I hate waiting on calls. v. Maybe I actually got the job?

[TheMadgician]

I applied to Target the other day. And of course, they didn't call until I was at work. Obviously, I wasn't able to pick up right away. By the time I did, I had missed the call by just a couple seconds. They left a voice mail saying it was Target, they want to schedule an interview, all that.

I call back right away. Get the in store operator. She tells me the head of HR or whatever isn't there. I leave a message and wait for a call.

By the time I get out of work, nothing. So I swing over after work, see if I can schedule in person. Turns out she'd gone home early. Like, right after she called.

So now I get to spend all day waiting.

On the bright side, them wanting to schedule an interview is definitely a good sign.

[bosk1]

Good company.  You'll have to deal with a lot of the same B.S. you would have to deal with in any retail environment, but they really do take good care of their people.  What position are you applying for?

One thing you'll have to get used to is a LOT of specialized terminology and abbreviations.  Everything is "team" oriented (for example, they refer to all their employees as "team members").  The store HR person ("ETL-HR") is probably extremely busy because she is responsible for all HR functions in the store, so it is probably good to be proactive on your part about following up with her rather than waiting for her to call you (unless she tells you otherwise). 

Good luck. 

[lordxizor]

Definitely continue to follow up if you don't hear back right away. Good luck with your interview!

[TheMadgician]

Good company.  You'll have to deal with a lot of the same B.S. you would have to deal with in any retail environment, but they really do take good care of their people.  What position are you applying for?

One thing you'll have to get used to is a LOT of specialized terminology and abbreviations.  Everything is "team" oriented (for example, they refer to all their employees as "team members").  The store HR person ("ETL-HR") is probably extremely busy because she is responsible for all HR functions in the store, so it is probably good to be proactive on your part about following up with her rather than waiting for her to call you (unless she tells you otherwise). 

Good luck. 

I applied for floor staff, coffee shop, and food stand. I should be a shoe in for coffee shop, considering I've worked at the coffee shop in the hospital for the past year, and that's a mini Starbucks. I'd prefer floor staff though, just for a change of pace. But I'll take whatever I can get.

And that's a good point. The voicemail she left just said to call back to schedule an interview. When I called, I left my info with the operator. And when I stopped it, some higher ranking guy (I think I heard the abbreviation OBL?) said if the operator left a message, she'll definitely call me back tomorrow (today).

I'm thinking if I haven't heard anything by this afternoon, probably 2:30, I'll call again. Would that be wise? I mean, I know appearing eager and proactive is good, but appearing desperate and overbearing is not.

[lateralus88]

Good company.  You'll have to deal with a lot of the same B.S. you would have to deal with in any retail environment, but they really do take good care of their people. 

As someone who currently works at a Target branch, I have to say I agree with this for the most part. I say for the most part because I swear to god if I have to zone the Toys section by myself on a Saturday night one more fucking time I might end up curb stomping a 5 year old.

[bosk1]

Good company.  You'll have to deal with a lot of the same B.S. you would have to deal with in any retail environment, but they really do take good care of their people.  What position are you applying for?

One thing you'll have to get used to is a LOT of specialized terminology and abbreviations.  Everything is "team" oriented (for example, they refer to all their employees as "team members").  The store HR person ("ETL-HR") is probably extremely busy because she is responsible for all HR functions in the store, so it is probably good to be proactive on your part about following up with her rather than waiting for her to call you (unless she tells you otherwise). 

Good luck. 

I applied for floor staff, coffee shop, and food stand. I should be a shoe in for coffee shop, considering I've worked at the coffee shop in the hospital for the past year, and that's a mini Starbucks. I'd prefer floor staff though, just for a change of pace. But I'll take whatever I can get.

And that's a good point. The voicemail she left just said to call back to schedule an interview. When I called, I left my info with the operator. And when I stopped it, some higher ranking guy (I think I heard the abbreviation OBL?) said if the operator left a message, she'll definitely call me back tomorrow (today).

I'm thinking if I haven't heard anything by this afternoon, probably 2:30, I'll call again. Would that be wise? I mean, I know appearing eager and proactive is good, but appearing desperate and overbearing is not.

I'm not recognizing the "OBL" abbreviation (although I don't know all of them).  Probably another ETL, I would guess.  Generally speaking, the top at the store is the STL (Store Team Lead), and underneath the STL, you have Executive Team Leads ("ETL") over each department.  The additional letters tell you which department.  So the ETL-HR is the Executive Team Lead - Human Resources, the ETL-AP is the Executive Team Lead - Asset Protection (those guys are mad cool), etc.

