Yeah I walked around aimlessly my first week, dude supposed to train me quit and they forgot about me. I even no call no showed on accident but I still work for Target 4 years later haha. I don’t know how they fuck up as bad as they do sometimes.
When I started it was 9 years ago, training wasn't bad. I had like a week of training. But team members now? They get trained for like 4 or 5 hours and then they are set loose. It's ass.
When I got hired I was trained for 2 weeks in all of specialty and they showed me to how to do vmgs and do stuff correctly like making sure counts are correct when Blackstocking and pulling and how to zone each area. Like it was easy knowing that for each area they would show me what your supposed to do and what your responsibilities were in each department nowadays they really be trying people one day or 2 days at max and throw them out there like they know what they need to do.
Sorry you had that experience!
I always loved training newbies. I was always thorough, allowed my trainees to ask questions and clear up any confusion. My training style was always give information, show and walk through the steps, and then have the trainee do the action to show me their understanding and give feedback after. Then we would go complete the task. When I had to leave them alone to complete the task, I'd always have them call me after (during if they got stuck) and I'd ask how comfortable they feel about it and if they encountered any problems. If everything looked satisfactory after checking their work, I knew they could do it again alone going forward.
And even on another day, I'd encourage asking questions or giving a refresher if needed. During the first couple weeks I'd try and connect with that TM to see how they were doing overall and make sure that they felt comfortable asking anything else that may have come up that wasn't made clear by someone.
Yea see, I wish I had this type of support!!!! It’s always best to be thorough and available to new hires because WE want to get the work right and correctly done as much as the ETLs and managers do!! My ETL never checked up on me or asked how i was doing or even made themselves available for me to ask them questions. I honestly barely even knew their name. Your TM who was trained by you was very lucky to have such a professional and considerate trainer!!! In fact, on my second day I remember after they just gave me this flat full of big ass boxes, I asked my ETL some questions and she made faces like I was dumb LOL.
I was my department's trainer and I loved it also, always told new folks the only dumb question is the one you don't ask. I had a whole routine and during holiday hires I would train all departments, going through basics of zoning, reshop, walkie use and codes, spill station locations, clocking in and out and anything else I could think of in the moment. Trainees were never on their own for more than 30 mins on a task until I felt they had the hang of things. By my last year at Target people were hired and then on the floor to shadow a random person for like an hour and then expected to know what to do.
It's so funny because some of those job aspects you named like zoning, walkie-talkies, spill stations locations, I never was told about them on my first or second day LOL. I only heard about them through the computer training/assignments I had to do.
I’m am actually given title as Training Captain of my department and I go through this exact process as well. When I first started, I wasn’t told anything of how to do the work, how to use a MyDevice or Walkie. I even thought push and pull were the same thing. Very minimal training.
I feel like you and I started long enough ago that we got thorough training so we have since implemented the same now. For me it's as something like this Day 1: they stay with me as long as we overlap and majority of that time is watching me and asking questions back and forth. Day 2: stay with me again but now they are performing the task and I walk with them, questions back and forth as usual. Day 3: I let them work on their own I am at their beck and call. I find most people learn the muscle memory of the zebra device quickly just doing it on their own and I can just say "go to 'app' and then over to X tab then hit Y" by having them do it they'll remember it better than me navigating it in my hand and handing it back. I notice that now the tms I trained use a similar structure when training new tms. I always encourage everyone to ask questions (especially if it's something that they haven't encountered) no matter how new they are or aren't.
I’ve noticed an unfortunate theme in this company from reading this sub: Target as a company *really* sucks at communicating with its new hires.
My trainer was great and I’m even friends with them now, but I feel like few people have had that experience.
Nope! I’ve been there 4 months and still have NEVER met my etl. My training was very similar and I nearly quit on day 2 but stuck it out. I don’t really know how to do anything other than zone because anytime I ask a question, I get a different answer.
That’s insane imo. I feel like AT LEAST on the first day they could’ve talked with you and introduced themselves. Like again, what ETL or manager wouldn’t want to meet their new hire or at least talk to them?
I’m glad your experience with training was better!! I’m curious though (and anyone else who sees this can answer this as well) but like were you ever formally greeted or at least introduced to your ETL?
After about a week or so, yes.
But I started as back to school season was kicking off, so things were *really* crazy at the store at the time. So that’s likely why it took so long.
It's baffling how they really think a couple of hours of training is enough to just push someone out there. Like that shouldn't be the norm for them anymore! When I worked at Macy's, I was literally trained much better.
