Archived Should i go for team leader position?

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There has been an open team leader position in hardlines at our store for a while now and I'm really debating on whether or not I should go for it. Is there really that much stress involved? Also I'm an electronics specialist and I want to know how much of a raise I would be getting. I just really need some feedback. I currently get about 25 hours per week and every other weekend off and the team leaders at our store get about 33 to 35 hours per week.
 
There has been an open team leader position in hardlines at our store for a while now and I'm really debating on whether or not I should go for it. Is there really that much stress involved? Also I'm an electronics specialist and I want to know how much of a raise I would be getting. I just really need some feedback. I currently get about 25 hours per week and every other weekend off and the team leaders at our store get about 33 to 35 hours per week.

A few things to know... working as a TL is definitely more stressful than TM. That's because you're responsible for a section of the store - stress is a given. You're also responsible for TMs. There is a lot more involved than being a TM: business walks, coachings, statuses, writing the schedule, action plans, etc.

That being said, if you're interested in more responsibilities, and possibly a career in management or retail, then you should absolutely go for it. Don't let money be your motivator - I got a $6 raise when I was promoted from TM to TL but there is no guarantee you will receive that much. If you're motivated by the job itself and the opportunity to move up at Target, then apply. The worst that can happen is you get some good interview experience.
 
You'd probably get a pretty decent raise over electronics TM (which is N07 i believe), probably a minimum of $2 or more. Depends.

Is the hardlines team at your store pretty solid? Just remember that you're going to lead the team and if you have a lot of young kids who NCNS and call in all the time, you're going to be in for a rough ride.

I'll never speak an ill word against my GSTLs, because its basically a glorified babysitting job...
 
Also, some days in HL, would be you, one tm in pfresh & electronics, all day long. No fun or life. Sale planners, backup cashiering, lod task list, & gs, etc.
Consider it carefully & look at it long term. Like the others have said.
 
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I'm pretty sure it hasn't changed much, going from a n07 paygrade to n13 (TL) should be roughly 2.25? Your pay may be negotiable/may vary in increase/decrease, depending on various factors (STL, metro area, etc)
 
Thanks guys. I'm an electronics specialist, so I think I'm pg9. So would that be a 2 dollar raise? I'm not just doing it for the money, I was going for it years ago, bit then our store and some others, did away with the electronics team leader. I've been specialist, but hours have gone down little by little and I think I could make a good amount with my specialist pay if it weren't for the hours going down for me.
 
I'll never speak an ill word against my GSTLs, because its basically a glorified babysitting job...

First off that is 100% truth.

Secondly I used to be a GSA before I moved to GSTL and thought to myself "How hard could it be? I already do the job." Wrong. At the team member level your job is mainly to make the guests happy by assisting them and what not. Once you move to the team lead level it is all about teaching and training your team. Your biggest focus shifts to driving profitable sales and you need to develop your team so that they can help you do that better. It was a weird feeling for me at first because I realized I could step away and things would keep running.

My biggest pet peeve with being a team lead is if you have a TM who consitently acts up, which happens more than i'd like at the front, you have to document EVERYTHING. If they would just behave I wouldn't have as much paper work. :angry:

That being said though I love the challenge that being a team lead brings because every day is different. There is very little repetition besides the obvious stuff like pulls and guests with questions.
 
hmm....with PG11 being starting TL pg, i'm guessing if you are PG9 it would be very hard for them (the store) to make it worth your while.....
 
hmm....with PG11 being starting TL pg, i'm guessing if you are PG9 it would be very hard for them (the store) to make it worth your while.....

Never offered me enough to take it, but I'm TOT.

I think you should go for the job. If you are not right for the job, you won't get it. What you will gain is the experience of interviewing for the position.
 
on second thought, don't do it. the stress of the job is not nearly worth what they will pay you for it. the expectations are outlandish, the standards impossible, you will put your heart and soul into the job for zero recognition and a whole rash of crap, your team will hate you on principle. everything is your fault. every extra piece of work you will be forced to take on is for 'your development.' they have a positively brilliant way of making you forget that you are working for a discount retailer, and making capable and educated adults feel like retareded, petulant children. id give it back tomorrow if i didnt have bills to pay. 100%, i kid you not.

edit.. if youre looking for a drinking problem, knock yourself out.
 
