November 14, 2014 - Overheated
Don’t submit two weeks’ notice if you’ve ever been taken into the office.
I started working at Target about eight years ago. I don’t anymore, but I have tried to come back. It worked twice. It doesn’t anymore. See at the last one I worked at, there were these new hires I was “training”. They told me the merchandise they were told to stock was on the front side of the line, so I walked that direction. Then it was “oops, I meant the other side” so I walked to the other side. It was on the front. They were wrong. After a day of putting up with these kids bragging about World of Warcraft and their rogue characters or whatever it was, then singing “What did the fox say” over and over again, well I was annoyed. I leapt the line. I was tired, didn’t feel like walking back around yet again. Allow me to make something clear. We were never told that jumping over the line was in violation of safety policy (I never heard of it in eight entire years). The only way I learned that was when one of the LODs caught me and told me not to do it. I apologized and said I didn’t know, I would never do it again. The very next day I was taken into the office and written up for that, even after apologizing and vowing never again. How honorable of you, Target.
The only other times I was taken into the office was when the team lead kept bringing me in for “not being Brand”. She never explained that to me sufficiently, and yet kept calling me in to tell me I’m “not Brand”. I still have no idea what that means. When a customer needs something, I never pointed and said “go that way, goodbye.” I walked every single customer to the merchandise they were looking for. If we didn’t have something, I got on the PDA and found which other Target stores might have it. So even though I went out of my way almost every day, I was “not Brand”. I have since brought up that strange office coaching to many people across many jobs. Everybody says the same thing, “What the hell does that even mean?”
I worked at Targets so long they did feel like my second home, despite many team leads that seemed bent on harassment. With that in mind, I tried once again to apply after I submitted two weeks notice through the last one I worked at, after trying out a few higher paying jobs. Those jobs felt alien, when I was so used to Target. Well, I have been to three different interviews with every one of them surprised that I have had that much experience. Three interviews at three separate stores where they pretty much guaranteed I would be getting the job. Three “we’ll definitely call you”s. But they didn’t hire me. I received declined letters. I am now working a somewhat better job, getting used to the strange differences compared to Target.
Target won’t hire me because I have had write-ups on “not being Brand” and “violating safety procedure” by jumping a single line in eight years. Despite having a clear legal record with no arrests whatsoever, to Target I am a hardened criminal.
I find that funny. Much strange crap has happened over the years. My very first target, a team lead and the LOD where caught in the janitor room making out. We heard the woman say things to him like “I’m cutting you off for a week”. It was overnight, so nobody made a big deal abou it. I don’t either actually. It’s just sex. Another team lead I had on the first day of my second Target said “you’re white? no you wait outside” making me stand outside in the cold an hour past my first scheduled shift, and then retaliated against my “open door’ report about that by putting me in Groceries with angry crabby old women that the whole store feared (who frequently threatened to cut off genitals with box cutters). Another manager both thought he was a southside gang member and stood around with the LOD talking sports while giving any worker crap for talking while they’re working. The last one, the team lead sat around and drank coffee at the Starbucks the majority of their shift. I can only think of two team leads that weren’t royal pains in the ass during my entire experience. After all of that, I’m not rehirable?
Every time I think about it despite my sentimental weakness for a familiar environment, I’m actually glad I’ll never work for Target again. I’m not a Brand because I’m a human being.
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Don't submit it anyway. Walk out, and take a shit on the floor on the way out.
I've been working for Target for 6 years myself. I've recently gone deaf due to a benign slow growing tumor in my brain and right now I don't know if a follow up surgery will make it so I can hear again or not. But anyways. I've been to the back office more than 8 times over stupid stuff such as your not brand enough, you're not social enough, you don't smile enough, you don't talk enough, you don't help guests. What am I suppose to do, turn off my light in front of 5 people getting ready to check out at my lane when this one old lady wants help finding some light bulbs? That would be very rude for me to walk away on the 5 waiting people to check out. My job is to check out peoples products and make them pay for it, not help others as I can't really do that on the front lanes when all there is to do is organize, speak, and scan in computer for products and back room products if more of one product may exist and logs for other stores supply for a product we may not have. I'm not sales floor. So I agree with you, Target sucks. Although I would always give in my two weeks notice as I'd like to be nice about leaving despite them being mean and yelling at me for stupid reasons beyond belief.
Yeah, the reason for giving two weeks' notice though is not to burn bridges so you would have a place to come back to one day. But I've given that notice several times, for college, to avoid a stalker, and for a better paying job. The problem with Target is them keeping record of "office coachings". This "you're not Brand" label? I still don't know what the hell it is.
That's unfortunate that you have a tumor and you're going deaf though. You'd have to learn sign language and hope there's one or two in the store who know it as well. I remember management making fun of the deaf woman at one Target worked at. Target's stress level is only lower than working for HEB or Wal Mart. There are plenty of places out there that aren't so insane. Plenty that are too. The trick is to keep looking.
(Also, I like these pro-Target douchebags that are clicking around putting dislikes on anti-Target sentiment. lol. I don't even work for this company anymore. Haven't for some time.)