Archived How long did it take you to earn a promotion?

[retailfairy]

I was recently passed up for a very nice front valley TL position and still have a nasty taste in my mouth about it. I know I haven’t worked at Target long (almost 2 years), but this would not have been the first “promotion” of sorts that I would have received. I was very lucky enough to be bumped to visual merchandising merely 6 months into my time at Target (pay raise and everything). Since then, I am trained in everything short of service desk and making a bale. Now I *have* transferred stores about 6 months ago, but this new store still raves about my performance and raises my hopes even more than my other one.

I work in HBA. I like to check in every so many months with my TLs and STL to see what new things are coming for Beauty, I share my opinions, and ask about my performance and if there is anything I can do better. I get praised from my TL and STL all the time, I have guest compliment call outs frequently. I didn’t let it go to my head; I’m just doing my job afterall. And I’m doing it well.

Since I arrived at this store, my dept was like a chicken with its head cut off. I singlehandedly got things back in order, got the team researching, figured out routines, and have even implemented new additions to the routine. During the holidays, we could NOT keep anyone on staff in HBA. It all fell on me and one other person, who was switched to POG anyway part way through. My closers have been random people from around the store. I have done all the training for at least 4 team members. I had to pick up the slack as well as taking not only a heavy schedule (7+ days w one day off inbetween usually), but irregular hours (i.e. 8-430, 8-430, 3-11, 10-6, 4-11, consecutively, etc). I am EXHAUSTED.

I have even sat down with my SFTL to tell him that I’m ready to have a new challenge and that if Target, in their blindfolded attempts to figure out wtf they want from Beauty TMs, makes a Cosmetics TL, I am interested. He seemed pleasantly surprised and excited and discussed things with me. This is while there was a TL vacancy in my dept and before I even knew it.

So when I find out the girl who got the promotion for my TL got it because “she knows POG” .....?! I was on POG for 3-4 months!! And she was the VM TM... exactly the same position that I used to hold before I got moved to beauty at my old store. I’m just really salty, you know? She is being trained this week (finally, it’s been like 3 weeks). All the training I would need is the additional info that TL need to know and tasks they need to do.

I’m exasperated and would really like to know opinions on this situation. I realize maybe they think I need to be a regular TM longer for more experience? Maybe? But I’ve been considering looking to work elsewhere. I’m conflicted. How long did it take any of you to get a bump to TL?

 

[Malkiacera]

This sounds like my Life story. I kid you not. I moved up to “merchandising brand” 6 months after I started.

Transferred after 4 years when I was passed over for a promotion by a newer Tm that I trained. When I transferred I was referred to as “the girl that new everything” but beginning a new was difficult. I missed my store, the old target fam. While I continued to make improvements for myself and whatever workcenter they threw me under I was still being shuffled saying each time was a ‘better opportunity.’

After bombing my interviews I told myself after six years; I can continue to work hard and communicate with my ETL’s about my development which at this point could take weeks, months, years OR Try my hand at finding that higher role elsewhere.

It’s conflicting but you have to look at your lifestyle and situation and do what’s best for you.

 

[HRZone]

Promoting is tricky you need a lot of things to go your way because you may be a good leader but they will sometimes have someone in mind for the position ahead of you.

We had a tm at my old store sit on the bench two years but she stayed annoying (in a good way) waiting for a position and constantly asking about improving.

Another store in the district called saying they need a TL and she got that position. Like @Malkiacera said, it may not come when you want it but eventually the hard work will pay off somewhere

 

[busyzoningtoys]

14 months. What’s funny is I applied for 20 hour a week cashier initially. Was told nope and that I was needed in electronics. Started cross training in all workcenters 6 months in. At 11 months, Target Mobile offered me my own store as an EEL (their highest position in a store) and I went to the ETLs and told them I was considering but that I truly wanted to stay with Target. Within a week they said they’d match mobiles offer and 2 months later, right before Q4 I get hardlines TL. Just turned in my self review and am fully leveraging the outstanding 10 months of last year that I had in electronics to back up the top score I suggested for myself lol.

