Archived Need Advice on Advancing/ Making a Career at Target

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I am at a place in my life where I've decided I would like to make a career at Target. It is not ideal , but not so bad as far as humble jobs go. I started working at Target in summer 2008. I was hired in as cart attendant, doing occasional hardlines and cashier shifts as well. Around April 2011, I made a move to Guest Service/Photo to pick up better hours, and even was able to pick up shifts doing CAFs. I always check the swap shift board daily, and I'm usually one of the people they call to cover call-offs. I was fortunate enough to average about 34 hours a week in 2011 and 2012, being just a regular front end TM. Prospects for getting that in 2013 look bleak since now you can't do double-shifts, split shifts, or seven day weeks anymore. I would like to be a Team Lead one day. I am all for paying my dues, but I seem to be regressing in my pursuit of this goal:

Last year, I expressed interest in cross-training to Food Ave/Starbucks. I was thorough, speaking to the ETL-GE, and SBTM who both said I would be great for it and told me "okay we'll start training you in a few weeks" but it never materialized. My ETL-HR about a year later re-inquired about my interest in Starbucks and I said yes and then they proceeded to formally offer me the position and then not give me the position. I have put in for CTL and GSA internally and HRTM externally, all to no avail. I can't move upwardly or even laterally.

Should I try to transfer to a different store and start over? Should I try to get a mentor thing going that I keep hearing about? I'd have to say my greatest liability is my interviewing skills. But I do offer punctuality, I've had one call-off in my whole tenure there, and I've never been accused of being lazy. Could the fact that I've spent too much time at lowly positions be hurting me? I'm not saying I deserve a TL position or anything like that, But I'm at a point where I'm out of ideas. I have no other career options since I've never done more than a seasonal stint anywhere else.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks for taking time to read over all this.
 
I am at a place in my life where I've decided I would like to make a career at Target. It is not ideal , but not so bad as far as humble jobs go. I started working at Target in summer 2008. I was hired in as cart attendant, doing occasional hardlines and cashier shifts as well. Around April 2011, I made a move to Guest Service/Photo to pick up better hours, and even was able to pick up shifts doing CAFs. I always check the swap shift board daily, and I'm usually one of the people they call to cover call-offs. I was fortunate enough to average about 34 hours a week in 2011 and 2012, being just a regular front end TM. Prospects for getting that in 2013 look bleak since now you can't do double-shifts, split shifts, or seven day weeks anymore. I would like to be a Team Lead one day. I am all for paying my dues, but I seem to be regressing in my pursuit of this goal:

Last year, I expressed interest in cross-training to Food Ave/Starbucks. I was thorough, speaking to the ETL-GE, and SBTM who both said I would be great for it and told me "okay we'll start training you in a few weeks" but it never materialized. My ETL-HR about a year later re-inquired about my interest in Starbucks and I said yes and then they proceeded to formally offer me the position and then not give me the position. I have put in for CTL and GSA internally and HRTM externally, all to no avail. I can't move upwardly or even laterally.

Should I try to transfer to a different store and start over? Should I try to get a mentor thing going that I keep hearing about? I'd have to say my greatest liability is my interviewing skills. But I do offer punctuality, I've had one call-off in my whole tenure there, and I've never been accused of being lazy. Could the fact that I've spent too much time at lowly positions be hurting me? I'm not saying I deserve a TL position or anything like that, But I'm at a point where I'm out of ideas. I have no other career options since I've never done more than a seasonal stint anywhere else.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks for taking time to read over all this.

Your biggest mistake is trying to transfer to Food Ave/Starbucks. Other than cart attendant, those are probably the absolute worst workcenters to work in if you want to promote to TL. In those areas, you are pretty much "out of sight, out of mind". Even if you are the best food ave/starbucks TM, almost always you will go unnoticed. Sadly, the only time you really get noticed in those areas is when you screw up (i.e. food safety) and get the store in trouble. In other words, the only time anyone really cares what you do is when it's bad. Not very good for promoting....

Your best bet is to get to the sales floor. The vast majority of TL promotions come from the sales floor. On the floor, you are *always* being noticed by ETLs, and if you do a great job it is much more likely to be noted than at food ave/starbucks.

I don't think it is necessary to transfer to a new store at this point. You haven't really done anything to mess up your chances of promoting. I would give it another year, and if the ETLs are still giving you a cold shoulder, then it probably wouldn't hurt to transfer to a new store and "start over".