Yeah, I would definitely call back my mid-afternoon.  Just call and play it cool, and you won't sound desperate.  Something like "I was just following up since I hadn't heard back.  And since I am very interested in the position, I did not want to take the chance of falling through the cracks" should probably suffice.

Good company.  You'll have to deal with a lot of the same B.S. you would have to deal with in any retail environment, but they really do take good care of their people. 

As someone who currently works at a Target branch, I have to say I agree with this for the most part. I say for the most part because I swear to god if I have to zone the Toys section by myself on a Saturday night one more fucking time I might end up curb stomping a 5 year old.

  Well, it's still a job, after all, so that kind of thing is bound to happen.  And as with any chain, there are lots of people, so there are bound to be bad experiences with some people from time to time.  But as a company, they are top-notch, and it generally filters down.  And I'd say that for the vast majority of difficult situations you might have to deal with, it would probably be worse if you were working for a different retailer.

[TheMadgician]

That is a great idea, Bosk. Thanks a lot, man. I've definitely got a good feeling about this.

Edit: YESSSS. Just got off the phone with HR. Interview scheduled for Wednesday at 11. Everything's comin' up Millhouse

[DarkEternalNight]

Nice, I just had my first day at Hot Topic today. Retail will be very interesting, but fun.

[TheMadgician]

I've never worked retail. I've done construction, a tech support call center, and a coffee shop. But I might just get stuck at the Target coffee shop. I'd like the change of pace, but I'm willing to work whatever.

I tend to be pretty good with interviews. I am so psyched for this. Wednesday cannot come fast enough.

[icysk8r]

Nice, I just had my first day at Hot Topic today. Retail will be very interesting, but fun.

Are you as nice as all the other Hot Topic guys?  THE BEST customer service I have EVER received ANYWHERE has always been with Hot Topic.  Hands down.

[Fiery Winds]

Nice, I just had my first day at Hot Topic today. Retail will be very interesting, but fun.

Are you as nice as all the other Hot Topic guys?  THE BEST ONLY customer service I have EVER received ANYWHERE has always been with Hot Topic.  Hands down.

FTFY

[lateralus88]

Nice, I just had my first day at Hot Topic today. Retail will be very interesting, but fun.

Are you as nice as all the other Hot Topic guys?  THE BEST customer service I have EVER received ANYWHERE has always been with Hot Topic.  Hands down.

Come meet me at the Target I work at. I'll customer service the fucking shit out of you.


Also LOLHOTTOPIC

[black_biff_stadler]

Nice, I just had my first day at Hot Topic today. Retail will be very interesting, but fun.

Are you as nice as all the other Hot Topic guys?  THE BEST customer service I have EVER received ANYWHERE has always been with Hot Topic.  Hands down.

Come meet me at the Target I work out. I'll customer service the fucking shit out of you.


Also LOLHOTTOPIC

I'm with icy. Hot Topic has always given me awesomely attentive service and most of them are pretty nice too. Oh and Lat does that "customer service the fucking shit out of you" deal apply to anyone?

[lateralus88]

You know it.

[DarkEternalNight]

you jelly? The one time I had to use customer service with them, they were pretty awesome.

[TheMadgician]

Interview at Target tomorrow at 11am. I haven't had an interview in about a year. Anyone have any tips or little things to remember? I tend to be pretty good with interviews. But it never hurts to be more prepared.

[Jamesman42]

Don't shave
Don't shower
Don't brush teeth
Wear dirty clothes (that smell)
Wear a different shoe on each foot (shoes optional, actually)
Drool
Don't look the interviewer in the eye
Talk in a mumbling voice
Avoid directly answering any questions/revert to how much liquor you drank last night
Demand $20/hr
Tell the manager "I'll have your job in a year and you will be gone"
Smile

[SnakeEyes]

If she says, "We'll call you" or some other vague phrase, say:  "LOOK BITCH, AM I HIRED OR NOT?  BECAUSE I COULD SLIT YOUR THROAT RIGHT NOW.  AND, ONE OF US DOESN'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.  I'LL GIVE YOU ONE GUESS WHICH ONE OF US THAT IS."

No, I'm kidding.  Don't say that. 

You might not get the job if you do. 

Good luck. 

[JayOctavarium]

I love and hate target... I love them because I was pretty much raised in Target.... (my stepmom was the softlines manager for years at a target... and my dad worked at a target for a while when i was younger... its kinda in my blood..

but I hate them cuz they wont hire meeeee

[TheMadgician]

I'm really hoping I get this. I'm about to head out. Here goes nothin'.

