Archived How to Get Into Target: I Keep getting rejected from the site! HELP!!!

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Hello!
This might sound weird, but my dream job is to be a Store Manager at Target. No joke. I always thought of being a manager as a kid, and I still do. And I always loved Target. Especially the dog in the commercials.


With that said, I have applied to over 50 Target ETL opportunities all over the country over the past year, and the site keeps rejecting me! Its very disconcerting. Its what I want to do and I can't do it :(

Every time I submit an application on the site, it gets rejected within several weeks. I always get that dreaded "Your status has been updated!" email. Sounds amazing. Then I click. Sadface. :( :(

I feel like Tebow, No one is giving me a chance because I'm 1.5 years post grad and have "no potential". At least Tebow has a lucrative broadcasting career as a backup. B@stard!


I am a graduate at University at Buffalo with a BS in Business and BA in Economics, have several internships (including one in retail), years working with an eBay Store owner, many summer positions prior and during college, and 6 months experience at a Marketing position. So I think my qualifications should be OK at least. (I wanted to work in Target as a teen, but I could never get an interview).

I'm a hard and diligent worker who respects authority. I always stay late if I have to. I have no time commitments. I'm very good at interacting with consumers and managing others (in my first job at 12, I ended up managing my superiors because they were lazy lol). I am also extremely stubborn.


I did interview for an ETL last year. Drove 400 miles right after Sandy and a fuel shortage, paid $200 in expenses, and didnt get through the first 1 hr interview because I used too many "We" examples.

The ETL who interviewed me said I should re-apply in a couple months....but the site keeps rejecting me!


Tried going to the stores, and I must of handed out about 20 resumes in my area, even though they said the hiring is done in the central office in NYC. I think its the one called Target Sourcing Services on 100 Fashion Ave, but I think that's their distribution arm...not their hiring. Maybe it is?



Should I go in-person to the main District Office?

I also heard that the only way in if after school is by already working in Target. Now, I don't mind getting my feet wet for a bit, but how long does it take to move up to an ETL position when starting much lower (but still a college grad)? As much as I want to work at Target, I don't know if its worth entirely invalidating 4.5 years of hard work, expenses, and internships waiting years for the promotion that will never come. Maybe somewhere else I'll be able to pursue my dream of management....

Any and all advice appreciated! Thanks!
 
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Welcome, btw. It sounds like spot has no positions available in your area. Spot is Dangling a carrot in front of you. Internal hires take about 18 months for etl after a tm/tl, depending on the area.
Here is a link for jobs outside of spot:
http://www.thebreakroom.org/showthread.php/2547-The-Job-Search-Resource-Thread
Well. I've applied all over the country, including Alaska. I just have this feeling that my resume is being filtered out because its been over a year since I graduated.

Plus, its not that I need a job. I want to be a Manager. I realize that office work is just not for me. I need to move around, or I get severely bored. I need to talk with people, not sit isolated in cubicles.

It takes 18 months even hired as a college grad? Even if performance is good? That really sucks. idk. I'm a risk averse person. Seems risky to me...
 
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It's hard to say what Target's current view is on this and whether all Target stores hold the same philosophy, but I have known of several Team Leads who eventually got an ETL position. It wouldn't hurt to try to get any entry level Team Member position that you can, which will be difficult this time of year, but sometimes in early to late summer they do some hiring. Let them know that you are interested in moving up. If they see potential in you, store leadership will prepare you for a Team Lead position by giving you certain tasks to complete and conduct mock interviews until an opening becomes available. It may take a couple of years but it is possible. You sound very qualified, I don't know why they wouldn't be interested. The only thing I can speculate is that Target wants people they can mold into what they want, puppets they can control. Perhaps you came across as being too set in your ways. Good luck!
 
It's hard to say what Target's current view is on this and whether all Target stores hold the same philosophy, but I have known of several Team Leads who eventually got an ETL position. It wouldn't hurt to try to get any entry level Team Member position that you can, which will be difficult this time of year, but sometimes in early to late summer they do some hiring. Let them know that you are interested in moving up. If they see potential in you, store leadership will prepare you for a Team Lead position by giving you certain tasks to complete and conduct mock interviews until an opening becomes available. It may take a couple of years but it is possible. You sound very qualified, I don't know why they wouldn't be interested. The only thing I can speculate is that Target wants people they can mold into what they want, puppets they can control. Perhaps you came across as being too set in your ways. Good luck!

Well, that sounds a bit ominous! T3h evil puppetmasters!!!