But you absolutely must stay out of food ave/starbucks. Do everything you can to get to the sales floor. Statistically, your best chances for promoting to TL are on the sales floor. That needs to be your goal right now.
 
here's a tldr, if you want a detailed version then let me know

change the way you think
show you have the potential
play the part
 
External transfer is always my suggestion. Fresh start!
 
But you absolutely must stay out of food ave/starbucks. Do everything you can to get to the sales floor. Statistically, your best chances for promoting to TL are on the sales floor. That needs to be your goal right now.
Ditto this.
Some of us like to run below radar & there's no better place than FA/SB for that.
 
OP again. I've thought about getting a "mentor" as they are called. But I don't know the right way to go about it. I could ask my GSTL, who has no problems with me. I could try to have mt SRTL Hardlines do it. This might be a good idea since he has personally vouched for me on several occasions. I've also heard you can have an ETL mentor you which sounds enticing. We have a brand new ETL-GE who I managed to make a good first impression on and who doesn't talk to me like I'm a lowly boor. I don't know if it's better to go within your own workcenter on this type of thing or not. Advice would be great here.
 
A degree. an accredited 4 year degree in anything. That is your glass ceiling. I know there are some TLs out there without one but it is HIGHLY unlikely you will get promoted without. It is possible to promote while in school and then you can get Target to help pay for some of it.
 
Target has a lot of issues promoting within, don't worry its not you.

A degree. an accredited 4 year degree in anything. That is your glass ceiling. I know there are some TLs out there without one but it is HIGHLY unlikely you will get promoted without. It is possible to promote while in school and then you can get Target to help pay for some of it.

A lot of other retailers will let you be a shift leader without one, including Wally World. 70% of our supervisors/managers started as regular team members.

If you have a degree, you shouldn't be working as a TL anyway. I think its an insult that Target "wants" a degree for a $11/hr (starting) position.
 
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Target has a lot of issues promoting within, don't worry its not you.

A degree. an accredited 4 year degree in anything. That is your glass ceiling. I know there are some TLs out there without one but it is HIGHLY unlikely you will get promoted without. It is possible to promote while in school and then you can get Target to help pay for some of it.

A lot of other retailers will let you be a shift leader without one, including Wally World. 70% of our supervisors/managers started as regular team members.

If you have a degree, you shouldn't be working as a TL anyway. I think its an insult that Target "wants" a degree for a $11/hr (starting) position.

I always liked how Publix (southeastern grocery chain) mostly REQUIRES their leaders all the way to the top to have started on the bottom. I agree that it is not ideal but one day when one of us is CEO, we can change it. I should mention that it isn't a requirement to promote to TL but "Strongly recommended". SrTL and above it isn't an option. Sad as there are is some great veteran talent in our store who lost their motivation to invest in their work after capping out and hitting that ceiling.
 
Target has a lot of issues promoting within, don't worry its not you.

A degree. an accredited 4 year degree in anything. That is your glass ceiling. I know there are some TLs out there without one but it is HIGHLY unlikely you will get promoted without. It is possible to promote while in school and then you can get Target to help pay for some of it.

A lot of other retailers will let you be a shift leader without one, including Wally World. 70% of our supervisors/managers started as regular team members.

If you have a degree, you shouldn't be working as a TL anyway. I think its an insult that Target "wants" a degree for a $11/hr (starting) position.

I always liked how Publix (southeastern grocery chain) mostly REQUIRES their leaders all the way to the top to have started on the bottom. I agree that it is not ideal but one day when one of us is CEO, we can change it. I should mention that it isn't a requirement to promote to TL but "Strongly recommended". SrTL and above it isn't an option. Sad as there are is some great veteran talent in our store who lost their motivation to invest in their work after capping out and hitting that ceiling.

You are making the mistake of assuming someone with a degree will not or cannot start from the bottom. It is entirely possible to require both a degree *and* starting at the bottom..... That might be the best option.
 
You are making the mistake of assuming someone with a degree will not or cannot start from the bottom. It is entirely possible to require both a degree *and* starting at the bottom..... That might be the best option.

It is indeed possible, but Target would much rather hire in some dweeb off a college campus who has never had to work a day in their life than someone who has busted their butt for them for years and knows the business inside and out who continuously 'needs more development' to advance.

No experience = ETL , Experience = 'more development' and MAYBE become a TL <- Anyone else see a problem with this?
 
