Archived Asking for a Raise.

[camcon2100]

So here is my situation. Currently I am an electronics TM who has worked at my store for about a year now. I got my minor raise this April, but currently my pay does not reflect my work. I have been Great team hero 3 out of the last 4 months. Well over 100 percent for months. Sometimes I'm well into the 200 percent range. Currently thanks to me my store has now been pushing the ESP's harder than ever. I have worked with the check lanes in order for them to begin selling them. All of my ETL's and Team Lead's have approached me a thanked me. But currently I cannot foresee this trend continuing, I am only making a few cents more than when I started. My responsibilities have doubled. Granted I love what I do but currently my wage is barley keeping me afloat. If not for financial aid I wouldn't be here currently. I just need to know a way to get the pay I deserve for the work I do and the money I bring in to the store. I can only take getting thank you cards and a free meal once and a while before I have to think about my current situation and consider new jobs. Any thoughts on the matter would be helpful.

 

[Backroom81]

Raises are only doled out annually (Apr-May) or when promoted. That's it.

Now, since you had only been with Target for about 6 months when the annual raises went out, your last raise was prorated to about half of what you would have gotten had you worked there a full year. You should see a much better raise next April assuming you get the same review score.

 

[sigma7]

I have heard of people getting raises at times other than review, but it is very rare. The problem is that everything you are doing falls under your core roles. You get a pay raise annually. Like backroom said, since your first raise was prorated, your next one should be better.

 

[commiecorvus]

Welcome to the Break Room.
Sorry to say I've never heard of anyone getting a raise by asking for one.
Backroom81 did a good job of nailing it all down.

 

[GlobalJ]

I tried asking once. They laughed at me.

 

[SeniorAP]

They'll just say that the only way to get a raise is to promote to another position, and that they'll "develop" you for another role. You're pretty much stuck at the rate you're at.
But honestly, they CAN give you a raise if they really wanted to, but your position isn't one that would qualify them reaching out to the STL/HRBP. You aren't as 'valued' as you see yourself. I'm not saying you arent great at what you do, its just that your role is the bottom of the bucket and they can train someone to do what you do in a shift or two. Honestly, your best bet is to get out of Target and go to an employer that really values your contributions, and pays you your worth. Target is a corporation with profits triumphing everything else. You are an expendable asset/liability. I know, the truth is tough to swallow but once you really understand your position on the totem pole, you can accept it and personally/emotionally detach from work. For the time being, or in there, have fun, and understand that everyone is playing their "role" in the scheme and your TL/ETL's job depends on you busting your butt. Welcome to the corporate world

 

[RedDog]

Their was a time they would throw a few cents at really good people who were leaving for better paying jobs but, that time is long gone. All you get is that crappy raise they give once a year and they are always looking for ways to give you as little as possibe. The biggest example I can thing of is when they changed the middle rating E from basicly doing your job to doing your job and going beyond your job. That way you could throw anybody into that rating no matter how great they were. Mosty review time is a big battle between your TL/ETL (who want to give everyone the rating and raise they deserve) and your STL/HR (who have a very limited amount to give in raises and have to make the raises fit no matter how good the team members are). So most of the time you get low balled. Sad but, true.

 

[newtm]

I knew two people at my store who quit that were actually offered a raise to stay. Neither of them took the raise, which is saying something. But that's another way you can get a few more pennies out of the corporation. Just work another job. So many TM's at my store have other jobs and it works.. Target will honor the flexibility in your scheduling and if they like you you should still get hours on the days or times you are available.

 

[buliSBI]

Really really really...a raise. Its Target. As the saying says "Expect more (duties), (get) paid less."

The only way of getting any pay increase is around annual reviews and you have to get a SUPER AWESOME rating, change to a work center with a pay increase, or get higher paid position.

If you want to push for more pay, you will need to get recognized. You will need to document a lot of VIBE interactions, make your work very visble, train new TMs, make yourself available to other workcenters and attempt to take a leading role.

Basically kiss up and brown nose your Execs and TLs. And show some "FLAIR."

 

[JuicedSoftball1]

I would say if you were a team leader it would be easier if you were as awesome as you say you are. Ive seen countless team leads get random pay bumps because they got other job offers form other retailers to do similar positions etc. I got a pay bump because I was in college and at the time seen as a possible future ETL so I went from being one of the lowest paid TL's to one of the highest. I asked for a raise when I was a team member and they basically told me I was out of luck.

 

[pharmtechno]

There are only 2 ways to get a raise at Target: your annual review, and a promotion.

 

[XploitedFlow]

I asked, my Logistics ETL flat out told me after saying how much she wish she could, "Target doesn't give out merit increases based on performance except review time".

What a company!

 

[insiteful1]

I have heard of people getting raises at times other than review, but it is very rare. The problem is that everything you are doing falls under your core roles. You get a pay raise annually. Like backroom said, since your first raise was prorated, your next one should be better.

.....so it will be more like $.24.......*face palm*

 

[nib]

You always have the right to ASK for a raise, but usually you have to be extremely excessively good at your performance to get this, and it usually takes an HRBP to approve it and/or the STL. The tricky part is that your "annual" raise isn't based on when you were hired, it's based on when everyone gets their raise in May each year. So if you have the unfortunate situation of being hired in June, you actually won't get any or hardly any raise for almost 2 full years!