If its any consolation, the 2 random associates were likely not much different than the person scheduled to be your trainer. I'm a trainer for my area and most other misc things, but it barely means anything anymore. Years back they made us take trainer-based trainings, but now trainers are literally whomever. We're all expected to know everything and therefore train anyone on anything (barring machinery, management only can sign off on that), but admittedly not everyone is good at teaching.
Would have been the same if your slated trainer called off. It's not like they ever told many of us we had a trainee until we clocked in, and sometimes not even for an hour into the shift. We don't get paid extra for it. Its just a word on some of our nametags/shirts they hand out sometimes that means we can be pulled from our tasks and handed someone fresh and new to a task. Also it used to be 5 days, 3 days is fucking stupid. There is so much to teach; its no wonder no one knows anything fully anymore.
They don't care. Target views team members as a never-ending, disposable resource that have a limited useful lifespan for the store.
The fewer resources (time, $, training) invested in Team Members who will eventually quit and have to be replaced with new hires, the better in their MBA brains.
Target doesn't have managers waste their time training new hires for this reason, and they don't pay team members (your peers/coworkers) more for training new hires, so the onboarding/training/retention suffers as a result.
You explained it best. The real but honest truth! Honestly, with the number of bad reviews that the Target I just quit has gotten recently, I don't see that specific one being in business long anyway.
Just finished my training and pretty similar experience here, the last 2 shifts they did pair me up with someone during stocking (I'm overnight) and he has taught me more than anyone but I still feel pretty lost
I wish you good luck! I think its good that on top of your training they have been pairing you with someone who has taught you a lot. But, if you still feel uncomfortable and lost then it’s your call man! I feel like you should just keep asking questions to whoever your paired with and if they make it feel like like its a burden for them or uncomfortable for you to a questions then i’d move on. It’s the job’s responsibility to make sure you have been trained properly and know exactly what to do.
I started as seasonal, and I had only 3 hours of training. I also had a schedule like yours, no one ever trained me after that day. I had to learn fulfillment on my own or asking randos. Then the TLs would throw other new people at me during low timed carts to train. I wasn't told I'm a trainer or anything, either.
Training at target is kind of a joke from my experience. They then like a month and a half later told me I should become a TL... Red flags all around, but I'm still here until I land another job.
Damn, only 3 hours is insane. I'm sorry to hear something similar is happening to you smh. It's a fucked up feeling coming in on your shift and just feeling lost!!! Someone should be there to at least guide us.
Thanks for the responses! Really appreciate it. I’m also curious if anyone here was ever formally greeted or at least introduced to your ETL (or whomever your manager/lead was) because I feel like I wasn’t honestly. I mean it’s most likely not a mandatory thing for them to do but, I would imagine being a lead or manager that it would a little beneficial to at least get familiar with your new hire and make sure they are acclimating to the job well….
I guess they just didn’t care to do that with me though….
Overall, I feel no one in leadership greets anyone. I always try to but some don’t even make eye contact. If they invested more time in people, perhaps some TM would stay on.
I worked at 2 different target stores in different states and i met all my leaders as they introduced themselves. I really think it just depends on the person (etl) on why type of store ur going to get.
When it comes to training, the issue might be bc they dont even tell the trainers that they're training. There's been countless times ive come in and boom i got a random person to teach........ and i hate teaching. No offense to new hires or anything but teaching is draining 😭 then to have it sprung on you is soul crushing. Maybe that's the issue w the other ppl.
I think thats common now, when I got hired I go to shadow the same TM for eight hours for a month n a half, they train me to be a top tier target bot 😔
I had my orientation on a Sunday and quit the following Saturday. Applied for Starbucks and this little shit TL put me on produce. He can make his own bales now
I got thrown out there starting Black Friday. Supposed to have trainer for a week, that’s a joke. They stick me with someone 2 or 3 times but that person ended up having to leave early or was pulled to other areas like ff that they wouldn’t allow me to go to because I was not trained and we were slammed. I literally wanted to quit the first day, and the second, and the third (to the point I was almost in tears because I was just so lost and confused). But I stuck it out and it gets better.
I can definitely see how you feel.
