they'd like to speak to the manager on duty...oh well. I know of I say LOD they'll not have a clue.

 

[SalesFloorSylph]

I know the girl who trained me in softlines was fairly new herself (the original person had called out) but she was one of those people who learned things really quickly so despite omy being there for a month, she was excellent.
I'm still stunned that they'd chose someone who can't handle softlines to train someone in softlines though.

 

[RTCry]

I know the girl who trained me in softlines was fairly new herself (the original person had called out) but she was one of those people who learned things really quickly so despite omy being there for a month, she was excellent.
I'm still stunned that they'd chose someone who can't handle softlines to train someone in softlines though.

I am always amused when certain leaders have to wander on over to softlines to pull a FF. Their face with the look of complete loss and being out of their element cracks me up.

 

[Yetive]

I am always amused when certain leaders have to wander on over to softlines to pull a FF. Their face with the look of complete loss and being out of their element cracks me up.

BR and most leaders don't actually try at my store. Head right for the operator.

 

[SalesFloorSylph]

BR and most leaders don't actually try at my store. Head right for the operator.

Our STL was helping with flex and he had to find a nondescript black swimsuit bottom in ready to wear and he's not entirely familiar with softlines. He had this "oh crap" look the entire time and it took me and another SL team member to help him

 

[aspiringETL]

I trained someone just weeks into starting at Target just because I've been in grocery for years. Like Target is a lot different than other places, I found myself going "idk lul" half the time

 

[SoftlinesSleuth]

I walked in one day, ETL said "Hey SS, want to do me a favor and be a trainer?" I really liked that ETL so I said sure. I'm still waiting on my trainer name tag a year later.

 

[SalesFloorSylph]

Haha I don't think they have trainer name tags at my store anymore. Only our VMTL has one and she transfered from abother place.

 

[HardlinesGuy]

I was lucky enough to get trained by a three year veteran of my store when I was a new hardlines hire. But literally three weeks later, I was training people.