I am at a place in my life where I've decided I would like to make a career at Target. It is not ideal , but not so bad as far as humble jobs go. I started working at Target in summer 2008. I was hired in as cart attendant, doing occasional hardlines and cashier shifts as well. Around April 2011, I made a move to Guest Service/Photo to pick up better hours, and even was able to pick up shifts doing CAFs. I always check the swap shift board daily, and I'm usually one of the people they call to cover call-offs. I was fortunate enough to average about 34 hours a week in 2011 and 2012, being just a regular front end TM. Prospects for getting that in 2013 look bleak since now you can't do double-shifts, split shifts, or seven day weeks anymore. I would like to be a Team Lead one day. I am all for paying my dues, but I seem to be regressing in my pursuit of this goal:

Last year, I expressed interest in cross-training to Food Ave/Starbucks. I was thorough, speaking to the ETL-GE, and SBTM who both said I would be great for it and told me "okay we'll start training you in a few weeks" but it never materialized. My ETL-HR about a year later re-inquired about my interest in Starbucks and I said yes and then they proceeded to formally offer me the position and then not give me the position. I have put in for CTL and GSA internally and HRTM externally, all to no avail. I can't move upwardly or even laterally.

Should I try to transfer to a different store and start over? Should I try to get a mentor thing going that I keep hearing about? I'd have to say my greatest liability is my interviewing skills. But I do offer punctuality, I've had one call-off in my whole tenure there, and I've never been accused of being lazy. Could the fact that I've spent too much time at lowly positions be hurting me? I'm not saying I deserve a TL position or anything like that, But I'm at a point where I'm out of ideas. I have no other career options since I've never done more than a seasonal stint anywhere else.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks for taking time to read over all this.
SoT is correct. In my experience, Food Ave is a blackhole. Once you start working there and show you are good at it, you never leave. I was asked and put into Food Ave real quick because one of my stores only had a small Food Ave team. Once in there It took me 4 years to get out of FoodAve and to the floor because they couldn't afford to loose me to another area since the FA team had such high turnover and no hours to train. You work with no one other than a small team and a FATL. So you won't get noticed.

Get to the floor that is where all the responsibilities and majority of the TL jobs are.

But truly, don't ever expect to make a career out of Target unless you are an ETL or above. No one works their way up anymore. That went out when Bob Ulrich stepped down as CEO. Long time ETLs and even TMs are being forced out, the hiring fresh out of school college grads and new hires. Why would Target want to pay high salaries for long time ETLs when they can pay a new ETL significantly less with fewer benefits.

Target's current idea of a Team Member is that they can be easily replaced. Target is trying to cut and combine any possible positions. Find, criticize, and weed out TMs as much as they can, and hire new people. With how things are going, sooner or later, it is going to be ETLs and TMs at the store level. No TLs.

Just be the best at what you do and try to succeed and advance as much as you can in Target. But get out of Target in the long run...actually get out of retail. Get a college degree if you have haven't already, find a high paying trade, or work for a government agency.
 
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Warning: Obnoxious rant forthcoming

I am at a place in my life where I've decided I would like to make a career at Target. It is not ideal , but not so bad as far as humble jobs go. I started working at Target in summer 2008. I was hired in as cart attendant, doing occasional hardlines and cashier shifts as well. Around April 2011, I made a move to Guest Service/Photo to pick up better hours, and even was able to pick up shifts doing CAFs. I always check the swap shift board daily, and I'm usually one of the people they call to cover call-offs. I was fortunate enough to average about 34 hours a week in 2011 and 2012, being just a regular front end TM. Prospects for getting that in 2013 look bleak since now you can't do double-shifts, split shifts, or seven day weeks anymore. I would like to be a Team Lead one day. I am all for paying my dues, but I seem to be regressing in my pursuit of this goal:

Last year, I expressed interest in cross-training to Food Ave/Starbucks. I was thorough, speaking to the ETL-GE, and SBTM who both said I would be great for it and told me "okay we'll start training you in a few weeks" but it never materialized. My ETL-HR about a year later re-inquired about my interest in Starbucks and I said yes and then they proceeded to formally offer me the position and then not give me the position. I have put in for CTL and GSA internally and HRTM externally, all to no avail. I can't move upwardly or even laterally.

