Archived Starting training as a new cashier, advice?

[mikesmith31]

Hello everyone, I'm from Ohio and I had my orientation for target cashier recently. I had the interviews and whatnot, then was offered the position as cashier. The interviewers were really nice and understanding, however, after reading some horror stories online about how target expect you to smile 24/7 or be fired, I'm kind of nervous. I can only fake a smile for so long before the muscles in my face start to shake from my MS. I'm not looking to use this as an excuse, nor am I going to tell them, however, I just need to keep this job, and any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Crohl]

First off, welcome to the team!

I don't think you have to be worried about smiling constantly. lol

Just be friendly with the guest. Greet every person that comes through your line, don't speak monotone the whole time. Show a little inflection. Also I would advise you to read up on some of the red card threads. As a cashier that's probably the biggest thing you'll be doing. So read some guides here on selling redcards and be a step ahead of the pack. You'll blow your gstl away if you show up and start converting(target talk for selling an RC) day one.

Aside from that, just relax. No reason to stress it. Its an easy job and you'll do fine!

 

[Retail Girl]

Today was my second day of cashier training. It isn't difficult. Just be real and treat each customer as an individual, and the friendliness will come out naturally.

 

[TargetOldTimer]

Explain the redcard debit. I rarely cashier, but I can always get a redcard if I take the time to explain it isn't a credit card!

 

[mrknownothing]

Welcome to Target and The Break Room! If you ever have any questions, there are plenty of knowledgeable folks here who can help.

 

[pzychopopgroove]

Learn to bull****. Lie through your teeth about how you are doing. Act like you have aspergers. (go ahead and give me all the **** you want, i've got it. and lets just say that people with asperger's make the BEST actors/actresses)

 

[Softlines Owns My Soul]

Hello everyone, I'm from Ohio and I had my orientation for target cashier recently. I had the interviews and whatnot, then was offered the position as cashier. The interviewers were really nice and understanding, however, after reading some horror stories online about how target expect you to smile 24/7 or be fired, I'm kind of nervous. I can only fake a smile for so long before the muscles in my face start to shake from my MS. I'm not looking to use this as an excuse, nor am I going to tell them, however, I just need to keep this job, and any advice would be appreciated.

First, I hope that's not your actual name in your username, because Spot monitors this website. Not a big deal if you only have nice things to say, though. You shouldn't disclose your location either, to be honest.

Anyway, you should let them know about your MS. They have to accommodate you and I wouldn't want you getting in trouble for something that's not under your control.

Anyway, it will be fine. You seem, from your post here, as someone who genuinely cares about their job and doing well. Just show up to work on time, try and get red cards (and surveys! and ESPs/attachments if you can!) and they'll give you hours and love you. Maybe also try guest service too. Just do your best.

 

[Barcode]

Don't worry, cashing is pretty easy, and you don't have much to worry about. Just show up to all your shifts during your first 90 days, and you're golden. The only time you really have to impress, is if you get hired on seasonally.

 

[StaticSun]

Ask questions if you're unsure.

 

[mikesmith31]

First, I hope that's not your actual name in your username, because Spot monitors this website. Not a big deal if you only have nice things to say, though. You shouldn't disclose your location either, to be honest.

Anyway, you should let them know about your MS. They have to accommodate you and I wouldn't want you getting in trouble for something that's not under your control.

Anyway, it will be fine. You seem, from your post here, as someone who genuinely cares about their job and doing well. Just show up to work on time, try and get red cards (and surveys! and ESPs/attachments if you can!) and they'll give you hours and love you. Maybe also try guest service too. Just do your best.

Lol, as to the first part, I thought of that.


As far as them having to accommodate me, I've been all through this before, The law says they have too but if I tell them, all of a sudden, I won't be selling enough red cards or I won't be "the right fit" for them or w/e, they will invoke the whole at will nonsense, and boom...gone "but it wasn't because of your MS."




Hopefully it will be ok....I hope, thanks for the advice guys! Good looks on the name thing also

 

[commiecorvus]

Lol, as to the first part, I thought of that.
As far as them having to accommodate me, I've been all through this before, The law says they have too but if I tell them, all of a sudden, I won't be selling enough red cards or I won't be "the right fit" for them or w/e, they will invoke the whole at will nonsense, and boom...gone "but it wasn't because of your MS."