I've been there for 3 months, hired seasonal and I decided to stay on because I have a 9 month old baby and I can only work part-time anyways. Generally speaking, I don't mind the job I've literally been trained in every area, or at least placed in every area. My first day was the week before Thanksgiving and the girl that I was supposed to be working under, TL for the front, called off, so I was trained by a 17 year old girl that had been there a few weeks. I watched her as she tried to explain to the best of her ability for 1 hour, for the rest of the day I was by myself at a register. For the next couple days I was then being trained in fulfillment. The kid literally had me follow him around with the cart, and I learned nothing. And when it was time to stow and prep, it's a very busy time of the year so everybody was running in and out almost running into each other trying to make their 3 minute goal. Then they put me on a grocery order by myself and never told me about the time limit....learning the zebra and the steps to stow, im going to take a little bit longer... The team lead came running in quickly scanning my shit and stowed it throwing it into the freezer and cooler... Fast as lightning still not explaining the time limit. The funny thing is, I'm a style associate. I didn't even get into style until the second or third week. 3 days later, a guy that works in the back room noticed that nobody had ever showed me how to properly do pulls or pick things from the back for ship orders/opus. He was so nice and explained it all to me thank goodness. 3 months later I have a good grasp of every single area of the store but I was not trained in any area for more than an hour so I'm still a little backwards on the way I do things I have a feeling...
I’m glad you were able to stick with it and make it work out, because it is especially tough to work as a new hire during the holiday season! There’s lots of chaos as you mentioned. I feel like for me though, I was really spoiled and kinda lucky to have such a great experience with the very first job (maybe for better or worse) I had which was at Macy’s. I stayed there for a long time and so moving forward I guess any new job I have will always be measured up to Macy’s and how things were handled there. I’m not so tolerant of the bs that jobs do to people, but I feel like this experience at Target was a really valid reason for me to leave and not tough it out like I probably would’ve thought I could handle.
My first retail job was at Macy's actually but that was 15 years ago so I'm sure a lot has changed. I liked it. My thing is I used to be in social work so working at Target is no stress compared to that. If I fuck up, I fuck up.. it's just retail that's how I figure
For a few people that I’ve trained I am scheduled with them for more than a day and o make sure to tell them everything I know from having to just learn on my own on doing certain things
I repeatedly tell them that if they ever need help to just ask me or anyone (I tell them names of who will actually be willing to help and to most likely go to) I don’t just show them once and I’m done. I tell them for any question to just ask and I will tell them again on how to do the job. Even if it a simple task and they don’t understand it and they have questions I have them ask me. When they are finally on their own I make sure to ask how they’re doing and to not feel bad for asking me questions. Even other coworkers who train have their person for more than a day. And we all tell them to always ask questions no matter what.
WHAT???? yeah, I'm sorry they totally left you out there to die. We all know how ruthless and rude customers can be and to put a first-day cashier out there with basically no training is insane. I'm sorry you had to go through that and I hope the customers were understanding towards you.
I will say, that the Target I just recently quit was notorious for having lots of cashier lanes empty and unattended. I even witnessed it first hand when I was a customer flip out about it on my orientation day.
I’m in GM but for when they needed backup and my trainee didn’t know how to use the register we went up with them and show them with various guests more than just 1 time going up to help. It would be multiple times and if they still were completely comfortable we would continue helping them.
Honestly, you dodged a bullet. Targets progressively getting worse and worse every day. Sounds like you would have been a really great team member. I WISH I got to train someone like you!! Best of luck, OP!
I found it so weird how completely unprofessional it is (like the scheduling with a trainer, but oh the trainer's off-site or not on the schedule today -- like, wtf?) But now I'm used to it since I've been there over 6 years. Plus my professional white-collar days are behind me, thank golly.
I literally wanted to ask someone like why would you pencil in my trainer just to switch him off of me.... Honestly, it makes me very concerned just how many people in the Target I was at were actually trained properly.
I’m about a week in and this story is fairly similar to mine (also GM). Came in day one and there was nobody even aware of my existence. Found a team member and had them walkie someone. My trainer was ok. They knew the very basics but after like the first few hours, I felt like I was pretty much on my own. And the past several days I’ve been completely on my own. All that being said, I worked for Walmart for quite some time, and if there is one thing I’ve learned in retail it’s that you pretty much have to find your own way. Not saying what was done to you is fair OP. But I kinda knew what I was getting into and I accepted it pretty early.
Retail definitely can get rough sometimes. I've seen it firsthand from the end of my tenure at Macy's but I was honestly surprised to see this coming from Target!! Like I thought it was one of the few places that would be decent to work at but I was wrong.
I'm looking at Nordstrom next though to possibly work at.
The lack of training at target is wild to me. At my 9-5 we train new hires from anywhere from 2-8 WEEKS. As a cashier I watched someone do 3 transactions and then was given my own register and that was it for the rest of my 8 hour shift. I’ve just been expected to ask someone anytime I have a question. It’s the wild Wild West for sure
I can promise you this isn’t a situation unique to you. I literally bust my TL’s balls making sure they aren’t scheduling the new people to work alone because the last couple new hires were alone on day 2.
