Archived Senior Team Leads! Is it worth it?

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Hello all, I'm new to the site. I am a GSTL at an A++ volume Pfresh target(its too big). I have been with the company 2 years and been GSTL for 1 year(past the honeymoon stage). I have no degree but am currently starting school. Long story short my tenured GE sees me as her partner and my new to my store STL has done nothing but praise me and now a senior team leader positioned opened. I have not yet applied because I don't totally know what it would be like in that position and if it is doable with school as well(I'm used to working 40 hour weeks and another 40 for class and homework). All you Sr.TL's out there can you tell me if the position is,
A) Much harder than being a regular team leader?
B) What kind of training you got(if any)
C) Is the extra responsibility worth the pay raise(I understand target isn't going to make it rain $$$)
D) Will it really make the difference if I want to become an ETL down the road? I have never seen a team leader move up to ETL but I have only ever known one Sr.TL and he doesn't have a degree or is planning on getting one.

I would greatly appreciate any insight! Thank you.
 
Welcome! Go for it. Depending on your area, you will get $2 to $4 raise. Your stl may you move out of the front end to salesfloor, at my store, my gstl was offered srtl job & they turned it down, because the stl would move them to hardlines.
 
From what my Target contacts day, SrTL positions are being eliminated/consolidated at just lower volume stores when they become vacant.

The few SrTLs I worked with worked hard and deserved lots of credit. But there were some STLs and ETLs that treated them like dirt. They had them go run errands, get coffee, take the unwanted LOD shifts, and wouldn't let them sit in on the store or district meetings.
 
A) No. LOD is much more responsibility, but the TL duties remain the same. If you stay GSTL, you would have to rely on your GSA team to work additional GSTL shifts because you'll get a few LOD shifts per week. Time management is critical because you'll have to keep up with the paperwork aspects, and be expected to improve a department you spend less hands-on time in.
B) You will get additional training. You have to complete the Safe and Secure training, which partners you with other leaders to learn about what's expected of you as an LOD.
C) Whether it's worth it or not isn't something I can answer. You'll be working a more erratic schedule and if you're used to making your own schedule, that will be a change as well. Your STL/ETL-HR will schedule you for however many LOD shifts they need and you have to be there. So you'll have less flexibility, more responsibility(i.e. failure to secure the building is an automatic final warning), and you'll have to understand the entire store processes and be able to problem solve departments you may never have worked in. It won't be a large pay increase but you will get a little extra.
D) SrTL could be a great step toward being an ETL. It's good because it allows you to make a bigger impact on the store, and making yourself stand out. You're also getting keys and learning much of what the LOD part of an ETLs job pertains. So down the road, you will have a little experience and you'll definitely be working more closely with upper management. My store encourages SrTLs to be attending school and working toward the ETL level, though we have a few that have no intention of moving up.

PM or feel free to ask further questions. We've got a several SrTLs on the board, so hopefully you can get some perspective from multiple stores.
 
I've never been a srtl but I work closely with mine and he enjoys it. I would say go for it because if you are planning on becoming an etl in the future, having the LOD responsibility is a good stepping stone and a feather in a cap. I help my srtl all the time and vice versa. It's a busy position.
 
we have 3 senior team leads in my store. 3! that's out of 10 total team leads.
 
We have 3 out of 7 total TLs (not including ETLs/STL)
 
It really all depends on the store. I've been in stores where the Sr. TL's just work mindlessly and are basically ETL's without the pay or credit. I've also seen stores where the Sr. TL doesn't really do all that much except take LOD shifts. But most of the Sr. TL's I've talked to have enjoyed it and a few have even moved into ETL positions.
As far as pay, I've heard it depends on how much they want you. If you're just filling a spot, probably just a dollar or two, but if they really want you, you can always negotiate pay and see what they can do.
If given the option, I usually always prefer being trained outside of your current store. In my experience, when you train at your store, it sometimes gets put on hold because technically you are still working that day so they could make you help out somewhere instead of being trained.
Good luck with your decision!
 
A) I think it's much harder (but I'm a Salesfloor TL so I have a huge area plus LOD shifts). As a Senior GSTL (if they keep you there), you'll probably have 2-3 LOD shifts a week and the rest will be GSTL. I've seen others be SrGSTL and it seemed like one of the easier Senior TL positions to hold (since you likely have a partner on the front end and they can keep up the brand/conversion etc up front).
B) I trained with an ETL for a few shifts (to learn closing procedures, the CO, etc.) I didn't feel like I had enough training (but as we all know target doesn't do well with training).
C) Depends on the raise they'll give you, I had to fight for what I got (they offered me lower than I wanted). The problem I have now is I want to leave but don't know that I can make what I get at target elsewhere).
D) I don't know. I want to become an ETL and I think the Sr.TL experience is helpful (especially the time you may spend helping develop other TLs/collaboration between ETLs and TLs) but I haven't seen anyone promote from Senior to ETL, just lots of talk of it.
 