Hopefully it will be ok....I hope, thanks for the advice guys! Good looks on the name thing also

I've had some experience with the ADA.
It all depends on how much you want to go to battle, some people like the fight and others just aren't up to it.
The companies are hoping that most people fall in the second category.
Smiling isn't nearly as important as tone of voice, if you can keep a positive tone it goes a long way.

 

[Thinktank90]

Today was my second day of cashier training. It isn't difficult. Just be real and treat each customer as an individual, and the friendliness will come out naturally.

You had two days of cashier training? At my store the most I've seen people get is a half hour. On my first day, I was "trained" for 10 minutes, which consisted of watching someone cashier, then I was given my own register.

 

[Retail Girl]

Well, I watched someone on the first day, then she let me have at it for about 20 minutes. Then I left on vacation for nearly two weeks.

I came back, and someone was supposed to be with me that day, but he panicked, claimed he didn't know how to train people (then why does your name tag say trainer) and that he had only been there since November, so they put him on the register behind me and told me to ask him if I had any questions.

 

[mxrbook]

Training? My first day of cashing: Orientation / tour. There were five of us noobs and one "trainer" who logged us onto registers using her team member number because we didn't have numbers assigned yet. She showed us each how to ring up an order, then flicked on our lights, saying, "Don't screw up cuz you're on my number." Every ten minutes, she'd stop by the register, with the friendly reminder, "Hey, don't screw up, you're on my number. Your speed sucks. You're ruining my numbers."

Yes, it was delightful.

 

[SuzyTarget]

Training? My first day of cashing: Orientation / tour. There were five of us noobs and one "trainer" who logged us onto registers using her team member number because we didn't have numbers assigned yet. She showed us each how to ring up an order, then flicked on our lights, saying, "Don't screw up cuz you're on my number." Every ten minutes, she'd stop by the register, with the friendly reminder, "Hey, don't screw up, you're on my number. Your speed sucks. You're ruining my numbers."

Yes, it was delightful.

Wow. This is terrible. There is a cashier training booklet that all new team members (cashiers or not) are supposed to work through first on a register that is in training mode. My store wasn't using this book for the first 2 years or so I worked there then the HR-ETL discovered this and started making sure it was happening. It makes a huge difference. New cashiers have far fewer problems and questions and are ready to work alone much sooner. There's also one for the service desk.

 

[Retail Girl]

Here they give out the book, give you 15 minutes to read it, and then pair you up with a cashier who you watch (who may or may not acknowledge your existence). Training mode on a register? Right....

 

[NoRedCards]

Our store does the training mode stuff, which usually draws a string of people walking by and asking "Are you open?" even though we block the aisles off (and they are usually at the end of the registers).....then we tend to let them watch for a while, then throw them on a register next to us and tell them to yell if they need help.....

2 funny things I can remember -

1) One girl had started training with someone else, but after the first hour or so, she was reassigned to me....she was great, and picked things up very quickly....she was on her own lane before long.......except that both of us who had trained her neglected to mention where we store the bags under the register, and one of the other trainers said she looked over and the poor girl was sitting there stealing a single bag at a time from the lane next over.....oops.....

2) I always have the pleasure of trying to train on shorthanded weeknights.....I had a very nice young man with me one day, and it was busy, especially for a midweek night, and even trying to swap so he could ring while I was watching for a few minutes was proving to be difficult....so our GSTL came over, grabbed him and stuck him on the register next to mine....and the first guest he got was the woman with an overloaded cart of items, every one of them on clearance, and nothing ringing up at the price that was marked.....even with 2 of us helping him, it took over 45 minutes to get this woman happy (it didn't help she was switching stickers on the product, which we pointed out to her that the clearance stickers and the produict description did not match).....I took him on break, and told him to please not think that he would run into this often, if at all, and that he just won the lottery of goofballs on his first try.....fortunately, he has blossomed since that, and is a big part of our store.....

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Welcome!