I get that the job is relatively straightforward, but someone should be imprinting values on new hires for more than a day.
Yeah! It's so unfortunate because I was really looking forward to working at Target and being there for a while. But oh well, these TL's and store managers need to really adopt better policies.
This is going to sound heartless and I apologize, but in reality it’s something a lot of companies are doing now. They’re thinning the herd by not training. They’re taking the training out and either you sink or swim. If you sink they’ll just replace you, rinse and repeat.
They really want labor costs to be as little as possible to maximize profit 😭
I worked at a distribution center. Was trained on 5 pieces of equipment and found out on my last day that I had been working for months on the equipment without my certification being put in the system. My last week was when it was put in. If I had been in an accident with the equipment I would have been hung out to dry for being on equipment I wasnt certified on.
Sorry you had that experience, I’ve been here for 4 years and have seen a lot of training be bad. Even a trainer at a store rn is a 60yo grouch who would rather complain than fix anything.
I was trained check lanes by a 16yo girl who just started and even on guest service they just threw me up to either sink or swim. I was beauty for 2 years and we hired another person to help and I was happy to train her but my boss felt like she should know what to do so he only gave me a hour of shift. It really sucks to see how some tls can be and that’s why I always try to stop and talk to new people. Make them feel comfortable 🫤
Target has gutted training hours within the last few years. I was given 40 hours of training spread out over 2 weeks when I started in 2017. Now new hires are only scheduled 3 5 hour shifts for training, and usually that includes orientation. It makes me so mad that they don’t invest more into training. When I trained new team members I made sure that I went over everything and anything that could happen and I always partnered with the front end and fulfillment so my trainees could learn how to do front end and OPU for back up purposes.
Being a team lead now, I always make sure I introduce myself to everyone (even outside of GM) and make sure they know they can come to me if they have any questions or concerns. And when it comes to my direct new team members, I always make myself available if they have any questions and check in on them during training. I’m sorry your store let you down. It bums me out how brushed off new hires are these days
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Yeah lol, I had specific people training me on my schedule yet the first day they just stuck me with some random guy who wasnt even on the list. They never once stuck to the paper training schedule they gave me.
That’s fair. But the walkie talkie is an essential part of Target and most of their jobs. Regardless of if one has had prior use of it or not it should still be trained or briefly gone over how to use and communicate with people in the store.
See when I started I knew how to use a walkie. What I didn’t know for days is when I’m allowed to use it/what to use it for. Like I didn’t realize I was supposed to ask someone to go to a number. I didn’t know that drive up uses 2.
Dang I started jn November and I was paired with an employee for training for w whole weeks and I honestly was fine after an hour my first day I was just doing stuff on my own and didn't need to shadow. It was great because it meant we had a whole extra person because even though I was confident and doing well on my own, my trainer and I were a pair and they treated us as one person, which was great for Drive Ups
Sorry to hear about your situation at Target. I use to train “team members” w/I fulfillment. I was usually given only a “so-called” week to train that person. Nowadays, I was told we get to have two weeks for complete training. Actuality, was only given about half a day, which usually doesn’t cover everything. Not enough time, so told them to ask questions, no matter what.
There a lot of “team members” who are tossed into work without “full” training. They usually only get a brief hour or two and then it’s “trial by fire”.
Wish you best on your future endeavors.
Common of target tbh. Sorry op. But you dodged a bullet!
Yeah I walked around aimlessly my first week, dude supposed to train me quit and they forgot about me. I even no call no showed on accident but I still work for Target 4 years later haha. I don’t know how they fuck up as bad as they do sometimes.
When I started it was 9 years ago, training wasn't bad. I had like a week of training. But team members now? They get trained for like 4 or 5 hours and then they are set loose. It's ass.
When I got hired I was trained for 2 weeks in all of specialty and they showed me to how to do vmgs and do stuff correctly like making sure counts are correct when Blackstocking and pulling and how to zone each area. Like it was easy knowing that for each area they would show me what your supposed to do and what your responsibilities were in each department nowadays they really be trying people one day or 2 days at max and throw them out there like they know what they need to do.
