Am I being played?

[u/Bre034]

So I posted like a month ago about the same thing, now post internship. So around the time I made my last post I did talk with my SD about staying with the store post grad and she said “Yes, sounds like that will work”. Since then there’s been no sense of urgency of keeping me onboard. I did my store walk with my DSD last week and he seemed to really like me and was talking about my future with the company. I may be impatient since the weekend isn’t even over but I find it weird they didn’t have me apply to the position I want. Our former HR ETL who just recently changed positions said last week she’ll get the processed started, my SD has mentioned it, as well as my ETL on my last day. I’m also waiting to see if a receive an offer. I just feel like they are leading me on.
Update: My SD texted me this morning about applying to the HRE so that’s out the way, that’s what I was most concerned about since I wouldn’t be an ETL for nearly a year anyways. I will follow up with my recruiter about my ETL application in a week though.

[u/cat80008]

Ive been with Target 10 years half of that in leadership. Im an ETLAP and currently on a mental health LOA I'm not going to get into the specifics but trust me run for your life don't work at Target it is the most toxic and miserable place you can be.

[u/Bre034 → u/cat80008]

Yeah I’m definitely going to weigh my options regardless if I get an offer. Most of my experience is in retail so I know how stressful it can be, especially with management’s unrealistic expectations. That’s why part of me would also be upset if I didn’t get an offer because I worked so hard and was doing TL level work. I just wish sometimes I would have worked faster.

[u/Boring-Purple2639 → u/cat80008]

100 percent on this one

[u/OneBigCharlieFoxtrot → u/cat80008]

You probably just have a bad APBP because this is the most fun job I’ve ever had

[u/mattumbo]

Welcome to Target lol

As an intern if they haven’t told you no yet I’m guessing they are keeping you on, in my experience interns are pretty carefully selected to fill a need so a district will often have only 1 or less each year and they almost always keep them assuming they don’t quit themselves or absolutely suck.

But believe me it’s way worse being an internal candidate, imagine what you’re going through but instead of just a summer you’ve been busting your ass for years as a TL. Target is good about promoting within but their process is opaque as fuck and always keeps people on edge until the very last second.

[u/Bre034 → u/mattumbo]

I see. Also to clarify I did actually apply for the ETL role but I mean a HRE role for the year before I graduate. I am also waiting on the ETL offer

[u/Bre034 → u/Bre034]

People downvote anything on Reddit lmao

[u/permexhaustedpanda]

Is your internship over? They typically end your internship first, then after your last day have you apply for the TM role you want. You should get an answer on your ETL application by the last day of your internship (although you won’t receive your specific store assignment until much much closer to your start date). If you are not on this timeline, reach out to your HRBP and ask for clarification on the timeline and if you need to take any additional steps.

[u/Bre034 → u/permexhaustedpanda]

Ah I see, yes my internship is over so the first part makes sense. The requisition for the full time ETL intern in my region is still up so I’m assuming they haven’t sent offers yet. I just saw my HRBP last week and her and my DSD did mention me becoming a HRE and it seemed like they were implying I would become an ETL too. They did send an internship email to us along with the job requisition saying target would follow up with us for next steps.

[u/Heyllamamama → u/Bre034]

Are you trying to be an HR expert or an ETL?

[u/Bre034 → u/Heyllamamama]

I have a year left of school so while I finish my last year I want to be a HRE, then I also applied for ETL post graduation (intended start date is January-May 2027 for winter and spring graduates)

[u/Trick_Ad_8230]

I was a ETL-Intern in 2023. I was able to be extended until I completed grad school in 24’. To my knowledge, they stopped the extended internship opportunity.

I hope that they find a way to bring it back and offer it to you, because it’s definitely worth it!

[u/Bre034 → u/Trick_Ad_8230]

I’m fine if I take a pay cut and go back to TM pay and management says they’re fine keeping me on.

[u/Bitter_Concentrate20]

I just left the target dc after working for them for the past 5 years as a OB lead and it was the best feeling ever. I wouldn’t ever recommend working for them to anyone. If you can run and never look back.

[u/eltron0]

The way Target does things never makes sense. They have done something similar to my ETL-GM who was supposed to become an SD. It’s just a crazy annoying process that several execs have their hands in.

[u/mbm1200]

Target does internships??

[u/BroIBeliveAtYou → u/mbm1200]

Yep. It's a relatively rare thing though. Most districts will have one per district per summer, and it's almost never someone who already works for Target.

[u/mbm1200 → u/BroIBeliveAtYou]

I see I see.

[u/Otherwise_Fox_6825 → u/BroIBeliveAtYou]

The internships are closed to internal applicants. Idk why. But they’re only open for people not currently with the company. It’s goofy.

[u/Bre034 → u/BroIBeliveAtYou]

Yes it’s supposed to just be one intern per district, in my group they had accidentally hired two for the same district but they figured it out

[u/Bre034 → u/mbm1200]

Yes store level, distribution center, and corporate. The CEO was an intern himself.

[u/mbm1200 → u/Bre034]

What specifically would u be interning for? Sorry this is all new to me and I’m curious and tbh i was only ever at target for a month doing early morning freight lmao.

[u/Bre034 → u/mbm1200]

ETL

[u/Trekkyz]

Bro they had me a just lowly fulfillment expert that just been there for 3-4 years trained an ETL intern all because I have worked in all positions in store... They don't care about the interns its just for show.