SETL position

Joined
Jan 10, 2019
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13
Although there isn’t currently an open position at my store I did express interest to my ETL that my goal is to become a team lead. Currently one of our current SETL’s is on a LOA and myself and one other team member have been absorbing these hours when the 2nd SETL is off every other weekend and one weekday a week. We are unsure whether the SETL on leave is returning or not but it may be a very real possibility that the position could open up within the next 90 days. What advice, as team leads, could you give me that would help my ETL see that I’m the better choice if and when the position does become available ? Obviously we’re both in the running since we’re both subbing in as SETL during the absence but how do I stand out so the choice is clear? I’m reliable, hard working and great with the guests and other team members, I just need advice on how to go above and beyond so that the choice is clear on who to pick.
 
So I started in November of 2018 so I never formally got a review review but I should get my first one this April. The other team member started the same time I did as well so not sure about his review status
 
Be the rock your team needs. Things are changing day by day, show upper management that you can roll with the punches, execute the new mandated changes. Don't show your stress on the floor, if you need to vent, vent to HR or Etls, not the people you're managing. No one us expecting anyone to be unaffected now, but don't transfer stress to others. You can't wow them with red card stats or circle conversions, so you have to demonstrate how you can operate in adversity.
 
Although there isn’t currently an open position at my store I did express interest to my ETL that my goal is to become a team lead. Currently one of our current SETL’s is on a LOA and myself and one other team member have been absorbing these hours when the 2nd SETL is off every other weekend and one weekday a week. We are unsure whether the SETL on leave is returning or not but it may be a very real possibility that the position could open up within the next 90 days. What advice, as team leads, could you give me that would help my ETL see that I’m the better choice if and when the position does become available ? Obviously we’re both in the running since we’re both subbing in as SETL during the absence but how do I stand out so the choice is clear? I’m reliable, hard working and great with the guests and other team members, I just need advice on how to go above and beyond so that the choice is clear on who to pick.

[turning off my "types like an idiot" switch]

What are your daily routines like? What have you been doing while your other SETL is on leave? It's one thing to say "we have been absorbing these hours" and "I'm reliable and hard working", but can you walk us through what your day to day actually looks like at the front? Do you hold keys when the other SETL is off, do you take care of endcaps/batteries/checklane supplies (if your store doesn't make GM handle those things via modernization)?

These are the sorts of questions that are important, alongside things like demeanor/attitude, attendance...

Also,

Be the rock your team needs. Things are changing day by day, show upper management that you can roll with the punches, execute the new mandated changes. Don't show your stress on the floor, if you need to vent, vent to HR or Etls, not the people you're managing. No one us expecting anyone to be unaffected now, but don't transfer stress to others. You can't wow them with red card stats or circle conversions, so you have to demonstrate how you can operate in adversity.

This is all basically right on the money as well.
 
How are you a leader among your peers? What do you do that makes you “clearly the better choice”?
What makes you think that you would be good for the position?

You have expressed interest in becoming a team lead to your ETL. What did they say? Have they worked with you at all to achieve that goal?

I think that it is nice to try and get a jumpstart on development, but there are more things you need to think about before you get ahead of yourself. The SETL on LOA might be coming back. Your store may already have people “on the bench” waiting for a TL spot to open up, or others in the district waiting. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be optimistic, just that getting your hopes up about something that may be unrealistic can be kind of painful in the event that you don’t get the position.
 
So I started in November of 2018 so I never formally got a review review but I should get my first one this April. The other team member started the same time I did as well so not sure about his review status
You should of gotten a review last year. Ck on workday. Your tl or etl should given you, the review.
 
So yes I have been a key holder for the front. I’ve worked on filling batteries and checklane end caps as well as other outposts around the store. I make sure all size bags are filled by bringing up boxes from the back so that check lanes are stocked and tidy. As well as guest services, I work on pushing candy for the check lanes. I make sure all vehicles leftover from push are off the floor which includes any culmination of flats or 3 tiers that can end up in the mobile cart area overflow on a daily basis. I also help to restock and zone X6 and any amplified gifting fixtures that are by the front check lanes.

