LOD's and ETL's are horrible (venting)

O

Outreese

Joined
Nov 15, 2020
Messages
8
Just found out today that our stores ETL gave a team member all the questions and answers to give during the interview process to become a Team Lead... disappointed but not surprised, especially since i've been at this store for 5+ years and have applied to become TL. Every job has favortism and Target is the one job where i've witnessed so much of it.
 
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Sorry, it's hard stuff to handle, and often a bit gut-busting to get passed up. I feel for you.

The next best step (imo) if your ETL or HR is willing is to have a no-bullshit talk about what separates you from somebody they want as a team lead. There may be some unfair favoritism, but it's more likely that you are not currently a good fit for the job in their honest opinion. If you can handle that kind of disappointment and make improvements, that would show a lot of character.

You also might want to apply at another company so that you don't lose your motivation and work ethic. If you have put in 5 years and you think you can make a good case for being a manager, it's worth "spreading your wings" as they say. Another option may be education. Good luck whatever you do.
 
Outreese said:
Just found out today that our stores ETL gave a team member all the questions and answers to give during the interview process to become a Team Lead... disappointed but not surprised, especially since i've been at this store for 5+ years and have applied to become TL. Every job has favortism and Target is the one job where i've witnessed so much of it.
Click to expand...
Omg yes it's kinda like this situation I witnessed where discipline of one TM was far worse than the discipline of another TM . They broke the same rules and just because they work in different areas, their TL are different and one of the TMs got a verbal warning and the other one got corrective action. Is it ok for TLs at target to treat TMs with favoritism?
 
sunnydays said:
there are no guaranteed correct answers, it's not a multiple choice exam. i am developing somebody to be on the bench, i helped someone else promote off the bench into a tl role, you can bet your ass i helped them prep for their interviews so that they wouldn't drop the football at the 1yd line
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I just wish I and the other 3 people who actually work in that department had gotten help preping as well :(
 
AutGotAlot said:
Omg yes it's kinda like this situation I witnessed where discipline of one TM was far worse than the discipline of another TM . They broke the same rules and just because they work in different areas, their TL are different and one of the TMs got a verbal warning and the other one got corrective action. Is it ok for TLs at target to treat TMs with favoritism?
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I wouldn't say that's favoritism. If it was the same TL, yes, but two TLs isn't favoritism.
 
Outreese said:
I just wish I and the other 3 people who actually work in that department had gotten help preping as well :(
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If your boss doesn't think you're ready you aren't going to get the position anyways. They aren't going to prep 4 people from the same department at the same time. You cannot all be equally skilled walking into the interview. One of you will always be the clear best choice. They almost always know who they will promote before the job opens up and that person will be told specifically to apply.

Take this as an opportunity to improve going forward. Ask your TL and your ETL to put you through the training process to go on the bench (I'm doing the TL to ETL one right now). Find out what you need to work on.

Take this as a learning opportunity.
 
sunnydays said:
there are no guaranteed correct answers, it's not a multiple choice exam. i am developing somebody to be on the bench, i helped someone else promote off the bench into a tl role, you can bet your ass i helped them prep for their interviews so that they wouldn't drop the football at the 1yd line
Click to expand...
This, 100%.
‘Take it from the horses mouth:
some people are qualified but don’t interview well.
‘I always freeze up, say something I shouldn’t, think of something I should have said later....
They knew this and my “interview” was a coffee and talk at Starbucks with the SD. Didn’t”t even KNOW at the time I was being “interviewed “ !
Three days later I was offered the position on the same day the SETL was fired.
‘Position was never posted. I was never ON the bench.
This was MANY years ago - Process may be different now.
We
Do notice that they still see a person with potential before they have an opening. Most positions are still offered. Few who want it, get it.
 
I don’t think is favoritism . When I started at target I never thought that I would become a Tl let alone where I am now . I have never applied for the Tl position however I had something that other people in my store didn’t have , work ethic. I was the person they would call to come in to cashier , I was the person that took over shoe brand that no one wanted , I was the closing style sooner , the person who ran add at 4 am after closing Saturday at midnight, I did overnight Plano remodel that I had no prior knowledge of . One day I get pulled in the office by style Etl and he started prepping me for interview , then the Etl hr prep me as well as stl. Back then you still had to interview with hrpb and Dtl so I was being prepped for that. I took over a Tl position that I knew nothing about , Backroom , off-site and inbound it got me where I am because I had the drive to get the shit done not because I was there for a long time.
 
This post hits me a little different. I'm one of those TMs that is considered a favorite, being treated with favoritism, etc. I understand it. I did get TM of the month and am asked to do special tasks that other TMs aren't asked to do. But I work my butt off. I rarely stand still and never do what is expected of me. I try to do more most days. If you want anything, at target, or in this world, you have to go after it.
 
