Archived Food Service Assistant - What is it?

[Snook]

So, I happened to be checking our hiring board the other day, and I saw that this position was open. Now, I had never heard of it before so I did a little research. Basically it's between a Food Ave/Starbucks TL and a regular TM, correct? You get more pay and you have to get more certification.

Honestly, I was a little peeved when I found out. Background: I worked Food Ave for about a year and a half and was without a doubt the top performing TM back there, including Starbucks. My TL gave me just as much responsibility as she had (outside of TM managing type stuff) and what with TM's getting fired, quitting, not performing to standard, I was relied on pretty heavily to keep things going. About three months ago, our STL pulled me aside and asked me to apply for a PA position, since I was held in high regard as far as food safety and whatnot went, and he wanted to help move me up within our store. I took it because who doesn't turn down a hefty pay raise and more hours? (Food Ave had crap hours at the time). My FA TL hated to see me go and I hated to leave her because the whole place was not in good shape; I couldn't even train for PA until a month after I was hired for it because they needed me that bad in FA.

ANYWAY. What I'm trying to say is, I had no idea such a position as FSA existed. If management knew they were going to open up that spot, why on EARTH didn't they think about that BEFORE I left? There is no one who works in Starbucks or FA who I feel they would promote to such a position, except me, and I don't work there anymore. Coulda solved a LOT of their problems if they'd promoted me within FA, kept me around and got someone else to do PA.

But, that's sort of a moot point now...I've thought about it and now that I know PFresh, I'd rather have that job...it's more hours and better on my blood pressure. 😛 And the pay is the same.

I hope I don't come across as self-entitled or presumptuous...I've never, ever thought of myself in terms of promotions or whatnot; I do a good job for the sake of doing a good job, and when I get good feedback, I file it away and keep working hard.

I'm just baffled because this position that they're opening up seems like it was made for me, except it's three months too late! lol! Anyone here have experience with FSA?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Tough choice. Apply for it. Do the interview.
Red, i need some info on this one. Our top Starbucks expert. She makes great coffee too.

 

[TheManInRed]

It sounds like your STL had your best interests in mind. I would stay right where you are. Pfresh is a focus area right now, show that you can suceed over there and the possibilities are endless.

 

[redeye58]

We're A+ vol with P-fresh; I've worked both FA & SB but I've never heard of such a position.
Any other foodies?

 

[StaticSun]

Food Service Assistant isn't based on store volume - it's base on cafe sales. You could be an AAA+++ volume store in general, but unless your cafe is "high volume" or the grouping one below, you don't get a FSA.

It's a mix between a brand TM, perishables assistant, and guest service attendant.

 

[Snook]

See, that surprises me because I was under the impression that our food ave wasn't that profitable because our hours kept getting slashed.

Our food ave TL has been talking casually about leaving since last year...would it be possible that they're thinking about not replacing her if she did leave and just hiring a fsa instead? But that doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Some stores have only one tl to run fa & Starbucks. That maybe what's happening at your store.

 

[GlobalTL123]

A gsa position for food ave pretty much

 

[Snook]

Sme stores have only one tl to run fa & Starbucks. That maybe what's happening at your store.

If that's true, I feel bad for our SBux TL...our Starbucks is always very busy and he works far harder than a lot of TL's I know; certainly much harder than our FA TL. If he had to manage Food Ave on top of his own regular work, I can't imagine that would make him very happy or productive at all.

 

[buliSBI]

Target used to have Food Ave Specialists (Lvl2). It was basically the 2nd in charge of Food Ave after the FATL. FSA is probably the same but its going to be a GSA version of FA.

Or Target could be going to start phasing out FATLs and convert the position into FSA who will be in charge of ordering and signing.

 

[Snook]

And the plot thickens! I casually mentioned that I'd seen the position posted to the FA TL today, and she had no clue! She seemed very confused and kept asking me if it was for our store.

I'm so insanely curious now. Do you think anyone would mind if I asked HR about what was going on, or do you think I would be putting my nose where it doesn't belong? I'm not in FA anymore and I've no intention of going back, but it still feels like *my* area; I knew that place backwards and forwards. Not knowing what's going on is making me crazy, lol.

So, more questions. I wonder if maybe they are trying to get a FSA as an incentive to keep people around? Because when you think about it, since I left, the TM with the most experience back there besides the TL has only been there four, MAYBE five months. One girl used to work FA, transferred to flow and now is back to working FA again but I think that's unofficially because she's on a final. They just needed her that bad; there's literally no one else to work. The other two TM's were hired after I left, so a little over a month ago.

FA had sort of a mass exodus in August; most of it was just terrible timing. I moved work centers, two girls quit/got fired (I put both because if they hadn't quit, they most certainly would have been fired is my guess), another guy got a new job and two more TMs moved away for school. So yeah, the person with the longest experience was hired shortly before I left.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Try workbench under core roles for food ave or Starbucks, first.

 

[Snook]

I did. I know what the role is now, but I don't know how it will apply to our store or why they've decided to bring it in now. From what I hear, it's a role that's not really used a lot, so for us to get it is pretty surprising.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Go on ehr & apply for it. Ignore gossip.

 

[mrknownothing]

Target used to have Food Ave Specialists (Lvl2). It was basically the 2nd in charge of Food Ave after the FATL. FSA is probably the same but its going to be a GSA version of FA.