Should I try to transfer to a different store and start over? Should I try to get a mentor thing going that I keep hearing about? I'd have to say my greatest liability is my interviewing skills. But I do offer punctuality, I've had one call-off in my whole tenure there, and I've never been accused of being lazy. Could the fact that I've spent too much time at lowly positions be hurting me? I'm not saying I deserve a TL position or anything like that, But I'm at a point where I'm out of ideas. I have no other career options since I've never done more than a seasonal stint anywhere else.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks for taking time to read over all this.
SoT is correct. In my experience, Food Ave is a blackhole. Once you start working there and show you are good at it, you never leave. I was asked and put into Food Ave real quick because one of my stores only had a small Food Ave team. Once in there It took me 4 years to get out of FoodAve and to the floor because they couldn't afford to loose me to another area since the FA team had such high turnover and no hours to train. You work with no one other than a small team and a FATL. So you won't get noticed.

Get to the floor that is where all the responsibilities and majority of the TL jobs are.

But truly, don't ever expect to make a career out of Target unless you are an ETL or above. No one works their way up anymore. That went out when Bob Ulrich stepped down as CEO. Long time ETLs and even TMs are being forced out, the hiring fresh out of school college grads and new hires. Why would Target want to pay high salaries for long time ETLs when they can pay a new ETL significantly less with fewer benefits.

Target's current idea of a Team Member is that they can be easily replaced. Target is trying to cut and combine any possible positions. Find, criticize, and weed out TMs as much as they can, and hire new people. With how things are going, sooner or later, it is going to be ETLs and TMs at the store level. No TLs.

Just be the best at what you do and try to succeed and advance as much as you can in Target. But get out of Target in the long run...actually get out of retail. Get a college degree if you have haven't already, find a high paying trade, or work for a government agency.

Yeah, I'm finally able to go back to finish school starting in August. I'll be a 28 when I graduate, so I'm not really sure what the career prospects are gonna be like. Since experience is everything (unless you are hot)and I have no charisma, and I have only worked at Target (70% of my time as cart attendant, the store's lowliest position) I think I dont have much of a choice but to stay in retail. An HR person sees five-year cart attendant on a resume and will wonder if I have Downs Syndrome. I swear to god I'm not some Mongoloid, I got a 3.8 GPA in community college, I just happen to be utilized as ca since I'm the only one that doesn't peter-fiddle his time away. If i ended up a TL or an equivalent elsewhere... that's actually the good scenario. I don't think they would hire a 28 year old as an intern for ETL. Plus on my best day I'm a 6. You must be at least a 7 to be etl or else you get binned, doesn't matter if you were valedictorian at oxford for your MBA and then you personally saved greg steinhaffel from a troupe of rogue pumas. I know I'm sounding negative here but I'm just really frustrated at the lack of respect CA's get. I have under-90-day cashiers order me around, I had a TL joke about planting merchandise on my person to get me canned, and I always have my basic job functions explained to me every single shift like I'm stupid. The orange vest is a respect deflector that's for sure. If you are on a date with a woman and you tell her you attend cart for a living, watch in awe how fast a person can flee a dining room, lithely elbowing waitstaff and patron alike, all in the wanton desperation not to allow your lowly retail aura to rub off on them. Cart Pusher may in fact be the nadir of employment in the developed world, looked down and spat upon by the janitor, the fast food worker, the dishwasher and the ticket ripper. If you were an HR person and had to decide between a cart attendant for a job OR a guy with an 8th grade education, visible tattoo sleeves and 17 felonies all of which were retail theft related, and also he was ugly, and had no charisma, and all of his answers to the interview questions were gibberish and then at the end of the interview he chokeslams you and threatens your pets...then congrats you still just made the easiest decision of your life while acquiring a fine origami swan made from the resume forged solely from tattered dreams, promised GSA promotions, false hope and starbucks-flavoured garbage juice.

If you made it this far into my rant, I am sorry. I am grateful to have my job, but sometimes you need to vent, otherwise, why does this site even exist?
 
Thanks for the update. Keep on going to school & get out of spot. For now, try taking other shifts outside of ca, like sf or fa. you can transfer to another store.
 
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It exist so people like you can vent while staying anonymous. Everyone has too let off some steam now and then. Instead of doing it at work where you could probably get fired, you can do it on here. People that don't work at target wouldn't understand a lot of the bs the workers go through, so its good to have a site where we all feel your pain. Trust me, a lot of people on here know what it is like being at the bottom of the barrel. The site also helps people out and such. Good luck man.
 
I would cultivate the support of your ETL-GE (the new one you made an impression on?) & ask if they would mentor you.
I would also seek out your local workforce office & see if you can get pointers on presenting yourself better to prospects, whether within or outside spot.
Unfortunately, many stores have a high school clique mentality & it sucks when you aren't one of the 'cool ones'.
Your rant was spectacular & impressive in its scope, tho.
 
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