HR Expert Position

Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
159
I'm considering leaving receiving, which I've done for several years and applying for an hr expert position at another store. I do my job very well and am considered my district's trainer, but sometimes I feel like I'm missing out being in the back.

I feel that I could do a good job as HR, but I would definitely have to change my mindset. In the backroom, I will admit I am not the warmest person, but I need to be that way or I'd have chaos in the back. HR you definitely have to be friendlier and strike that balance to do your job correctly. For those who are in HR do you enjoy the position? What are some of the pros and cons?
 
Yes, I do enjoy my position, and you are right, you need to be friendly with balance. HR Expert is very task oriented and sometimes you are pulled to help out other areas of the store. Also, having a great ETL will make your job easier and successful. Pros: taking care of the team, D&I stuff, meeting new team members. Cons: harassing people to do their trainings and follow up, cleaning up after others. Ask me anything you want.
 
Please see my comments on a different thread regarding my opinions on HR at Target. I sound like a dick in that thread, but I'm not going to sugarcoat it. As mentioned above, the role will largely depend on your ETL-HR and how your leaders see HR functioning as a "business" unit in your store. Some stores see HR as a backup service for all floor operations, and some stores will utilize their HR clerical personnel in HR only. Is there an open HR expert role in your store or your area?

You're an entry-level HR person most akin to an HR Assistant in another company. Your primary duties will be cleaning the breakroom, sending the daily HR recap (pulling greenfield metrics, updating/classifying attendance, updating daily and weekly compliance metrics, monitoring upcoming TGT welcome orientations), monitoring compliance, staying up to date on LOA information, planning events, sending order requests to your ETL, daily recruiting (the bulk of your day during Q4), and doing services at your store's leaderships behest. Q4 will be heavy in recruiting as mentioned earlier afloat of your clerical duties, but you will also be responsible for policy communication, staying up to date on DEI, and all other modes of communication. You will be responsible for informing leaders and team members about all of the changes happening at Target. All of those fun posters, calendars, and interactive elements you see in the TSC now become your problem to create and showcase. This was my weakness; I just don't believe HR needs to be involved with that shit. Hire a fucking office expert or something. This role can be the best or worse experience, and it really comes down to the ETL and your store leadership. My ETL was horrible, and I think that's why I have a sour opinion. Some stores even have HR at the TL level (what I was for a big super target) where you can actually manage a squad of HR experts, too.

Please know that HR in retail is not like HR in finance, parks/recreation, Healthcare, Manufacturing, etc. If you really want HR, my opinion will always be that you'll get a bonafide, well-rounded experience for yourself somewhere else besides Target. My $0.02.
 
Please know that HR in retail is not like HR in finance, parks/recreation, Healthcare, Manufacturing, etc. If you really want HR, my opinion will always be that you'll get a bonafide, well-rounded experience for yourself somewhere else besides Target. My $0.02.
I agree with this. HR Expert is much more task and report oriented than a lot of other fields here. Even at ETL-HR level it is much more of an "assistant store manager + HR" type of thing. At least, that's how most stores use the role. Any SD that uses ETL-HR purely for HR duties doesn't know what they're doing.
 
I agree with this. HR Expert is much more task and report oriented than a lot of other fields here. Even at ETL-HR level it is much more of an "assistant store manager + HR" type of thing. At least, that's how most stores use the role. Any SD that uses ETL-HR purely for HR duties doesn't know what they're doing.
I would say any HR ETL spending alot of time on the floor is not an affective HR person.
 
I'm considering leaving receiving, which I've done for several years and applying for an hr expert position at another store. I do my job very well and am considered my district's trainer, but sometimes I feel like I'm missing out being in the back.

I feel that I could do a good job as HR, but I would definitely have to change my mindset. In the backroom, I will admit I am not the warmest person, but I need to be that way or I'd have chaos in the back. HR you definitely have to be friendlier and strike that balance to do your job correctly. For those who are in HR do you enjoy the position? What are some of the pros and cons?
You will gain 20 pounds and be bored out of your mind.
 
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