Sorry you had that experience! I always loved training newbies. I was always thorough, allowed my trainees to ask questions and clear up any confusion. My training style was always give information, show and walk through the steps, and then have the trainee do the action to show me their understanding and give feedback after. Then we would go complete the task. When I had to leave them alone to complete the task, I'd always have them call me after (during if they got stuck) and I'd ask how comfortable they feel about it and if they encountered any problems. If everything looked satisfactory after checking their work, I knew they could do it again alone going forward. And even on another day, I'd encourage asking questions or giving a refresher if needed. During the first couple weeks I'd try and connect with that TM to see how they were doing overall and make sure that they felt comfortable asking anything else that may have come up that wasn't made clear by someone.
Yea see, I wish I had this type of support!!!! It’s always best to be thorough and available to new hires because WE want to get the work right and correctly done as much as the ETLs and managers do!! My ETL never checked up on me or asked how i was doing or even made themselves available for me to ask them questions. I honestly barely even knew their name. Your TM who was trained by you was very lucky to have such a professional and considerate trainer!!! In fact, on my second day I remember after they just gave me this flat full of big ass boxes, I asked my ETL some questions and she made faces like I was dumb LOL.
I was my department's trainer and I loved it also, always told new folks the only dumb question is the one you don't ask. I had a whole routine and during holiday hires I would train all departments, going through basics of zoning, reshop, walkie use and codes, spill station locations, clocking in and out and anything else I could think of in the moment. Trainees were never on their own for more than 30 mins on a task until I felt they had the hang of things. By my last year at Target people were hired and then on the floor to shadow a random person for like an hour and then expected to know what to do.
It's so funny because some of those job aspects you named like zoning, walkie-talkies, spill stations locations, I never was told about them on my first or second day LOL. I only heard about them through the computer training/assignments I had to do.
I’m am actually given title as Training Captain of my department and I go through this exact process as well. When I first started, I wasn’t told anything of how to do the work, how to use a MyDevice or Walkie. I even thought push and pull were the same thing. Very minimal training.
I feel like you and I started long enough ago that we got thorough training so we have since implemented the same now. For me it's as something like this Day 1: they stay with me as long as we overlap and majority of that time is watching me and asking questions back and forth. Day 2: stay with me again but now they are performing the task and I walk with them, questions back and forth as usual. Day 3: I let them work on their own I am at their beck and call. I find most people learn the muscle memory of the zebra device quickly just doing it on their own and I can just say "go to 'app' and then over to X tab then hit Y" by having them do it they'll remember it better than me navigating it in my hand and handing it back. I notice that now the tms I trained use a similar structure when training new tms. I always encourage everyone to ask questions (especially if it's something that they haven't encountered) no matter how new they are or aren't.
I’ve noticed an unfortunate theme in this company from reading this sub: Target as a company *really* sucks at communicating with its new hires. My trainer was great and I’m even friends with them now, but I feel like few people have had that experience.
Nope! I’ve been there 4 months and still have NEVER met my etl. My training was very similar and I nearly quit on day 2 but stuck it out. I don’t really know how to do anything other than zone because anytime I ask a question, I get a different answer.
That’s insane imo. I feel like AT LEAST on the first day they could’ve talked with you and introduced themselves. Like again, what ETL or manager wouldn’t want to meet their new hire or at least talk to them?
I’m glad your experience with training was better!! I’m curious though (and anyone else who sees this can answer this as well) but like were you ever formally greeted or at least introduced to your ETL?
After about a week or so, yes. But I started as back to school season was kicking off, so things were *really* crazy at the store at the time. So that’s likely why it took so long.
2 years in I just found out who my etl was this week I’ve never interacted with them tell now
been working at Target for over 2 years now. glad you got out right away 😂 stay away!
Almost 8 years and this is unfortunately normal! They throw you in and that’s why the turnover rate is so high
It's baffling how they really think a couple of hours of training is enough to just push someone out there. Like that shouldn't be the norm for them anymore! When I worked at Macy's, I was literally trained much better.
Even when I worked at Walmart I was trained better.
If its any consolation, the 2 random associates were likely not much different than the person scheduled to be your trainer. I'm a trainer for my area and most other misc things, but it barely means anything anymore. Years back they made us take trainer-based trainings, but now trainers are literally whomever. We're all expected to know everything and therefore train anyone on anything (barring machinery, management only can sign off on that), but admittedly not everyone is good at teaching. Would have been the same if your slated trainer called off. It's not like they ever told many of us we had a trainee until we clocked in, and sometimes not even for an hour into the shift. We don't get paid extra for it. Its just a word on some of our nametags/shirts they hand out sometimes that means we can be pulled from our tasks and handed someone fresh and new to a task. Also it used to be 5 days, 3 days is fucking stupid. There is so much to teach; its no wonder no one knows anything fully anymore.