 

[Softlines Owns My Soul]

Their was a time they would throw a few cents at really good people who were leaving for better paying jobs but, that time is long gone. All you get is that crappy raise they give once a year and they are always looking for ways to give you as little as possibe. The biggest example I can thing of is when they changed the middle rating E from basicly doing your job to doing your job and going beyond your job. That way you could throw anybody into that rating no matter how great they were. Mosty review time is a big battle between your TL/ETL (who want to give everyone the rating and raise they deserve) and your STL/HR (who have a very limited amount to give in raises and have to make the raises fit no matter how good the team members are). So most of the time you get low balled. Sad but, true.

Exactly. I remember one year my TL in softlines gave me an EX and said I was wonderful, and then I got the equivalent of an IE for a raise. I asked my TL if there was anything I could do to improve and she said not really, so I to this day don't understand why I got a 5 cent raise. Well, I know why I...ETLs/STL get almost nothing from HQ to use for raises which is ridiculous because they should reward the people who work hard for the company and want to stay.

 

[Guest]

Asking for a raise is a no no at Target. Don't ever do that. Definitely do not make it sound like you are giving an ultimatum because the ETLs and TLs hate those. Your best bet is to keep your mouth shut and do your job and do not make waves. The one thing that makes me laugh is how Target eventually caps you on raises. There are some team members at my store that have been with Target for 10 to 15 plus years and they have told me that they are capped out on raises. You should at least get a penny to a nickel for every time your annual review is given.

 

[Rarejem]

Asking for a raise is a no no at Target. Don't ever do that. Definitely do not make it sound like you are giving an ultimatum because the ETLs and TLs hate those. Your best bet is to keep your mouth shut and do your job and do not make waves. The one thing that makes me laugh is how Target eventually caps you on raises. There are some team members at my store that have been with Target for 10 to 15 plus years and they have told me that they are capped out on raises. You should at least get a penny to a nickel for every time your annual review is given.

I have asked for a pay increase outside of the annual review 4 times in my many years with the company. I documented my success, kept all "pat on the back" notes, made note of ways that I went completely above and beyond, innovative ideas that I helped implement successfully, etc. I received a pay increase 3 of the 4 times. You have to be good and believe that you are and sell yourself successfully. I can do that most of the time. Don't waste anyone's time if you aren't REALLY the best that your store has.

 

[Barcode]

I've heard stories of people getting raises like this -- However you literally have to document and prove to them on why you deserve a raise, and how you go above and beyond for the store. Also I'm sure it depends on the store, and your relations with the Management Team.

 

[daninnj]

One of our bonehead ETL-HRs promised all market TMs a raise one time and we got it because the whole department fought for it, even after he was let go. I actually think some of the TMs trapped him into promising a raise. Plus I believe the backpay I got was from the time he promised until the time the raise went into effect.

Only time I got raises outside my annual was that and when they decreased the shift diff; they raised my hourly. Plus the time I was on a final and my TL fought for a raise for me instead of 0.

 

[ElectronicsFastService]

Make sure on your checks you are keyed as an electronics tm and not hardlines. The move from HL to Elec is a pay increase.

 

[sher]

Exactly. I remember one year my TL in softlines gave me an EX and said I was wonderful, and then I got the equivalent of an IE for a raise. I asked my TL if there was anything I could do to improve and she said not really, so I to this day don't understand why I got a 5 cent raise. Well, I know why I...ETLs/STL get almost nothing from HQ to use for raises which is ridiculous because they should reward the people who work hard for the company and want to stay.

Better than what my TLs do. They make up reasons that we deserve a low score/raise. I got 9 cents. I've already decided if they do it again this time, I'm putting in my two weeks on the spot. I'm actually hoping to last that long (been looking for a full-time non-retail job since before Target) just to see what they put on it.

 

[XploitedFlow]

What is shady about raises is that you have people who have hit the ceiling for their position. One of if not the best Flow/BR TM we have hit her ceiling. And even with an EX review she got like 15 cents. I've said it in another thread. The fact that this company seems to penalize people who stick around in the same position for a long time is astonishing dumb. Why wouldn't you invest in a quality employee, and our HR has the balls to ask me why do I think our teams turnover rate is so high.

derp..

 

[SeniorAP]

Anyone here complaining about a low raise and saying they worked hard all year and target show reward good workers blah blah blah.. just leave the company. You're basically telling target it is acceptable to get 5cent raises and even though you're saying you dont like it, you ultimately accept it by remaining at the company. Thus, we all continue getting laughable "raises".. The way Target sees it-- they can train virtually anyone for any position so why pay anymore than you have to? None of us are doing anything that someone else couldn't.. theres a training manual for every position in the store.. they use a cookie cutter formula. Is it fair? No. Is it right? Absolutely not. But I am on your side though, i'm just pointing out that it's going to take a mass exodus for Target to realize they can't push us around.. until then, they can and will continue getting away with this nonsense.

 

[SeniorAP]

OHH and on top of that-- when people start leaving, they will just say "oh its retail and people come and go. It's just a part-time job for students and our flexibility works with their schedules" ..You know, crap like that in case it gets out to the media target is brutally treating their TM's

 

[commiecorvus]

OHH and on top of that-- when people start leaving, they will just say "oh its retail and people come and go. It's just a part-time job for students and our flexibility works with their schedules" ..You know, crap like that in case it gets out to the media target is brutally treating their TM's

The only way anyone outside of the stores would know or care is if the TMs started doing what the Walmart and McDonalds employees are doing.
The only way Spot will change what it is doing is if they decide it is wrong (fat chance) or if the people organize.