[Volk9]

Come back with a job or dont come back at all

[HarlequinForest]

Good luck...  I had an interview with Walmart yesterday.  I was very surprised with the difficult of their questions; they weren't standard at all (lengthy, multi-part questions that didn't really relate to employment).  Pretty sure I bombed because I wasn't scheduled for a second interview, which is apparently standard for Walmart.

[lordxizor]

Good luck...  I had an interview with Walmart yesterday.  I was very surprised with the difficult of their questions; they weren't standard at all (lengthy, multi-part questions that didn't really relate to employment).  Pretty sure I bombed because I wasn't scheduled for a second interview, which is apparently standard for Walmart.

Companies like to ask behavior based questions these days to try and get a sense of what type fo person you are and how you'll react in different situations. Once you get used to them it's pretty easy to come up with a reasonable answer even if it isn't 100% truthful.

[HarlequinForest]

Good luck...  I had an interview with Walmart yesterday.  I was very surprised with the difficult of their questions; they weren't standard at all (lengthy, multi-part questions that didn't really relate to employment).  Pretty sure I bombed because I wasn't scheduled for a second interview, which is apparently standard for Walmart.

Companies like to ask behavior based questions these days to try and get a sense of what type fo person you are and how you'll react in different situations. Once you get used to them it's pretty easy to come up with a reasonable answer even if it isn't 100% truthful.

Well, I'm not sure they were behavioral.  They were about 7 questions that were all similar to this (paraphrasing): "Explain a time when you used a simple approach to to solve a big problem.  What steps did you take?  How do you know it was effective?"  I'm just not good at immediately formulating a good response to lengthy questions when I've zero preparation for them, especially when I'm nervous.  My mouth was so dry that at one point when she looked away, I touched my tongue and it stuck to my finger, lol.

edit: I did mention to her that my availability will be lessened in the near future due to school.  That also could have played a part in it.

[lordxizor]

Well, I'm not sure they were behavioral.  They were about 7 questions that were all similar to this (paraphrasing): "Explain a time when you used a simple approach to to solve a big problem.  What steps did you take?  How do you know it was effective?"  I'm just not good at immediately formulating a good response to lengthy questions when I've zero preparation for them, especially when I'm nervous.  My mouth was so dry that at one point when she looked away, I touched my tongue and it stuck to my finger, lol.

edit: I did mention to her that my availability will be lessened in the near future due to school.  That also could have played a part in it.

Yeah, those types of questions were what I was thinking of. They're kind of useless because I'd guess most people's answers are at the least exaggerated events and at worst blatant lies, but there's really no way for them to confirm that. I always go into interviews with a few events in the back of my mind for these questions. A time when I had dificulty with a fellow coworker or boss, a complicated project that I've worked on, an example of how I perform in a team environment... stuff like that. You get the hang of those questions after a while because everyone basically asks different variations of the same questions. The key is always ending your answer with something positive that you did.

Going in prepared with some examples for potential questions can help you get started with an answer while you're mentally tailoring your answer to their exact question. Takes a little thinking on your feet, but you get the hang of it. That's why I always take every interview I can get when I first start interviewing for a new job again. The first one or two are practice so I can get the hang of the process again.

[Aramatheis]

So now I get to spend all day waiting.

Same here brotha!

I've spent all day waiting for a call from Tim Hortons about an interview.

[TheMadgician]

Welp. Not sure I did as well as I'd hoped with that.

Apparently in the week and a half since I applied, they've filled up the 3 positions I applied for. But there was an opening for flow. I've worked construction. I've unloaded trucks for various reasons. Seems like I'd fit well.

I thought I interviewed well. But then a third guy came in and tried to follow up on my answers. Wanting better examples. And I saw the little score things at the bottoms. A lot of  5s and 6s. And 3 or two.

The main one the third guy asked me to come up with a better answer for was the question "Has there been a time where you've had to do a time sensitive job" or something of the sort. I responded with closing at the coffee shop. Which has multiple tasks and is time sensitive. I told them I budget my time and I've gotten good at it to the point I'm normally finished ahead of schedule. I'm not sure why he asked me to re answer. Is that not a good example?

And one I noticed I had a 3 on was something along the lines of "Tell me about a time you were asked to do something that stretched your skills? What was the outcome?" Or something like that. I responded with sometimes working construction I'm asked to build some things I don't know. I normally ask to be shown how first, and I'll start a little slow. But by the end, I've gotten the hang of it and found a good rhythm and go at a good pace. I would have imagined that for a good response. But apparently not?