 

[Planosss]

From date of hire, Took me exactly 7 months to become a TL. I feel like you have to hit the ground running. 2 years is way too long to wait for a TL position..

 

[Him]

I personally don't think it so much is a difinitive timeframe, but more of how a person is and what a person knows. If a new tm begins working for Target and hit the ground running a la @Planosss, they get it. Others possibly need "fine tuning" a la @busyzoningtoys wheteher it had been something personal about them they worked on and changed or just learned overtime. Many different factors.

 

[Spot the doge]

Going on 2 years, and I can't even get training

 

[EagleEye]

Between being a TM and a TL, 6 years.

 

[HRZone]

A contact in HR can help too. Every store is required to have a succession plan with people on the pipeline and bench. How confidential it is depends on who is asking.

If you're not in the pipeline you can tell you may be a little further off.

 

[Bullseyerc]

My story is too unique to share as it will give me away but it took less than a year from cashier.

 

[PM2NO]

I won’t really count my first years with the company as I was young and a lot of the people there had been with the company 20+ years so trying to change their mindsets was hard. I’ll consider that my learning years. I did however move away from cart attendant into In-Stocks when it was a bigger position.

But life was changing and an opportunity to move out of state came about. That was the change I needed. I transferred into a younger store (in that it had only been opened a couple years) and everyone was impressed by me and I made a lot of friends off the bat except one backroom guy who thought he was above everyone and didn’t like that I was trying to develop into a leadership position. A year later I got a position for Receiving. It took some years after that to get my position now mostly because my LOG didn’t want to lose me but I ended up with the position I got now.

To me you have to be ready for a leadership position like right away or at least make good impressions. The longer you stagger it can be a challenge to change the perception.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

Took me about 9 months with target to go from GSA to GSTL.

 

[qmosqueen]

and I'm no longer a PA (Perishable Assistant) and the Food Assistant position is also gone.
Just a lonely TM (Team Member) after 5 years and making the same as a newbie.

 

[Ringwraith917]

Seems like it's time for you to take a vacation. Surely a TL can run the department for a week or two without you, a humble peon team member. Nothing special, so they shouldn't miss you, right?

 

[anathema]

Promotions are pretty political, makes me wonder who the person they hired is. It could be a lot of things, maybe your ETL/STL thought that they could hold onto you longer and that they were in danger of losing that person if they weren't promoted, maybe they're truly ready for a leadership role, maybe they're just a favorite. I've seen TLs get promoted to Sr purely out of convenience for the LOD schedule or because they're the longest tenured TL. Not everyone that is promoted is ready, but there's reason enough to give the job to them.

Who knows, I guess. We'd have to have more insight into your store to really tell.

 

[HRZone]

I've seen TLs get promoted to Sr purely out of convenience for the LOD schedule

Lol reminds me of the tl we hired from another store simply because he was already a senior.

Guess who closes every Friday night?

 

[LUR99]

About 2 years.

 

[retailfairy]

Seems like it's time for you to take a vacation. Surely a TL can run the department for a week or two without you, a humble peon team member. Nothing special, so they shouldn't miss you, right?

I actually did finally take just shy of a week off, but it was unpaid of course because I have accrued hardly any vacation time and if an emergency arises, I may need those two paid days off. Sigh.

Promotions are pretty political, makes me wonder who the person they hired is. It could be a lot of things, maybe your ETL/STL thought that they could hold onto you longer and that they were in danger of losing that person if they weren't promoted, maybe they're truly ready for a leadership role, maybe they're just a favorite.

I have considered all of this (and then some!), and I truly do wonder what their reasoning is. At least this person is from within and not a fresh hire; that thought makes me feel better, too. I was talking to the new TL today, and found out she has been with Target 8 months. She seemed surprised when she asked what I'm trained for and I said just about everything, and then she asked how long I'd been there. Her face almost said she felt bad that she got the job over me, but I'm probably reading into it. She's really great and I like her. I'm glad to be working with her.

Regardless, I really appreciate all the feedback, everyone. I guess it just wasn't time for me to be a TL yet or that some other opportunity more fit for me is in the future.