Archived Transfer to Signing position?

[Formina Sage]

So I recently had my ETL-LOG come up to me and say the PTL is looking for a new signing guy, and asked if I was interested!

As far as a mostly predicable schedule, shift differential, and fairly independent work, I'm definitely interested. Is there anything I should know about this position that would be a pro or con? Truth be told, I'm growing weary of the constant pull-backstock-pull-backstock-pull-backstock-30min break-backstock-backstock-pull etc. of Dayside BR 😉

Is this the same thing as the signing specialist, because as far as I know we still have a signing specialist. Perhaps I'm wrong though. Is there only one signing person per store?

 

[redeye58]

We're hi-vol & only have 1 signing guy/gal (sometimes I wonder...)

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Only 1 signing person at my store. Plano tl is suppose to be your backup.
Hey, mule! Your ears on?

 

[The Mule]

Ahem....

Yes, there is only one Signing TM per store. My Plano TL is my backup and I have another member of the Plano team trained in the event I have a weekend day off since my Plano TL is on opposite rotation from me. There will be times of the year(mostly 4th QTR) where you will need to have others delegated to you in order to complete certain large sets. It is a VERY independent position that requires you to maintain a stead workload without a lot of direct supervision.

You will be the one to hang all overheads either by WAVE or the signing pole(give yourself a few weeks and you can hang things blindfolded). You will have to work with and follow up from the Plano team in order to make sure everything is set and looking brand(headers, outriggers, shelf talkers, displays, floor/door clings, etc.). You will need to receive the signing pallet every week and stage it in an orderly fashion wherever your store has room. You will need to communicate with the TLs and ETLs about upcoming sets and to let any of them setting salesplanners that you have signing for them(some are adventurous enough to find it themselves). You will be given access to TIPP(Target Integrated Procurement Process) and have to place orders for damaged/missing signing and place orders for supplies you are running low on(don't be afraid of spending money, just make sure every order is justified). You will also be in the fixture room a lot and be the primary person to keep it clean(keep on top of others to put things back right). At the end of the day, you will be the person in your store that is expected to know Target's policy on anything with pictures or verbiage on it. Don't be afraid of "challenging upwards" if you see a TL or an ETL doing something wrong.

With that said, the rest of my description will vary from other stores as we all get things done a little differently. I also receive the weekly supply pallet and sort that as well, distributing the supplies to those who ordered them. I am the primary person to respond to codes on the salesfloor when we are short staffed. I am the extra pair of hands for anything our SFT does that is too much for them. I speak up at huddles about current and upcoming sets and bring any information I feel is valuable to others.

After all this though..... it's still the most fun I've had at a job in a long time.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Wow! Gtc to you, mule!
Don't forget show the signing room pix!

 

[SrTLRep]

Mule, you wanna come work at my store? LOL. Our signing guy drinks coffee and hides in the fixture room looking at workbench all day long! He never responds to backup and our recievers sort the supply pallets and the plano team keeps the fixture room clean. Our patl was "over" him for awhile but the only thing she finally got accomplished with him was keeping his signing area organized.

 

[The Mule]

Formina Sage - Go for the position. You take an active part with this forum and that shows you like a challenge and to help others. That tells me you would appreciate the challenges of the Signing TM position.

Hardlinesmaster - I'll post the pics again soon, try to work it into helping in the guides section.

SrTLRep - Wish I could help. I've mentioned to my ETL-HR that I want my name out there to start training people for the position at other stores.

 

[commiecorvus]

I would say go for it. The job is interesting, challenging, requires patience and an incredible sense of humor.
Every store is different so this is based on my experience.
Pro's are the independence, the sense of accomplishment that you get from creating a some of the displays, being able to help many people, being involved in many aspects of the store and a consistent schedule.
Cons are discovering that every TL and ETL is now your boss and wants you to do something for them NOW!, you will never have enough time to get the things done that you need, the people who design the signs you have to put up need to be hurt and no matter how hard you try the fixture room will never stay neat (unless you have The Mule's magic powers).

 

[itvgeo]

If you're acrophobic then the job is not for you. I was asked for this job at one time but I had to decline because of my phobia.