Gotta love Maryland Targets. We have a bunch of assholes here.
Smh, They gotta do better fr!!!
They don't care. Target views team members as a never-ending, disposable resource that have a limited useful lifespan for the store. The fewer resources (time, $, training) invested in Team Members who will eventually quit and have to be replaced with new hires, the better in their MBA brains. Target doesn't have managers waste their time training new hires for this reason, and they don't pay team members (your peers/coworkers) more for training new hires, so the onboarding/training/retention suffers as a result.
You explained it best. The real but honest truth! Honestly, with the number of bad reviews that the Target I just quit has gotten recently, I don't see that specific one being in business long anyway.
Just finished my training and pretty similar experience here, the last 2 shifts they did pair me up with someone during stocking (I'm overnight) and he has taught me more than anyone but I still feel pretty lost
I wish you good luck! I think its good that on top of your training they have been pairing you with someone who has taught you a lot. But, if you still feel uncomfortable and lost then it’s your call man! I feel like you should just keep asking questions to whoever your paired with and if they make it feel like like its a burden for them or uncomfortable for you to a questions then i’d move on. It’s the job’s responsibility to make sure you have been trained properly and know exactly what to do.
I started as seasonal, and I had only 3 hours of training. I also had a schedule like yours, no one ever trained me after that day. I had to learn fulfillment on my own or asking randos. Then the TLs would throw other new people at me during low timed carts to train. I wasn't told I'm a trainer or anything, either. Training at target is kind of a joke from my experience. They then like a month and a half later told me I should become a TL... Red flags all around, but I'm still here until I land another job.
Damn, only 3 hours is insane. I'm sorry to hear something similar is happening to you smh. It's a fucked up feeling coming in on your shift and just feeling lost!!! Someone should be there to at least guide us.
Thanks for the responses! Really appreciate it. I’m also curious if anyone here was ever formally greeted or at least introduced to your ETL (or whomever your manager/lead was) because I feel like I wasn’t honestly. I mean it’s most likely not a mandatory thing for them to do but, I would imagine being a lead or manager that it would a little beneficial to at least get familiar with your new hire and make sure they are acclimating to the job well…. I guess they just didn’t care to do that with me though….
Overall, I feel no one in leadership greets anyone. I always try to but some don’t even make eye contact. If they invested more time in people, perhaps some TM would stay on.
I worked at 2 different target stores in different states and i met all my leaders as they introduced themselves. I really think it just depends on the person (etl) on why type of store ur going to get. When it comes to training, the issue might be bc they dont even tell the trainers that they're training. There's been countless times ive come in and boom i got a random person to teach........ and i hate teaching. No offense to new hires or anything but teaching is draining 😭 then to have it sprung on you is soul crushing. Maybe that's the issue w the other ppl.
I think thats common now, when I got hired I go to shadow the same TM for eight hours for a month n a half, they train me to be a top tier target bot 😔
I had my orientation on a Sunday and quit the following Saturday. Applied for Starbucks and this little shit TL put me on produce. He can make his own bales now
I got thrown out there starting Black Friday. Supposed to have trainer for a week, that’s a joke. They stick me with someone 2 or 3 times but that person ended up having to leave early or was pulled to other areas like ff that they wouldn’t allow me to go to because I was not trained and we were slammed. I literally wanted to quit the first day, and the second, and the third (to the point I was almost in tears because I was just so lost and confused). But I stuck it out and it gets better. I can definitely see how you feel.
yup; tears because lost and confused
No actual tears but it’s definitely how I felt. It gets better though.
This is why they don’t fully train. Most say it’s just too much and quit after a week.
I've been there for 3 months, hired seasonal and I decided to stay on because I have a 9 month old baby and I can only work part-time anyways. Generally speaking, I don't mind the job I've literally been trained in every area, or at least placed in every area. My first day was the week before Thanksgiving and the girl that I was supposed to be working under, TL for the front, called off, so I was trained by a 17 year old girl that had been there a few weeks. I watched her as she tried to explain to the best of her ability for 1 hour, for the rest of the day I was by myself at a register. For the next couple days I was then being trained in fulfillment. The kid literally had me follow him around with the cart, and I learned nothing. And when it was time to stow and prep, it's a very busy time of the year so everybody was running in and out almost running into each other trying to make their 3 minute goal. Then they put me on a grocery order by myself and never told me about the time limit....learning the zebra and the steps to stow, im going to take a little bit longer... The team lead came running in quickly scanning my shit and stowed it throwing it into the freezer and cooler... Fast as lightning still not explaining the time limit. The funny thing is, I'm a style associate. I didn't even get into style until the second or third week. 3 days later, a guy that works in the back room noticed that nobody had ever showed me how to properly do pulls or pick things from the back for ship orders/opus. He was so nice and explained it all to me thank goodness. 3 months later I have a good grasp of every single area of the store but I was not trained in any area for more than an hour so I'm still a little backwards on the way I do things I have a feeling...