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on second thought, don't do it. the stress of the job is not nearly worth what they will pay you for it. the expectations are outlandish, the standards impossible, you will put your heart and soul into the job for zero recognition and a whole rash of crap, your team will hate you on principle. everything is your fault. every extra piece of work you will be forced to take on is for 'your development.' they have a positively brilliant way of making you forget that you are working for a discount retailer, and making capable and educated adults feel like retareded, petulant children. id give it back tomorrow if i didnt have bills to pay. 100%, i kid you not.

edit.. if youre looking for a drinking problem, knock yourself out.
so......in other words it's just as bad as being a team member
 
Thanks for the helpful thread, everyone. I started as a Hardlines TM over a year ago, then interviewed & moved up to Electronics. In my time with Spot, I've had numerous TL's, ETL's, & STL tell me that I'd be great as a TL. At first, I thought it was a nice compliment, but it's become a more vocal thing with them in recent months. They seem to be really pushing to see if I want to go for TL. I work hard, enjoy the work I do, & get along great with everyone from TM's all the way up to STL at our store. Part of me is interested in a TL position, simply because I like new things & I'm good at teaching/helping others learn. But part of me wants to steer FAR away from it because I'm happy where I'm at now & the added stress might kill me.

I've been told that if or when I'm ready, I have full support from everyone & they'll do what they can to help me achieve it. I think it's great they like my work ethic & attitude like this, but I left a hugely stressful job years ago & in all honesty, working Electronics as I do now is MUCH less stressful than that was. I guess I'm saying I'd hate the added stress. But I'm good friends with most of the TL's in our store & it seems like something I could do & I've been offered a chance to mentor with one, if I want to shoot for it. It's something I'll always consider, but right now, I'm good with where I am & I'm actually enjoying the ride.
 
Thanks for the helpful thread, everyone. I started as a Hardlines TM over a year ago, then interviewed & moved up to Electronics. In my time with Spot, I've had numerous TL's, ETL's, & STL tell me that I'd be great as a TL. At first, I thought it was a nice compliment, but it's become a more vocal thing with them in recent months. They seem to be really pushing to see if I want to go for TL. I work hard, enjoy the work I do, & get along great with everyone from TM's all the way up to STL at our store. Part of me is interested in a TL position, simply because I like new things & I'm good at teaching/helping others learn. But part of me wants to steer FAR away from it because I'm happy where I'm at now & the added stress might kill me.

I've been told that if or when I'm ready, I have full support from everyone & they'll do what they can to help me achieve it. I think it's great they like my work ethic & attitude like this, but I left a hugely stressful job years ago & in all honesty, working Electronics as I do now is MUCH less stressful than that was. I guess I'm saying I'd hate the added stress. But I'm good friends with most of the TL's in our store & it seems like something I could do & I've been offered a chance to mentor with one, if I want to shoot for it. It's something I'll always consider, but right now, I'm good with where I am & I'm actually enjoying the ride.

Well, being "good where you're at" is great if love getting run over.

Let me tell you something a lot of TMs don't figure out until it is too late - being groomed for TL is usually a one shot deal. When your ETLs are telling you then want you to move up, you are basically their pick for the next TL at your store.

If you turn them down and tell them you are happy being a TM, that is pretty much a career ending move. Once you tell them you aren't interested, they aren't going to be following you around offering it to you again..... and if you ever come back and say "Oh, changed my mind. Now I want to be a TL".... you are going to get a "yea ok, we'll get back to you on that" attitude.

Pretend you have a job interview at Sprint (or any other place). You walk into the interview, they say to you "Hey! We read your application. Damn we really want you for this job!". You say to them "Ehhh.... actually you know what? I don't really want this job right now."

Then a week later you go back and say you want the job. You think they still want you, even though they were super excited about you last week? Hell no. You're done son.

It's the same deal at Target. Once you send the signal to your ETLs that you don't want to be a TL, it's pretty much game over. Just be aware of that.....
 
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