We have 3 Sr.TL in the store, out of 35-40 TLs. Two are on the salesfloor , and when it comes to the team alignment and departments they own, they have less, because they do 3 out of 5 days as LODs. They don't attend ETL meetings.
 
We have 3 Sr.TL in the store, out of 35-40 TLs. Two are on the salesfloor , and when it comes to the team alignment and departments they own, they have less, because they do 3 out of 5 days as LODs. They don't attend ETL meetings.

That is a hella-big damn store.
 
Thanks for all the insight! At my store there is currently only one SrTL out of 20 team leaders and he usually only does 2 LOD shifts out of the week and he doesn't seem to be given any more responsibility on top of his usual workload other than having to dedicate 2 days to LOD. I already take on extra responsibility from my GE as well as do the schedule for the front so it seemed like I might as well add SrTL onto all that if I have more responsibility than my peers anyway. As GSTL it wouldn't be too difficult to have 2 less days because there are 2 other GSTL's at my store so I have two other partners to rely on which is plenty.
 
Thanks for all the insight! At my store there is currently only one SrTL out of 20 team leaders and he usually only does 2 LOD shifts out of the week and he doesn't seem to be given any more responsibility on top of his usual workload other than having to dedicate 2 days to LOD. I already take on extra responsibility from my GE as well as do the schedule for the front so it seemed like I might as well add SrTL onto all that if I have more responsibility than my peers anyway. As GSTL it wouldn't be too difficult to have 2 less days because there are 2 other GSTL's at my store so I have two other partners to rely on which is plenty.
It's sounds like you are set to go for the srtl job!
 
Sr TL is the best gig in Target. Here is why:

1. You get the "respect" of an ETL. You are not a neutered TL. You have the same authority as an ETL, keys, etc. (ok, not the exact same authority... but pretty damn near close)

2. Unlike an ETL, you only work 40 hour weeks usually.

3. Since you only work 40 hour weeks, you are in effect actually making more money per hour than ETL's.

Basically as a Sr TL, you get the best of both worlds from TL/ETL levels, but none of the bad.
 
Since you only work 40 hour weeks, you are in effect actually making more money per hour than ETL's.
False.

True. Let me show you how using something called math.

Sr. TL makes $45,000 annually. Sr. TL works 2080 hours that year. (52 weeks in a year, 40 hours worked a week) Sr. TL therefore makes $21.63/hour. (45000/2080 = 21.63)

ETL makes $45,000 annually. ETL works 2600 hours that year. (52 weeks in a year, 50 hours worked a week). ETL therefore makes $17.30/hour. (45000/2600 = 17.30)

You can't argue with math my friend. The ETL clearly works more hours for less money.
 
What I meant was false the assumption is that SrTLs make the same annually as ETLs. I don't know a single SrTL that makes 45k. The most tenured Sr I know makes much less than that.
On top of that, our raises are a pittance compared to an ETL raise, so even if I managed to make it to an ETLs base pay(hint: I'll be capped long before I hit $21/hr), they would jump way ahead once they got their raise.
 
OMG! Store hourly, and ETL pay grades depend on the district. In my district, PG17 paygrade is from $17 to 25, and for ETLs is $65-70k. But in the areas where ETLs make $45k, PG17 doesn't start from $17/h.

The best gig in the stores is SFT. Our SFT worked every week at least 50hour, that is 40+10 OT. He made more than ETLs.
 
Senior doesn't cap until almost $23 and even then you still get raises if you get EX or O.
Yeah my SrTL at my old store back in like 09-11 time frame was making 24.xx she'd been there for 18 years... My SrTL now though is making 19.00 he's only been with target a couple years...

To the original post I'd say yes its worth it. I wish I'd got the SrTL position I'd applied for... If you have interest in ETL it's the best stepping stone. You have a few added duties, but I think ultimately it depends on what size store you're in to say how many lod shift you'll get... at my store we're ULV... Theres only ETL's for Salesfloor/GE (1), Logistics, AP, and HR (and HR/AP is combining soon)... So our 3 SrTL's end up with more LOD shifts than ETLs get... Our Sr's are Pog/Pricing, Softlines, and Backroom so a lot of the time they're E1..

But I think its a minimum a $2.00 increase but probably more (3.00-4.00 range). You get 1.00 automatically for the key, then I'm not sure what the difference is for the actual pg change...
 
I work in an A-volume Super and we have just one Senior TL, and she works about 3-4 LOD shifts per year.

Yes, you read that right...per year.

She's not bad at her job either (the STL at a store 15 miles away keeps trying to convince her to transfer). Our STL is just weird about the LOD schedule and sees her more as a fill-in, and not part of the regular rotation. She's not complaining. :)
 
I work in an A-volume Super and we have just one Senior TL, and she works about 3-4 LOD shifts per year.

Yes, you read that right...per year.

She's not bad at her job either (the STL at a store 15 miles away keeps trying to convince her to transfer). Our STL is just weird about the LOD schedule and sees her more as a fill-in, and not part of the regular rotation. She's not complaining. :)
That would be amazing lol...
 
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