Or Target could be going to start phasing out FATLs and convert the position into FSA who will be in charge of ordering and signing.

Sounds like Food Ave's version of a Perishables Assistant.

 

[RankOne]

So I can shed some light on this having some considerable experience with Food Ave as a leader. I'm not sure of the specific volume thresholds and such but this is basically how the leadership over the two work centers goes lowest to highest:

Food Service TL (sbux & food ave)
then
Food Service TL plus FSA
then
Food Ave TL & Sbux TL
then
Food Ave TL & Sbux TL plus FSA
then
Food Ave TL & Sbux TL plus 2 FSA (very rare)

I worked in stores with the 2nd and 3rd org set up. How the FSA is used varied between stores and org charts.

I can tell you that if you have the 3rd org set up then the FSA position is practically useless if you have two good TLs. Its nice for development and prepping someone to possibly become one of the TLs but otherwise there's just not responsibility that can be delegated to the FSA to make it worth it, IMO. It is nice to have someone trained to do orders if one of the TLs is sick though.

On the other hand, a strong FSA is absolutely necessary in stores with only one TL for both work centers. In my experience they were usually delegated to running most of the work center the TL was less familiar with. They're practically a TL for that side of food service, placing the orders and leading the cleaning and execution of strategies to improve on opportunities.

In your case I think the most likely scenario is that someone else technically already held the title of FSA, but didn't have much responsibility delegated to them because it simply wasn't necessary. Did you deserve to have that title and pay bump more than anyone else? Probably. But honestly you're on a much more promising and rewarding career path as a PA than as an FSA.

 

[Snook]

Hmm, thanks! That's enlightening.

I don't think there was anyone else who could have been a FSA because we don't cross-train our Starbucks and FA TM's. And there's only one, maybe two TM's who have been there longer than I was before I left, and they are DEFINITELY not FSA's.

Hmm, hmm, hmm. I still don't exactly know what's going on but I imagine it will all be clear soon. I will post again when I find out what's going on, since I'm sure others are curious too!

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Learn other areas! Here is your chance.

 

[lololo]

So, I happened to be checking our hiring board the other day, and I saw that this position was open. Now, I had never heard of it before so I did a little research. Basically it's between a Food Ave/Starbucks TL and a regular TM, correct? You get more pay and you have to get more certification.

Honestly, I was a little peeved when I found out. Background: I worked Food Ave for about a year and a half and was without a doubt the top performing TM back there, including Starbucks. My TL gave me just as much responsibility as she had (outside of TM managing type stuff) and what with TM's getting fired, quitting, not performing to standard, I was relied on pretty heavily to keep things going. About three months ago, our STL pulled me aside and asked me to apply for a PA position, since I was held in high regard as far as food safety and whatnot went, and he wanted to help move me up within our store. I took it because who doesn't turn down a hefty pay raise and more hours? (Food Ave had crap hours at the time). My FA TL hated to see me go and I hated to leave her because the whole place was not in good shape; I couldn't even train for PA until a month after I was hired for it because they needed me that bad in FA.

ANYWAY. What I'm trying to say is, I had no idea such a position as FSA existed. If management knew they were going to open up that spot, why on EARTH didn't they think about that BEFORE I left? There is no one who works in Starbucks or FA who I feel they would promote to such a position, except me, and I don't work there anymore. Coulda solved a LOT of their problems if they'd promoted me within FA, kept me around and got someone else to do PA.

But, that's sort of a moot point now...I've thought about it and now that I know PFresh, I'd rather have that job...it's more hours and better on my blood pressure. 😛 And the pay is the same.

I hope I don't come across as self-entitled or presumptuous...I've never, ever thought of myself in terms of promotions or whatnot; I do a good job for the sake of doing a good job, and when I get good feedback, I file it away and keep working hard.

I'm just baffled because this position that they're opening up seems like it was made for me, except it's three months too late! lol! Anyone here have experience with FSA?

I wouldn't be upset about it all. In the grand scheme of things, PA >>>FSA

 

[CIHYFS]

I was told to apply for this position that is going to be new to our store, but I was told that it was like a PA for the Deli. I know only Super Target's have a deli, so is it possible that the store management can have the position be in whichever area they want it to be?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

They asked you to apply, do it!

 

[ONMIPOTENCE]

I was told to apply for this position that is going to be new to our store, but I was told that it was like a PA for the Deli. I know only Super Target's have a deli, so is it possible that the store management can have the position be in whichever area they want it to be?

There is a food assistant which is used in super targets. With AE 2013 more tls in the food depts side of super targets (deli , meat, peris, bakery)were either axe or combined and (FA ) were hired depending on sales to pick up the slack. Then you have a FSA which only works in food service center dept
W (target cafe, sbux) . FSAs are a god send. Im the TL that oversees Target Cafe and Starbucks at a store that has a high volume food service workcenter. We made 1.2 million in 2012. So we got an exec for the food service. We technically should have two tls managing the depts separately due to the sales we are making but through the years I told them they could use the additional TL spot on the floor as long as I have an FSA . Years later I have two.

 

[Barcode]

FSA is only for stores over a certain food service sales threshold... It is GSA equivelant for food AFAIK, but I think its a N09 position instead of N07.