M
MrTaskMule
Guest
Like, whats up with that? I grow weary of it by the day and I feel if i can understand why I might be less inclined to imbibe a Drano smoothie.
So there's something wrong with being hot now??
I'm a little older--26--but I go to the gym and play sports regularly, shave daily and take the effort to dress nicely for work.
When guests want to speak to a manager, they expect to see someone well put together and groomed. Being nicely dressed and attractive helps me to gain authority in their eyes before I even begin to speak.
What I don't understand are the middle-aged TM's that look like they haven't showered or used a brush for a while. We work in a retail industry and interact with new guests everyday, we care about the zone and visual impact of the products on our shelves; why aren't they concerned with the visual impact of themselves?
I don't think there's hostility towards the idea so much as a question to is it really possible that the best possible candidates were the 'cute ones'?
When I work in a restaurant and notice that all the waitresses are all 'well endowed', I have to think there is something more going on than there stellar waitressing skills, if you get my drift.
I also have to say that your 'gaining authority' by being well turned out depends entirely on the culture.
I lived most of my life in a trailer court and I promise, if you came out with a leather jacket flying colors, a wallet with a chain, a beard and a shaved head, full tat sleeves, the respect level would be much higher.
But the "culture" IS Target, not a trailer park. A retail company that appeals to 40-something year old, educated women (mainly) with an average household income of 60k. They want managers with credibility that exude confidence and a business mindset. Your reference doesn't fit.
Waitresses are meant to be attractive and/or pleasant to look at. I don't want a disheveled person serving me food. That's unappetizing. Same thing with employees at Express, Neiman Marcus, etc...part of the job is based on looks because they are modeling not only the clothing but a lifestyle.
I wish my STL would allow me to coach TMs on the presentation team that interact with my guests on how to floss, cut their nails and wash dirt off their faces. And before this turns into an economic conversation, I purchased multiple red dress shirts from Express for all of my TL's for Christmas because I know not everyone can afford to pamper themselves...they all come to work nicely presented as well.
I think I have the answer...
I used to recruit ETLs on-campus after I finished the internship program and I noticed the same trend in the candidates I was passing through the first leg of interviews. I noticed that candidates who looked more presentable had a higher level of communication. They were confident, ambitious, and less likely to choke-up during interviews.
The ETL position is nearly 100% social - gaining buy-in, engaging and inspiring, driving for results, collaborating, etc.
I'll pick on Engineering majors because they usually had the most difficulty:
Your typical Engineering major is focused on analytics. They aren't prepared on any social level through their upper-division coursework, and it was almost impossible for me to make eye contact with them while recruiting at career fairs. Communication is a skill that takes much longer than others to fully develop, so as a result Target focuses on hiring candidates that already have this skill with the intention of building up less significant skillsets during training.
It's not that ETL's are all attractive - if you threw them in a t-shirt and jean khaki's without any accessories, hair products, loafers or makeup they'd look like regular TMs. The blonde business major got the job because she was prepared through half her coursework being focused on corporate communication and organizational structure.
ETL's carry themselves professionally knowing that the expectation is for them to LOOK like managers. I think consumed TL hit the nail on the head with this one.
I think I have the answer...
I used to recruit ETLs on-campus after I finished the internship program and I noticed the same trend in the candidates I was passing through the first leg of interviews. I noticed that candidates who looked more presentable had a higher level of communication. They were confident, ambitious, and less likely to choke-up during interviews.
The ETL position is nearly 100% social - gaining buy-in, engaging and inspiring, driving for results, collaborating, etc.
I'll pick on Engineering majors because they usually had the most difficulty:
Your typical Engineering major is focused on analytics. They aren't prepared on any social level through their upper-division coursework, and it was almost impossible for me to make eye contact with them while recruiting at career fairs. Communication is a skill that takes much longer than others to fully develop, so as a result Target focuses on hiring candidates that already have this skill with the intention of building up less significant skillsets during training.
It's not that ETL's are all attractive - if you threw them in a t-shirt and jean khaki's without any accessories, hair products, loafers or makeup they'd look like regular TMs. The blonde business major got the job because she was prepared through half her coursework being focused on corporate communication and organizational structure.
ETL's carry themselves professionally knowing that the expectation is for them to LOOK like managers. I think consumed TL hit the nail on the head with this one.
But I'm still not convinced that there isn't a certain body type and look that Spot is looking for that trumps other skills and qualifications.
I'm gonna try this. Will post results.Read this: http://www.thebreakroom.org/showthr...get-fires-people?p=26782&viewfull=1#post26782Just think, that could be you someday.
I'm gonna try this. Will post results.
If you're resistant to change you might want to re-think participating in the internship. Find something you will enjoy in the long term.Our new ETL-GE began yesterday. She is 22/23 and in her first day changed several things we've done for a while and picked at tedious things causing many of us at the front and around the store to already dislike her. A young person with so much power lets it go to their head, it's ridiculous. After the internship later this year, if I do well I will be 23 and an ETL in May of 2015, the one goal I hope to achieve is to be the exact opposite of her in the short time I plan to stay with Target.
If you're resistant to change you might want to re-think participating in the internship. Find something you will enjoy in the long term.Our new ETL-GE began yesterday. She is 22/23 and in her first day changed several things we've done for a while and picked at tedious things causing many of us at the front and around the store to already dislike her. A young person with so much power lets it go to their head, it's ridiculous. After the internship later this year, if I do well I will be 23 and an ETL in May of 2015, the one goal I hope to achieve is to be the exact opposite of her in the short time I plan to stay with Target.
Or, commit to the position you've been offered and actually make a difference in the lives of your team members and guests. It's all or nothing.
We had a GE up until about a week or two before she started so there shouldn't be much out of best practice.
I am in college too so I get what they teach you but in my opinion, much of how things are done can be learned better through experience rather than a book.
Provided you don't know what 'business college' is in terms of Target, you probably don't have much to speak toward about your Front End being run on best practice...