Archived How Do you know that there is a GSA opening at your store and how do you apply?

[Michael Randall]

Hi, i am a cashier at target and i just found out that not to long ago people where applying for a gsa position and i didn't even know that you could apply. So i was wondering how can you find out that there is an opening and how do you apply so that i dont miss another chance.

 

[mrknownothing]

There should be a list of open positions posted on your store's HR board. Go to eHR > My Job Opportunities(?) to apply through JAS (has to be done in the store).

 

[Nauzhror]

Interesting. We have hired one GSA since I started, who quit. We also had a GSTL get promoted to an Intern, so we're down two GSA/GSTL positions from what we had a few months ago. I'd be interested in being a GSA, but didn't know there was a HR board that showed open positions. Typically if a store is looking to hire a new GSA would they mention this to cashiers they felt were viable candidates, or just wait for people to find out via the HR board and apply alongside outside applicants?

 

[wokkawokka]

Typically (in my store), if it's a promotion position that is typically used as a grooming position for future TL's (GSA, PA), it will be posted for everyone to see, but they'll only specifically mention it to the people they want to actually apply. You can still apply, and go through interviews, but you've got about a .5% chance of getting the job unless a TL or ETL talked to you first.

 

[buliSBI]

Normally, there should be a open position posting in TMSC.

But store leaderships can really be douche bags when it comes to job postings. In my experience, I have seen them inform only their favored TM of an opening. Other times, I seen them only post it for an hour or a day. Other times, they will accept open applications from the store. And instead of conducting interviews, they go ahead and promote their favored TM. Heck, a number of qualified TMs and myself had put in applications. Yet an external received the position with no internal interviews conducted. It doesn't matter if there was someone more qualified or deserving for the position. Other times, I found handfuls of applications in the trash of TMs that were not interviewed.

All the TLs and GSAs at my former store were usually kiss asses or friends with the ETLs.

But I would suggest informing your workcenter ETL, HR, and STL that you are interested in advancement. Talk yourself up. Buddy up to your TL and ETL. Ask to take on more responsibilities. Get cross-trained. Write Vibe cards. Participate in huddles.

 

[Nauzhror]

I'm actually a bit curious what kind of cashiers at most stores would be considered for a promotion to GSA.

I can see some categories where I'd be a shoe-in, but also a few others where I might not be, but am unsure which of these metrics are most important for the position.

Example: I hate being idle. If I am working on a lane, and have no guests our standard procedure is that we are supposed to stand at the end of the lane and greet guests and usher them to our register to check them out.

I don't typically do this, if I have no guests, I zone the checklanes, I sort reshop (my bin first, then other cashiers bins), empty hangers (same with reshop), offer to dump the hangar bin if it is full and the cart attendant isn't around or we don't have one clocked in at the moment, check if other cashiers need bags, help other cashiers if they have their light blinking.

If I am at the service desk and have no guests and no mess to cleanup (ie. no items that need to be sorted, tagged, labeled, etc.) I do the same things. I much prefer having a variety of tasks and not doing the same thing all day so prefer working at the service desk to a lane. I also enjoy the "trouble" guests. I don't mean the rude ones who want to yell at you, I mean the ones with complicated orders, or who think their order will be complicated. I enjoy being able to make it right for them and trying to solve a problem for them. I also enjoy helping fellow cashiers when they are stumped. My conversion numbers are decent, not top of the store, but certainly meeting expectations.

The negative though I can see is that I have only filled out a vibe card once in a year and a half. It's not that I don't appreciate when fellow employees help me in some way, it's just that we all help each other constantly, and if I were to write a vibe card every time someone did so I'd be filling out 20-30 of them a week if not more, and that'd be extremely excessive. As such I have tended to avoid filling them out at all since otherwise it seems to be a case of favoritism.

 

[paidtosmile]

Target really can be a b*tch when it comes to job postings. When it comes to GSA and team lead type openings, they'll usually know exactly who they want before the job is posted... Like, I took a TL offer and after accepting my wage and whatnot over the phone, their HR said "I need to make the job posting, so if you want to wait a couple hours and then fill out an internal application we'll get you transferred." --They're required by law to formally post an opening before hiring anybody for it, but there isn't a requirement on length of time it's posted.

That being said, the real way to become a GSA is talk to your GSTL and ETL-GE about it right away. Get them on your side and get them to support it. For anything internal, interviews and formal applications are more-or-less just a formality. Your leadership's support is really all you need.
#RetailPolitics

I'm actually a bit curious what kind of cashiers at most stores would be considered for a promotion to GSA.

I can see some categories where I'd be a shoe-in, but also a few others where I might not be, but am unsure which of these metrics are most important for the position.