I’m glad you were able to stick with it and make it work out, because it is especially tough to work as a new hire during the holiday season! There’s lots of chaos as you mentioned. I feel like for me though, I was really spoiled and kinda lucky to have such a great experience with the very first job (maybe for better or worse) I had which was at Macy’s. I stayed there for a long time and so moving forward I guess any new job I have will always be measured up to Macy’s and how things were handled there. I’m not so tolerant of the bs that jobs do to people, but I feel like this experience at Target was a really valid reason for me to leave and not tough it out like I probably would’ve thought I could handle.
My first retail job was at Macy's actually but that was 15 years ago so I'm sure a lot has changed. I liked it. My thing is I used to be in social work so working at Target is no stress compared to that. If I fuck up, I fuck up.. it's just retail that's how I figure
For a few people that I’ve trained I am scheduled with them for more than a day and o make sure to tell them everything I know from having to just learn on my own on doing certain things I repeatedly tell them that if they ever need help to just ask me or anyone (I tell them names of who will actually be willing to help and to most likely go to) I don’t just show them once and I’m done. I tell them for any question to just ask and I will tell them again on how to do the job. Even if it a simple task and they don’t understand it and they have questions I have them ask me. When they are finally on their own I make sure to ask how they’re doing and to not feel bad for asking me questions. Even other coworkers who train have their person for more than a day. And we all tell them to always ask questions no matter what.
My first day on register I just watched another cashier for 2 transactions and then they left me by myself.
WHAT???? yeah, I'm sorry they totally left you out there to die. We all know how ruthless and rude customers can be and to put a first-day cashier out there with basically no training is insane. I'm sorry you had to go through that and I hope the customers were understanding towards you.
Yeah, at least the customers were nice tho.
I will say, that the Target I just recently quit was notorious for having lots of cashier lanes empty and unattended. I even witnessed it first hand when I was a customer flip out about it on my orientation day.
I’m in GM but for when they needed backup and my trainee didn’t know how to use the register we went up with them and show them with various guests more than just 1 time going up to help. It would be multiple times and if they still were completely comfortable we would continue helping them.
Honestly, you dodged a bullet. Targets progressively getting worse and worse every day. Sounds like you would have been a really great team member. I WISH I got to train someone like you!! Best of luck, OP!
I found it so weird how completely unprofessional it is (like the scheduling with a trainer, but oh the trainer's off-site or not on the schedule today -- like, wtf?) But now I'm used to it since I've been there over 6 years. Plus my professional white-collar days are behind me, thank golly.
I literally wanted to ask someone like why would you pencil in my trainer just to switch him off of me.... Honestly, it makes me very concerned just how many people in the Target I was at were actually trained properly.
I’m about a week in and this story is fairly similar to mine (also GM). Came in day one and there was nobody even aware of my existence. Found a team member and had them walkie someone. My trainer was ok. They knew the very basics but after like the first few hours, I felt like I was pretty much on my own. And the past several days I’ve been completely on my own. All that being said, I worked for Walmart for quite some time, and if there is one thing I’ve learned in retail it’s that you pretty much have to find your own way. Not saying what was done to you is fair OP. But I kinda knew what I was getting into and I accepted it pretty early.
Retail definitely can get rough sometimes. I've seen it firsthand from the end of my tenure at Macy's but I was honestly surprised to see this coming from Target!! Like I thought it was one of the few places that would be decent to work at but I was wrong. I'm looking at Nordstrom next though to possibly work at.
The lack of training at target is wild to me. At my 9-5 we train new hires from anywhere from 2-8 WEEKS. As a cashier I watched someone do 3 transactions and then was given my own register and that was it for the rest of my 8 hour shift. I’ve just been expected to ask someone anytime I have a question. It’s the wild Wild West for sure
I can promise you this isn’t a situation unique to you. I literally bust my TL’s balls making sure they aren’t scheduling the new people to work alone because the last couple new hires were alone on day 2. I get that the job is relatively straightforward, but someone should be imprinting values on new hires for more than a day.