Then as I was waiting for the second interviewer to come back in after the third guy, I could hear them talking outside in the hall.

Girl: Wait, is he still waiting in there?
Guy: Yeah, heh.
Girl: Oh you are just the worst ever ahah.

She came in, told me they had other people to interview this week, and they'd call me in 7-10 days.

I don't exactly feel too hopeful. But who knows?

[Blazinarps]

I'm a professional career consultant. When she told you that, you literally should have asked if you got the job or not. You can even say, "Well, I have another job offer, and I need to be able to make my decision within 24 hours." You would know right then. (I assume you did not get the job, I think it's rather obvious)

[TheMadgician]

Well shit. Live and learn though, eh?

And she'd already asked if I have any more jobs/interivews lined up when she was initially interviewing me. To which the answer was no. Is that one of those situations where a little white lie is much more beneficial?

[Blazinarps]

Yeah that's totally fine.

[TheMadgician]

Either way, what's done is done. They said the orientation starts Wednesday. So I'll wait until Monday. If I haven't heard anything, I'll start spreading my application around a lot more. Maybe I'll have better luck.

[black_biff_stadler]

Either way, what's done is done. They said the orientation starts Wednesday. So I'll wait until Monday. If I haven't heard anything, I'll start spreading my application around a lot more. Maybe I'll have better luck.

If you want/need some down time before going back to work that's totally fine. You're 19 and are only a few years from being "grown up" (whatever that even means any more lol) so taking it easy is fine and dandy.

Just don't hold off job hunting because you've got a boner for Target(don't know if you're actually that amped;just sayin'.) I say this because it's a shit job market right now and if you REALLY want a job you probably have to mercilessly pursue numerous ventures at once. Don't even for one second pay consideration to potential employers by giving them time to "figure it out" because they'll hire/fire whomever when ever to suit their needs so you aren't doing them any injustice at all if you give them the impression you're interested but ultimately flake for some other job since they already have numerous alternates waiting in the application drawer.

Bottom line: I know you wish to establish a good rapport with who ever you end up working for which is very evident considering your patienece with Target but just remember to save your kindness for once you're actually working for a place. I always used to look for work in a way similar to how you've handled this but the sad truth is most employers don't care two shits about you until you've worked yourself into a position where it's painfully obvious they'd have a more difficult job getting their daily tasks done without you than with.

[SnakeEyes]

After reading this thread, Target is a company that I would NOT want to work for.  That whole, "Is he still in there?"  "oh, you're the worst," as if your life is a joke and they find it so hilarious that you need to make ends meet..... makes me sick.  

[TheMadgician]

Either way, what's done is done. They said the orientation starts Wednesday. So I'll wait until Monday. If I haven't heard anything, I'll start spreading my application around a lot more. Maybe I'll have better luck.

If you want/need some down time before going back to work that's totally fine. You're 19 and are only a few years from being "grown up" (whatever that even means any more lol) so taking it easy is fine and dandy.

Just don't hold off job hunting because you've got a boner for Target(don't know if you're actually that amped;just sayin'.) I say this because it's a shit job market right now and if you REALLY want a job you probably have to mercilessly pursue numerous ventures at once. Don't even for one second pay consideration to potential employers by giving them time to "figure it out" because they'll hire/fire whomever when ever to suit their needs so you aren't doing them any injustice at all if you give them the impression you're interested but ultimately flake for some other job since they already have numerous alternates waiting in the application drawer.

Bottom line: I know you wish to establish a good rapport with who ever you end up working for which is very evident considering your patienece with Target but just remember to save your kindness for once you're actually working for a place. I always used to look for work in a way similar to how you've handled this but the sad truth is most employers don't care two shits about you until you've worked yourself into a position where it's painfully obvious they'd have a more difficult job getting their daily tasks done without you than with.

That's a good point. I'm a bit too much of a "wait and see" type person. Which I know isn't all that effective, but it's how I tend to be. Really got to get on the whole "get a job, get money, get my life in order" thing. Figure out what I actually want to go to college for (computer science did not fit me at all), save money, get a car that isn't about to fall apart. All that jazz. Time to be a bit more proactive, I dare say.

After reading this thread, Target is a company that I would NOT want to work for.  That whole, "Is he still in there?"  "oh, you're the worst," as if your life is a joke and they find it so hilarious that you need to make ends meet..... makes me sick. 

That really doesn't bother me as much as you'd think. Then again, my friends and I are complete dicks to each other. So I've developed quite the tolerance.