I kid. It just sounded very epic.

I don't think I came off as stuck-up in my interview. He even said that my interview itself was great...I just used too many "We" examples when talking about group experience. I just figured when working in a team, its selfish to just claim I did everything. Guess I was wrong, lol.

Still, he said that Target actually wants people to keep reapplying and trying again, and that each region does separate hiring. So, that's what confuses me even more about it.

If it takes years to move up, then it would be career suicide to abandon my 2nd entry level marketing position for a Team Lead at Target. As much as I want to and think its a great fit, it would be a dumb move.

I just wish there was a way that I could display my talents and prove that I am management material without wasting 1yr+ of my experience.
 
If you had a interview and blew it, you're already in the system for 6 months... They're gonna make sure no one else wastes their time on you during that period. Feel free to reapply later.

Your ssn is flagged as already having applied/interviewed.
 
If you had a interview and blew it, you're already in the system for 6 months... They're gonna make sure no one else wastes their time on you during that period. Feel free to reapply later.

Your ssn is flagged as already having applied/interviewed.

Then why would I be encouraged to reapply? He specifically told me how the system works: That in 3 months, the system allows to reapply for the same region. He specifically said to apply to another region, since they all do separate hiring. And that after the 3 months, he'll make sure I'd get another crack at it with his branch.

I've been calling Targets for months now. If he would of just told me what you said, I wouldn't really bother.

I might be extremely stubborn and passionate, but I am not stupid. If my SS# is tied to the system, and the system autorejects if already interviewed, then there's really nothing I can do. I'm dealing with robots, not human beings.

Anyway, its been 1.3 years since I've gotten an interview tryout, not 6 months.

This thread says different:
http://www.thebreakroom.org/showthr...ition-again-within-4-months-of-last-interview
 
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I'm guessing here because really anything is possible but,

Maybe the person who interviewed you lied.
Perhaps there was something that didn't impress them enough to tag your application and that's why it keeps getting ignored.
In that case you might as well move on.
Or
It could be what you're sending out is dated.
You might want to revamp your resume.
Read a book or two on the best formats then go through and punch it up.
By giving them something new to chew on you might get a response.
 
Do you happen to have the contact info of the guy you interviewed with, or a way to get in touch with him? It sounds like he might be the best way to get back in the game.
 
Do you happen to have the contact info of the guy you interviewed with, or a way to get in touch with him? It sounds like he might be the best way to get back in the game.
I do, but there are no positions in his area open. His advice "Keep plugging in to other areas until you will get that phone call".
 
I'm guessing here because really anything is possible but,

Maybe the person who interviewed you lied.
Perhaps there was something that didn't impress them enough to tag your application and that's why it keeps getting ignored.
In that case you might as well move on.
Or
It could be what you're sending out is dated.
You might want to revamp your resume.
Read a book or two on the best formats then go through and punch it up.
By giving them something new to chew on you might get a response.

Its updated. Again, he specifically said that Target wants people who persistently apply and try again, and people who REALLY want to be an ETL. His words, not mine. Why would he lie about that?

I'm just looking to find out who to contact, really. In NYC, its all in some unknown corporate office in Midtown (prob. 500 7th Ave from my google digging). When I call other regions besides the guy I applied with, I always get the runaround. Either that no one is there to speak to, or they just flat out can't help me.
 
You pretty much you have to attend a Target recruiting event or become an intern, or maybe work from a TM/TL position first.
 
You pretty much you have to attend a Target recruiting event or become an intern, or maybe work from a TM/TL position first.
I don't mind that, but how long does it take if I do a bang-up job?

Heck, how do I get to be a TL? Last year, I tried once for a seasonal position, and I couldn't even get an interview.
 
You seem rather persistent into getting your foot in the door at Target... have you considered skipping the store level altogether and joining Corporate in Minneapolis? We have cookies.

b64954ef-b3d5-41f7-bf71-9ff765bbeb3e.jpg
PWFRitR.jpg
 
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So. I get it now. Instead of Giving Us Health Care, or Better Hours & Pay within the actual stores (you know that place, where us TM actually do all the work) they instead spent it all on Buildings to make sure they could dominate a city block. Than when people wondered WTH Target had just bought 'em for no reason whatsoever, they decided to remodel 'em and build them into a leisure center for the folks at Corporate.

Must be Nice...
 
I thought it was weird that our television broke last week and the SFT replaced it as soon as he was in....like, didn't he have more pressing things to do? After seeing these pictures, I understand.
 
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