Archived So You are the one of the highest paid TL's... Now what??

[Him]

So I've read a couple of threads and posts about Visual Merchandising Team Leader, team members, and to my understanding so far, they are one of the highest paid. Yet areas they are supposed to work on, they don't because some stores have them ONLY in softllines. So the Visuals for the rest of the store falls on...??

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

I am not too sure on vm thing. It could be heresay. You notice that vmtl who were hired last year are very quiet these days.

 

[signingminion]

So I've read a couple of threads and posts about Visual Merchandising Team Leader, team members, and to my understanding so far, they are one of the highest paid. Yet areas they are supposed to work on, they don't because some stores have them ONLY in softllines. So the Visuals for the rest of the store falls on...??

The tls for that area, whatever etl can spruce it up last minute before a visit, the signing/ pog tm who is back in seasonal auditing the set. I'm not sure how they get away with it myself. Since I don't see visit notes maybe they don't get away with it but "speak to " why it happens that way...

 

[Him]

The tls for that area, whatever etl can spruce it up last minute before a visit, the signing/ pog tm who is back in seasonal auditing the set. I'm not sure how they get away with it myself. Since I don't see visit notes maybe they don't get away with it but "speak to " why it happens that way...

So this begs the question of you getting all this cash to be a glorified softllines tm?? Because what I'm seeing is all these other TL's, ETL's doing THEIR jobs for them!! Again, why yo check SSOOOO BIG??!! Yes I'm hating on them because honestly, ppl that are crossed trained in several different workcenters and also have been with Spot so many years should be collecting such a great paycheck!! Ends should just justify the means is all I'm saying...

 

[Pale]

So this begs the question of you getting all this cash to be a glorified softllines tm?? Because what I'm seeing is all these other TL's, ETL's doing THEIR jobs for them!! Again, why yo check SSOOOO BIG??!! Yes I'm hating on them because honestly, ppl that are crossed trained in several different workcenters and also have been with Spot so many years should be collecting such a great paycheck!! Ends should just justify the means is all I'm saying...

Because Target isn't willing to spend money on us lowly sales floor people. They have to show that they're "unique" by hiring more people to do a job that someone getting paid at least half of the VMTL can do. I understand if it's a brand new store that has to figure out what's popular in their area, given some VMTL's will have a related degree. But in most cases a store will have been there a while, and if they need someone to set up mannequins just set up a soft-lines TM to do it.

 

[signingminion]

So this begs the question of you getting all this cash to be a glorified softllines tm?? Because what I'm seeing is all these other TL's, ETL's doing THEIR jobs for them!! Again, why yo check SSOOOO BIG??!! Yes I'm hating on them because honestly, ppl that are crossed trained in several different workcenters and also have been with Spot so many years should be collecting such a great paycheck!! Ends should just justify the means is all I'm saying...

Promoting from within has never been the target way... at lest from the sounds of it many places. They'd rather shine a turd hired from outside than invest in an already costly tm.

 

[HardlinesGuy]

Our VMTL is awesome. He works 80% in Softlines, mostly because our SL crew is tiny, but is always willing to help out with pretty much anything else in the store.

 

[thechadness04]

I'm a VMTL... when I was first hired I spent about 90% of my time in softlines because our TL at the time was awful, so I can understand how that can happen in some stores. Now I split my time 60/40 softlines/hardlines (unless there's a large transition or adjacency week) because I was able to get the softlines team up to standards and we got a new TL who was on board to improve our brand. Technically if you are going by the book we are responsible for mannequins, trend runs, and furniture focals (in non-innovation stores).... but if that's all I truly did I wouldn't need to work more than 8 hours a week...

 

[thechadness04]

I also understand the pay if Targets goal was truly to attract external hires... visual merchandising managers at Forever 21, Macy's, Nordstrom, Express, H&M etc. get paid the amount Target is offering their VMTLs. Target could've saved a ton of money by hiring internally and maybe just hiring a couple externals per district and having them train/work alongside the internal hires....?

 

[Him]

I also understand the pay if Targets goal was truly to attract external hires... visual merchandising managers at Forever 21, Macy's, Nordstrom, Express, H&M etc. get paid the amount Target is offering their VMTLs. Target could've saved a ton of money by hiring internally and maybe just hiring a couple externals per district and having them train/work alongside the internal hires....?

I'm glad I got further clarification as to why the starting pay grade is in place because honestly before I created this thread, I've never gotten a straightforward answer from any of the stores I've worked at. Hopefully in the future more stores will hire internally and keep it all in da Spot family. Again wishful thinking. Kudos for all you do!!

 

[thechadness04]

I'm glad I got further clarification as to why the starting pay grade is in place because honestly before I created this thread, I've never gotten a straightforward answer from any of the stores I've worked at.