Example: I hate being idle. If I am working on a lane, and have no guests our standard procedure is that we are supposed to stand at the end of the lane and greet guests and usher them to our register to check them out.

I don't typically do this, if I have no guests, I zone the checklanes, I sort reshop (my bin first, then other cashiers bins), empty hangers (same with reshop), offer to dump the hangar bin if it is full and the cart attendant isn't around or we don't have one clocked in at the moment, check if other cashiers need bags, help other cashiers if they have their light blinking.

If I am at the service desk and have no guests and no mess to cleanup (ie. no items that need to be sorted, tagged, labeled, etc.) I do the same things. I much prefer having a variety of tasks and not doing the same thing all day so prefer working at the service desk to a lane. I also enjoy the "trouble" guests. I don't mean the rude ones who want to yell at you, I mean the ones with complicated orders, or who think their order will be complicated. I enjoy being able to make it right for them and trying to solve a problem for them. I also enjoy helping fellow cashiers when they are stumped. My conversion numbers are decent, not top of the store, but certainly meeting expectations.

The negative though I can see is that I have only filled out a vibe card once in a year and a half. It's not that I don't appreciate when fellow employees help me in some way, it's just that we all help each other constantly, and if I were to write a vibe card every time someone did so I'd be filling out 20-30 of them a week if not more, and that'd be extremely excessive. As such I have tended to avoid filling them out at all since otherwise it seems to be a case of favoritism.

From my experiences and seeing all the GSA's we've gone through in the past, it looks like they want team members who are.... High potential and could possibly become team leads in the future, good at handling difficult guests, relate well to others, and most importantly have a high tolerance for stress and bullsh*t for an extra 50 cents per hour.

 

[SFTOnThree]

I don't typically do this, if I have no guests, I zone the checklanes, I sort reshop (my bin first, then other cashiers bins), empty hangers (same with reshop), offer to dump the hangar bin if it is full and the cart attendant isn't around or we don't have one clocked in at the moment, check if other cashiers need bags, help other cashiers if they have their light blinking.

If I am at the service desk and have no guests and no mess to cleanup (ie. no items that need to be sorted, tagged, labeled, etc.) I do the same things. I much prefer having a variety of tasks and not doing the same thing all day so prefer working at the service desk to a lane. I also enjoy the "trouble" guests. I don't mean the rude ones who want to yell at you, I mean the ones with complicated orders, or who think their order will be complicated. I enjoy being able to make it right for them and trying to solve a problem for them. I also enjoy helping fellow cashiers when they are stumped. My conversion numbers are decent, not top of the store, but certainly meeting expectations.

If you would add cleaning to your routines, your SFT would die. I hate nothing more than GE (including the ETL, GSTL, GSA, and TM) saying "We don't need to clean... that's why we have a cleaning crew.... they can dust the registers, pick up the trash, etc.....

 

[New~gstl]

There should be a list of open positions posted on your store's HR board. Go to eHR > My Job Opportunities(?) to apply through JAS (has to be done in the store).

I did this n position was taken now I tried to go bk to see if any other local stores are promoting n I have to wait 180 days !!

 

[BigEyedPhish]

I don't typically do this, if I have no guests, I zone the checklanes, I sort reshop (my bin first, then other cashiers bins), empty hangers (same with reshop), offer to dump the hangar bin if it is full and the cart attendant isn't around or we don't have one clocked in at the moment, check if other cashiers need bags, help other cashiers if they have their light blinking.

If I am at the service desk and have no guests and no mess to cleanup (ie. no items that need to be sorted, tagged, labeled, etc.) I do the same things. I much prefer having a variety of tasks and not doing the same thing all day so prefer working at the service desk to a lane. I also enjoy the "trouble" guests. I don't mean the rude ones who want to yell at you, I mean the ones with complicated orders, or who think their order will be complicated. I enjoy being able to make it right for them and trying to solve a problem for them. I also enjoy helping fellow cashiers when they are stumped. My conversion numbers are decent, not top of the store, but certainly meeting expectations.

If you would add cleaning to your routines, your SFT would die. I hate nothing more than GE (including the ETL, GSTL, GSA, and TM) saying "We don't need to clean... that's why we have a cleaning crew.... they can dust the registers, pick up the trash, etc.....

I am a PA and my SFT is my Hero.

He is bestowing upon us his Golden Shop-Vac of Portable-ness to keep. The poor thing is going to get beat all to hell and back.

He is also the first one I call when one of my Coolers is making that weird noise.

 

[thetargetman]

Good luck with applying if you are. but just a fair warning that Target already knows who they want for the job before people even apply and the ETLs usually ask the person they want to apply for the job. I feel at times they are a bit discriminatory as well.

 

[copycopy]

I agree with the cleaning. That is always a bonus. Also, show an interest in learning to set pogs.