 

[smurf101]

Watch out for the cardboard cuts. they are the worst. Yes by all means i would love to go and visit those nice white big open areas where hopefully they lay out those signs we are actually putting together and it is not only computer generated. they forget that a gondola is in the way of the one up hangers. they don't realize that each store is created a little differently. That my entrance is probably not the same size as yours or yours. i am attached to an enclosed mall, have two entrances, but always only receive things for one entrance since they are right on top of each other. they also forget of the way things are pack and packaged on our pallets, smashed, broken, bent, or just missing, an no you somehow have to bring this all together. the girls jean wall last year blue makers were my friends, one or two of the letter were missing the pop outs, so i had to make them. it is definitely a challenging choice of positions to do. Also has many rewards. However, i do not like these ribbons for bts and btc. i didn't like them when we had them for Christmas a few years ago, and i still don't like them. Again, those had to be a computer generated thing. they are not easy to put together by any means. the summer 3D set we had, this year was absolutely awesome. Never heard and had some many compliments on the overheads, like the giant ear of corn and the dream cicle. It is a very rewarding position.

 

[redeye58]

Re: summer cut-outs - we had SO many favorable comments about the corn, one guy was asking if he could have it after we were done. Girls loved the giant flip-flop & the dreamsicle.

 

[commiecorvus]

I had more people ask me for the summer ones then I've ever had for any other signs.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

The sunglasses were cool!

 

[SrTLRep]

Re: summer cut-outs - we had SO many favorable comments about the corn, one guy was asking if he could have it after we were done. Girls loved the giant flip-flop & the dreamsicle.

Ugh, I hated the corn one. It looked so gross. We actually recieved an e-mail though about giving signage to guests. We were reminded in the most Fast Fun and Friendly way possible that it is against BP to give away signing. Killjoys.

 

[greydot]

i actually really liked the ribbon set this year. after i put up the first one (three total) the rest were super easy. if you follow the grid exactly and assumbled on the ceiling it went without any hang-ups. i've been to a few other stores though and seems like they are setting them so that they go straight back from the entrance, instead of diagonally as in the schematic.

 

[smurf101]

since our summer set was so spectacular, what will halloween hold for us?

 

[ISM Master]

I had to keep moving the corn sign because it was blocking the cameras. I don't even want to think about halloween.

 

[Bullseye Flow TM]

We actually recieved an e-mail though about giving signage to guests. We were reminded in the most Fast Fun and Friendly way possible that it is against BP to give away signing. Killjoys.

Our signing guy has said many times about guests asking for signs. He was letting them have them. Was this a recent email? I wonder if he has seen it yet? He's off on weekends, guess I'll have to ask him about it on Monday.

since our summer set was so spectacular, what will halloween hold for us?

I agree, Smurf. They did an excellent job with our summer signing. How can they top it for Halloween or even Christmas?

 

[SrTLRep]

Our signing guy has said many times about guests asking for signs. He was letting them have them. Was this a recent email? I wonder if he has seen it yet? He's off on weekends, guess I'll have to ask him about it on Monday.

It wasn't a corporate e-mail. It came from our former PATL. I guess she had to field a phone call from a guest that was promised a sign from electronics.

 

[Ajax11]

It's been corporate policy for years to not allow signs to be given out. If you do a search on MySupport you can print off the Q&A about "giving away signing". You can also see it in the FAQs at the bottom of the Signing Specialist roles and responsibilities page on workbench (been awhile since I looked this up so not sure if the page still exists).

I finally have ETLs that support me on this policy so I am no longer being forced to waste time and space saving signs for guests. It would always make me mad when I tell people we can't give out signs, then a GSTL/ETL would tell a guest sure and I'd have signs sitting around the backroom till the guest decides to show up.

 

[smurf101]

electronics is the only area that i have issues with the signing. the remainder of the race track i put it as far to the opposite sides of each other. i make so many smurfograms with my signing. plano does it all the time with their stuff, i think it is only fair i get to also. i have always thought,their directions were just a suggestion (hehehe) of how they would like them to be. i get creative once in a while. mainly because of the cameras and how our ap is. i prefer to set once and leave it alone. it is time for something spectacular like the Halloween candelabras, we had a few years ago, or those hanging Huge white Christmas trees we had. I give Target a lot of credit, they do have some awesome signing, but it they could only get their set up and put up times right, i would be very happy.