As far as the bench. Our store, up until recently, didn’t have anyone lined up on it but have was recently talked to by regional to get one set up. As far as other district candidates, I have no idea. After speaking with my ETL of my interest to be on this newly formed bench I was told that I would be placed on it and the other team member I’ve spoken of in this thread is on it as well. I have heard that someone from Starbucks and another from apparel who also expressed interest like myself were recently told they are on it too. Our ETL said she would need to start getting us ready for interviews to help to prep us in the event a position does come open. However; in light of recent ever changing daily events with the coronavirus none of that has happened as of yet.

Also I have had several conversations with my ETL as I was filling in in the absence of our SETL about my performance. She told me she was impressed with my handling of the front end. That it was calm and liked that nothing was needed from her as far as assistance. There was another day where we had an influx of drive ups right as the virus panic started amping up and we weren’t properly staffed just yet and our metrics were bad and she explained to me why that needed to change and how there are ramifications from her boss about the times being in the red. I told get we would work on it and we have been maintaining good times ever since when I’m filling in as SETL.
As far as the other SETL possibly returning I am very aware he may come back however; he has actively been looking for another job since the end of 2019 and both HR and my ETL are aware of this. In fact they have been helping to assist him in possibly transferring to another target store as an option. So it’s not totally out of the realm that he may be leaving in the future.
 
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And yes I have expressed interest with my ETL that I want to advance and asked her initially if she saw any room where I could improve and initially she said no and that there was nothing she felt I needed to work on to get to the next step of being on the bench. I’m also recognized as a trainer/mentor for the front end as well.
 
Tasking is great and all (the front end is technically not supposed to be doing that kind of stuff anymore so I’m not sure how far your store is into the modernization process...) as well as being a trainer but I guess im still wondering what you do to be a leader among your peers! How do you motivate and inspire others? How have you improved processes and metrics in your department? Do you have experience working in other areas besides the front end? What kind of things do you do to get recognized by other leaders in the building and by your store director? Also, as far as I know, to be signed off and put on the bench, you have to go through an interview process first. Unless they changed it, then my bad!

Being a leader isn’t about all of the great things that you can do. It’s about what you can do to make others do great things. I went through the TL interview process 3 times during my time at target before getting a position and each time I totally thought I was ready to be a TL (the first time was for SETL, like you are going for). I couldn’t have been more wrong! 😂 After experiencing many different things throughout the store and undergoing a developmental process while making meaningful connections with leaders in the building, I realized that the first time I was not ready at all. I was only thinking about myself and how good of a team member I was - and that’s not what it’s about.
 
Everything Dog said. When one of our two SETLs was fired I had people kicking down my proverbial door to get me to apply, citing my experience as GSA. I was hesitant because it seemed like modernization was getting away from that sort of thing - GSAs were maintainers, very tasky, filling in where needed, we were there to make sure things ran how the GSTL(s) wanted. Only in a very casual way could I help people improve, but GSAs weren't allowed to coach. I made a lot of process improvements for our front end. I held things together. That's nothing like what an SETL does. Turns out I was right - my experience as a GSA didn't really help me at all. SETL is so much bigger picture, identifying strengths, areas for improvement, keeping track of metrics and trends, but then you need to be able to be the one executing your goals too because GSAs don't exist anymore. It's a lot of work. I had a TM talk to me about what it takes to become a TL, and what potential looks like. What could someone do to show me they have potential? I told him, bring me something you think we could improve about the front end, and tell me how you might fix it. It could be something as small as "we're missing ISM and I found the part number for you" or as big as "guests don't seem receptive when we talk about Circle like this, what if we tried this". Being able to identify areas of improvement, develop and implement solutions, and being proactive about doing those things is... honestly, that feels like at least 80% of the job.
 
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