Outreese said:
Just found out today that our stores ETL gave a team member all the questions and answers to give during the interview process to become a Team Lead... disappointed but not surprised, especially since i've been at this store for 5+ years and have applied to become TL. Every job has favortism and Target is the one job where i've witnessed so much of it.
Click to expand...
This is standard actually. I got them in 1997. Lol. There are no answers. Target uses the STAR interview technique.
 
Ashfromoldsite said:
This is standard actually. I got them in 1997. Lol. There are no answers. Target uses the STAR interview technique.
Click to expand...
Spot version of star interviews.
STAR interviews:
The answer to your question(s) are pretty simple. During your interview be honest and yourself. They will ask you 4-5 situational questions (total of 3 rounds I believe) just to see what type of leader you are. Remember to paint them a picture because what they are looking for in each question that you answer is to be outlined in the following way:

Situation - how does your answer relate to the question
Example: tell me about a time you had to make a tough decison
You - During college ect..... <--- you are painting them a picture so tehy can visually see your answer.
Task - what did you have to accomplish/what what was the issue or problem
Action - how did you solve this issue/what steps were taken.
Result - what was the final outcome.

Overall be upbeat. During the interview don't EVER put yourself down. Even with the famous questions "what is one think your previous supervisor would change or say that you need to work on." Turn the question about to something like: "One thing my past supervisor would stay that I can improve is sometimes I tend want to help out too much. If I see someone struggling I always try and offer assistance." Remember to turn a weakness into a strength (sorry I just got off work so if a lot does not make sense please don't blame me lol).
 
allnew2 said:
I don’t think is favoritism . When I started at target I never thought that I would become a Tl let alone where I am now . I have never applied for the Tl position however I had something that other people in my store didn’t have , work ethic. I was the person they would call to come in to cashier , I was the person that took over shoe brand that no one wanted , I was the closing style sooner , the person who ran add at 4 am after closing Saturday at midnight, I did overnight Plano remodel that I had no prior knowledge of . One day I get pulled in the office by style Etl and he started prepping me for interview , then the Etl hr prep me as well as stl. Back then you still had to interview with hrpb and Dtl so I was being prepped for that. I took over a Tl position that I knew nothing about , Backroom , off-site and inbound it got me where I am because I had the drive to get the shit done not because I was there for a long time.
Click to expand...
I've done overnight signing, vmg, audit, fulfillment, cashiering, and overnight planogram for my store, the more I try, the more work I'm given with no rewards

I did get a TL "training" about a year back and got "benched" to be a TL but all that entailed was doing TL work with no pay, so that's why i'm just going to follow in the footsteps of other workers and bring my work ethics down whilst applying at other jobs
 
Fluttervale said:
If your boss doesn't think you're ready you aren't going to get the position anyways. They aren't going to prep 4 people from the same department at the same time. You cannot all be equally skilled walking into the interview. One of you will always be the clear best choice. They almost always know who they will promote before the job opens up and that person will be told specifically to apply.

Take this as an opportunity to improve going forward. Ask your TL and your ETL to put you through the training process to go on the bench (I'm doing the TL to ETL one right now). Find out what you need to work on.

Take this as a learning opportunity.
Click to expand...
I did get benched, it just bothers me because i know that the etl and person who ended up getting the position were friends outside of work for a long time so i dont know how much of it was their skills and how much of it was friendship favoritism going into the decision
 
Outreese said:
I did get benched, it just bothers me because i know that the etl and person who ended up getting the position were friends outside of work for a long time so i dont know how much of it was their skills and how much of it was friendship favoritism going into the decision
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Etls do not determine who gets promoted to tl. SD with a sign off from the DSD.
 
ETLs can’t promote someone but they sure can grease the skids for the person they want to see get promoted in their area, depending, of course, on the ETLs position in the pecking order of store politics. ASANTS, but at my store the SD asking the ETL of an area who they wanted to fill a TL opening was standard procedure, just like the ETLs asking the TLs which seasonals they wanted to keep.
 
Black Sheep 214 said:
ETLs can’t promote someone but they sure can grease the skids for the person they want to see get promoted in their area, depending, of course, on the ETLs position in the pecking order of store politics. ASANTS, but at my store the SD asking the ETL of an area who they wanted to fill a TL opening was standard procedure, just like the ETLs asking the TLs which seasonals they wanted to keep.
Click to expand...
I've also seen it play out where an SD promoted someone other than the ETL's preference due to said pecking order and store politics.
 
My TL has pulled me to the side recently and talked to me as if I'm replaceable, without consideration and infront of another TM deliberately to make me feel embarrassed. At
least that's how I see becausa HR was standing right there and told my TL another TM was nearby and my TlL proceeded with the information aloud.
 

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