Archived Intern --> full-time ETL hiring rate?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
May 17, 2014
Messages
6
Hi everyone, I'm new to this website. Glad I found it :) I'm starting an ETL-HR internship with Target next month, and I was wondering if anyone knew how likely it is for interns to get hired full-time after their internships end? The job market is pretty tough so it would be nice to know I have a good chance of having Target as an option after I graduate.

Also, does anyone know how likely it is that you're placed in your first-choice area of the country as an ETL? There are a few cities I would rather live in than others, but I'm not sure how difficult it is to get hired in stores in those cities as an ETL. Any insight?

Thanks! :)
 
IhaveaDream, I am in the process of looking for another job, but as I said the job market is very difficult right now. I will continue looking but I thought there wasn't any harm in asking... And of course I will work hard. But I know that Target is facing a lot of challenges right now with the credit card fiasco and changing their management and everything so I also feel unsure about how many new positions they are creating/opening at this time.

Thank you Hardlinesmaster. I think my situation is pretty different from the one in the other thread, since I've never worked for Target before. I know it will depend on their needs but I just wondered if anyone knew how likely it would be that they would need someone in a specific city or if it was all pretty random and unpredictable. I can move basically anywhere in the country but I know I would be happier in certain places.
 
If you do well as an intern, mostly if you fit in with the company, and you do well on your intern project, more than likely they will offer you a position. What would most likely happen at that point is, you would be bounced from store to store filling gaps until a position opened up for you.

The chances of you getting a job in a market of your preference are decent, generally ETL's aren't moved across markets, so if you specify where you want to work, as long as there are enough stores in the district/area, the chances of you getting into one you are comfortable with is high.
 
Ah okay, that's good! But would that involve moving a bunch of times in a short period of time (being bounced from store to store)? That sounds expensive :confused: I don't really want to stay in the area where I'm interning; it's where I went to college but not where I want to end up - would that have an effect?
 
Welcome to The Break Room.

Hope to see you around after they offer the position.
I've noticed new interns come on and then when they get the ETL job they stop posting.
I get the feeling they are warned away.
 
Interns that receive full-time offers are usually placed within the district (sometimes, group) they completed their internship in.

I had national availbility, and really wanted to move elsewhere... But I was told if you want to move out of the group, there is usually an interview required OR at least 18 months in role with a proven track record of success... But I've heard moving out of district and group is usually rare. It does happen (we had an HRBP move across country), but for the most part, it is rare outside of family needs (for example, your spouse has to move due their job, etc.)


As for getting an offer at the end of the internship... Target's 'goal' is 75% converison intern to ETL. Mainly because interns have the previous experience and it is easier to train once given an offer.

Tips for success:
1) Follow the learning plan. As an internal hire, yours will be a little different, but follow it. Try to focus on areas you aren't quite as familiar with.

2) Get to know the TM's and TL's. If your training store is anything like my training store, your mentor and STL will ask about you in TL meetings, ETL meetings, and chat sessions. Get to know them. One of my tricks was to walk around with a grid with a goal of meeting everyone and then learning one new thing about them daily. It worked... My STL noticed and I wasrecognized.

3) Recongize. Reconigze your team and remeber to say thank-you. Write Vibe cards and talk at huddle. Again, it will be noticed.

4) You will have formal status every other week. Don't be afraid to ask questions and talk to your STL beforehand. try to focus any opporunities identified.

Getting the job offer shouldn't be hard. I had 6 other interns in my district and ALL received offers at the end. Even a girl who was pretty much dumber than box of rocks received one (and I knew this because we went to school together and had her in my classes). I don't want to sound cynical, but with the high turnover rates of ETLs, they will try to fill the position with anyone who may even be a bit successful.
 
Thank you SO much bullseyekindaguy! Those are really helpful tips. So was there a reason that you didn't do the interview and move to another district? An interview doesn't sound like a big deal, but is leaving the district really frowned upon? They made it sound easy to move/interview in different places during my interview. Especially since I won't be a full-time employee in this district yet?

And is there a reason that the turnover rate is so high? Anything I should be aware of?

Thanks again!
 
I say get in, take what they offer you at the end of the internship, and then make your move to a different area/etl role after a while.
 
Ideally, you'll be spending somewhere between 3-5 years as an ETL before you move on to STL interviews (if they think you'd make a good STL). You'll get a new position in the district every 18 months or so. Possibly a little quicker if you're deemed high potential. So I would let them know now that you're willing to relocate. Talk to your recruiter about it. By default, you'll get stuck in the district you interned in if you are offered an ETL spot.