Glad to help. If you have any other questions about VMTL I'm happy to answer! From what I've seen on here, most VMTLs are not liked at their stores and it has to go beyond pay grade

 

[signingminion]

I'm glad I got further clarification as to why the starting pay grade is in place because honestly before I created this thread, I've never gotten a straightforward answer from any of the stores I've worked at. Hopefully in the future more stores will hire internally and keep it all in da Spot family. Again wishful thinking. Kudos for all you do!!

Not happening. I've been watching the dtl do interviews and its almost all outside applicants. One chick had on 4 inch heels...

 

[Alaska 5000]

I have no idea what our vmtl does. They never answer guest calls, or back up at the lanes. And they don't have a weekend rotation. They are mon-fri.

I usually see them in home decor. But sometimes they are in soft lines.

 

[Logo]

Ours is amazing! It's all about comps! Strong TL in hardlines so our VMTL spends a lot of time with softlines especially now with E2E coming.

 

[sito]

our VMTL doesn't do anything. i see her mostly hanging out in softlines and even then i dont even see her do any of the softlines stuff. i think ive seen her more in her office than on the sales floor actually doing something.

 

[sprinklesontop]

I'm a VMTL... when I was first hired I spent about 90% of my time in softlines because our TL at the time was awful, so I can understand how that can happen in some stores. Now I split my time 60/40 softlines/hardlines (unless there's a large transition or adjacency week) because I was able to get the softlines team up to standards and we got a new TL who was on board to improve our brand. Technically if you are going by the book we are responsible for mannequins, trend runs, and furniture focals (in non-innovation stores).... but if that's all I truly did I wouldn't need to work more than 8 hours a week...

thechadness04 is right ! If we (VMTLs) went purely by the book (job description) we would touch very little and delegate nearly everything ! So, if that's what the VMTLs do in other stores, I feel bad for those stores !!! Not my style at all !!! I have built an awesome Softlines Brand Team that is passionate about elevated Merchandise Presentation, elevated Guest Experience, and elevated Team Work. They are very protective of their Softlines department, because I am very protective of the Softlines department. We (with the permission of the STL) began our own roll-out of E2E at the beginning of the year..... so we are more than ready for the "official" roll-out. While my Team works "for" me; I am right there WITH them. I push, pull, build, breakout, schlep, sweat, whatever it takes, WITH my Team. I respect my Team and support them in any way I can. The only time I am not w/ my Team is when I'm in HL with Trend Runs, Furniture, or Seasonal displays; more of a 75%SL/25%HL for me. I am rarely, RARELY in the office (unlike some TLs in my store). I also have a great partnership w/ the Softlines TL. We support each other's responsibilities and roles; we look out for each other in their absence ( day's off, vacations, sick days, etc).
I still think there's a lot of kinks to work out in terms of expectations for VMTLs; but I also think that Target, as a whole, is working out it's own kinks. Change is inevitable in retail. Target is making the right changes to maintain a profitable future. You've probably heard the phrase: Get on the bus, get off the bus, just don't get caught underneath.

 

[thechadness04]

I am rarely, RARELY in the office (unlike some TLs in my store).

I tried sitting in an office all day once like some of my peers... I got bored. Haha but now that I think about it I might be out of the job if my softlines TL actually did some work

 

[RightArm]

Our VMTLs have both been inside the store and promoted to the position. They've also been pretty active outside of their areas when their sets are good. The benefit of promoting from within is having TLs that fully understand the needs of the store and how we're all in this together so to speak.

 

[Pale]

The benefit of promoting from within is having TLs that fully understand the needs of the store and how we're all in this together so to speak.

Spot doesn't seem to understand this though, which is annoying. instead of (for the good of the store) promoting a TM already at the store who knows the layout of the store, the needs of the store, and how the store runs, to TL , which I understand will create some temporary discomfort between TM's, they hire from the outside which takes forever to get familiar with the store and it's ways of functioning.

 

[2Spooky4U]

What are the VMTL and VMTM pay grades, normally?

 

[RTCry]

I like our VMTL. We work together really well. And FWIW ours works nights, weekends, and goes up for Fast Service.

 

[HRZone]

What are the VMTL and VMTM pay grades, normally?

Vmtl is an n17 paid the same as a seniot.

Vmtm is an n15, the higher TL pay

 

[BigEyedPhish]

Because Target isn't willing to spend money on us lowly sales floor people. They have to show that they're "unique" by hiring more people to do a job that someone getting paid at least half of the VMTL can do. I understand if it's a brand new store that has to figure out what's popular in their area, given some VMTL's will have a related degree. But in most cases a store will have been there a while, and if they need someone to set up mannequins just set up a soft-lines TM to do it.

Keep in mind, Target had a roll out named "PFab" about the same time they rolled out VML.
I think that in itself says a lot.