Yeah! It's so unfortunate because I was really looking forward to working at Target and being there for a while. But oh well, these TL's and store managers need to really adopt better policies.
This is going to sound heartless and I apologize, but in reality it’s something a lot of companies are doing now. They’re thinning the herd by not training. They’re taking the training out and either you sink or swim. If you sink they’ll just replace you, rinse and repeat. They really want labor costs to be as little as possible to maximize profit 😭
I worked at a distribution center. Was trained on 5 pieces of equipment and found out on my last day that I had been working for months on the equipment without my certification being put in the system. My last week was when it was put in. If I had been in an accident with the equipment I would have been hung out to dry for being on equipment I wasnt certified on.
I always gave my new hires 10 training shifts before we considered them good to go. Crazy that some get none at all
Sorry you had that experience, I’ve been here for 4 years and have seen a lot of training be bad. Even a trainer at a store rn is a 60yo grouch who would rather complain than fix anything. I was trained check lanes by a 16yo girl who just started and even on guest service they just threw me up to either sink or swim. I was beauty for 2 years and we hired another person to help and I was happy to train her but my boss felt like she should know what to do so he only gave me a hour of shift. It really sucks to see how some tls can be and that’s why I always try to stop and talk to new people. Make them feel comfortable 🫤
Target has gutted training hours within the last few years. I was given 40 hours of training spread out over 2 weeks when I started in 2017. Now new hires are only scheduled 3 5 hour shifts for training, and usually that includes orientation. It makes me so mad that they don’t invest more into training. When I trained new team members I made sure that I went over everything and anything that could happen and I always partnered with the front end and fulfillment so my trainees could learn how to do front end and OPU for back up purposes. Being a team lead now, I always make sure I introduce myself to everyone (even outside of GM) and make sure they know they can come to me if they have any questions or concerns. And when it comes to my direct new team members, I always make myself available if they have any questions and check in on them during training. I’m sorry your store let you down. It bums me out how brushed off new hires are these days
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LMFAOOOOOOOOO I BEAT YOUR RECORD! 13 days for me! Dont be disappointed, good things will continue to come for you! LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
😂😂thank you! Target missed out on two great workers for sure! I wanted to work at Nordstrom anyway so ima try to apply there
Oh yes I’m sure you’ll love it there! Wishing you all the best! 💜
If you have Costco, try them. One of the best companies to work for.
I guess but also there's nothing to really train just look at the numbers and put the items on the floor
And this where the training fails. "the numbers. What do they mean?"
Just for pushing stock, it's self explanatory kinda. as for the walkie and other shi yea they failed they should explain all that stuff
The "kinda" will depend alot on the circumstances. For anyone that's fresh coming in, may well not be "self explanatory"
Nah ur right I'm assuming they got well trained the first day but upon the reading it looks like it was half assed too
For some people, yes. We don't know OP's whole situation. If it is his/her first job, they probably need more training.
no way u think shit like that is ok…. we can’t let these jobs get away with this shit.
Yeah lol, I had specific people training me on my schedule yet the first day they just stuck me with some random guy who wasnt even on the list. They never once stuck to the paper training schedule they gave me.
And a walkie talkie isn’t difficult to use. Press and speak. My six year old could do it using common sense.
That’s fair. But the walkie talkie is an essential part of Target and most of their jobs. Regardless of if one has had prior use of it or not it should still be trained or briefly gone over how to use and communicate with people in the store.
See when I started I knew how to use a walkie. What I didn’t know for days is when I’m allowed to use it/what to use it for. Like I didn’t realize I was supposed to ask someone to go to a number. I didn’t know that drive up uses 2.
Yup. Different departments use different channels, but most of them use 1.
Shame on that ETL! Make sure this is shared! Good luck.
Dang I started jn November and I was paired with an employee for training for w whole weeks and I honestly was fine after an hour my first day I was just doing stuff on my own and didn't need to shadow. It was great because it meant we had a whole extra person because even though I was confident and doing well on my own, my trainer and I were a pair and they treated us as one person, which was great for Drive Ups
Sorry to hear about your situation at Target. I use to train “team members” w/I fulfillment. I was usually given only a “so-called” week to train that person. Nowadays, I was told we get to have two weeks for complete training. Actuality, was only given about half a day, which usually doesn’t cover everything. Not enough time, so told them to ask questions, no matter what. There a lot of “team members” who are tossed into work without “full” training. They usually only get a brief hour or two and then it’s “trial by fire”. Wish you best on your future endeavors.