Once you're out of the physical stores and are at the district or group level, there is a much better chance of getting to move around. Since there is a smaller pool to pull from for DTLs, it's not uncommon for someone to move across the country to be a district team leader. Sometimes, STL candidates might be offered stores in other districts, but it's usually, if not always, a store in the same group, and at the very least in the same region.

To sum up, everything really depends on what the company needs more than what you want. But such is life.
 
Also, your willingness to relocate is something you have to fill out on your talent profile. So if you're offered a job, you'll be letting them know how you feel about relocating within and outside the country.
 
So is the consensus that it would be basically impossible for me to move out of my current district after my internship? :(

Btw thank you for the advice and thanks for sharing that link Hardlinesmaster... that's pretty eye-opening/worrisome haha
 
I was an intern for about two years and converted to ETL-HR after I graduated. So long as you have a good mid/final review and your district has a need to hire, you will be offered a full-time position.

Don't let these forum folk scare you off too much - most just feel personally victimized by Target for one reason or another (as people do with most other companies).

When it comes down to it, you just have to accept and realize that:
  1. Target is a Corporation. At the end of the day, their main function is to turn a profit.
  2. Retail is a highly-competitive industry.
So long as you're up for the politics and challenge, you'll enjoy the work.

Thanks nobiliscus. When you say "your district," do you just mean the district you want to work in, or only the one that hired you for the internship? I really don't want to live where I'll be doing my internship.
 
To answer your question of concern, the odds of you moving out of the district, let alone group, is small. From my experience with interns, positions are only offered on an "As needed" basis, meaning if the store/district/group has an opening then they can offer a position. It is the store/district/group offering you the internship/job, not corporate Target. Corporate Target sets jobs up then hands them down to the individual district to make the call. Each group operates differently and follows their own standards for the hiring process. You may be the best Target has ever seen in District A, however District B doesn't know you from Adam. To give you an idea on moving nationwide at the ETL-STL level, one of our best ETLs (12 years) wanted to transfer to his home state. He's been in several ETL positions and is always tasked for special assignments to turn a red store green. A week before his expected date to leave (which he was approved to transfer), he got denied. He already moved his family and Target personnel at our district said he will not be moving stores (this was before the credit-card crisis). You'll probably have to build up a good background (18-36 months) as an ETL before being able to move to a market of choice, unless the market of choice is doing poorly or needs leaders.

Nobiliscus is right about not being scared away. These posts are based from our personal views and experiences with Target. When it comes to a retail career, Target is not entirely horrible. There are better retail companies and there are far worse. It just depends on what you are looking for in a career and how you plan on applying your degree. First, to be an ETL it does not require a degree to be successful. Actually you may feel like you are wasting your talent/education. Honestly, at the end of the day you sell toilet paper, nail polish, dog food, and other crap people don't need. Sometimes the reward is not worth the cost.

If you're interested in an HR career field, Target is a great stepping stone (as long as you are offered a position in HR). You may internship for HR but get offered a different position, completely unrelated to HR. Another pitfall of HR at Target, you're not a true HR representative. You are put into a position where you are no longer a third party entity that employees can go to. How can an LOD properly take a neutral side if you also have to worry about TMs performance? Our ETL-HR pulled too many LOD shifts to take a neutral position. The position was better filled by the HR-TL who truly did have a neutral stance, however that position has little HR authority.

I enjoyed my time with Target. I was an ETL-Logistics working at a two-story AA+ store with an overnight flow process. The work was easy but it was also unrewarding and time consuming. My STL expected overnight ETLs to work 60+ hours regardless of how well we were doing. Also, overnight had to consume the work dayside could not complete but I was held responsible if the extra work kept us from meeting our goal times. Life would have been easier if I was single and drank on my days off.

Prior to Target I was in the military. Now I am a software engineer for the federal government (my degree is in Business). I enjoy working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week with the option to work 2-3 days from home. I have holidays off and get to enjoy every weekend with my family. And to top it off, my salary is higher than it was with Target (even my bonuses are higher). Even if I had a lower salary, lower stress and weekends off are invaluable.

My suggestion if you are an HR major or business major with HR interest: Internship somewhere else. The internship is like being a glorified high school graduate who was given keys to the register and a walkie, not too impressive. There are tons of HR jobs on the market where I live (DMV). Or complete the internship, get HR experience, then work for a company with a better work/life balance.

Or as Nobiliscus said "So long as you're up for the politics and challenge, you'll enjoy the work". Play the politics of Target and you'll do well. Drink the punch, sleep in red/khaki, become best friends with STL, sleeping with the STL/DTL is automatic career booster, become a Target Cheerleader, etc. Make it look like everything Target does is infallible and live by best practice, you'll do great. The only challenge...dealing with all the BS that comes with the position.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top