Archived Hi, everyone! Just got offered a Flow TM position; quick question.

[dripdrip]

Well, I had my interview yesterday and got offered the job on the spot! That was a massive relief.

I've done loads of research about the position in general, but I still have one question. Being a female, are they more likely to automatically stick me in softlines than in hardlines? I don't particularly care where I end up working most of the time, but I don't want to be pigeon-holed for the wrong reasons. I'm concerned that I'll end up doing all of the "light" work (I understand that on flow teams none of the work is light-- I've worked flow before) not because I happen to work through it efficiently or I show promise, but because I don't look physically capable of anything else. I know that if they truly thought that, they wouldn't have hired me in the first place, but I'm worried that they're just automatically going to stick me in the easiest places to work.

Again: more power to me, I guess. If I do get compartmentalized, I'll be getting paid the same amount as people who are doing the supposedly harder work. I just don't want this to be for the wrong reason. To the general public, I'm aware that I look pretty weak-- not shrimpy, I'm 5'5. That's really not short at all and it's actually just a hair above average. I just look flat out weak. I am very significantly underweight and don't want anyone thinking that because of that I can't work as hard as everyone else.

I don't know. I might be overthinking it all; I'm sure I am. I was just wondering whether anyone has any experience with anything similar.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Welcome! We do the flow wave at my store. Spot will train you for all areas.

 

[redeye58]

Just go where they start you & prove yourself with hard work.
Action speaks louder than words & they'll see what you're capable soon enough.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

You are overthinking it all, Half my C&S team is Female and generally speaking, they are way more accurate with their push/Fifo...

I think getting the compartmentalized factor is way more of a "chivalrous" thing, than a "she can't do it" factor. (at least this is how I think).

 

[ElectronicsTM]

Do not worry. They will not place you somewhere because of your gender or build. The goal is to get the job done and get it done effectively. They will place people according to their abilities to accomplish that.

 

[SFSFun]

It's more likely that they will start you out with something easy like bowling or scanning the unload and then seeing where you can go from there.

At our store, new flow TMs get to throw the truck their first week.

 

[Noiinteam]

We had a new female flow tm work the backside of the line her first week. Don't stress. You will be put where you are needed. You are there to work we don't care what you look like, lol

 

[jenna]

And softlines is NOT the easiest area for Flow. Don't kid yourself.

 

[Targe]

At our store, they start females bowling, infants, H&B management (Sorting repacks), SL-Hanging, or SL-Carts (Repacks).

Though typically if you don't like a spot where you're at, you can always talk to management about getting switched to a different area.

 

[commiecorvus]

Welcome to The Break Room.

 

[Kuroyume]

What they all said. The female TM that started about the same time as I did is mainly doing logistics, signing and plano now while I am doing pull, push, unload, and backstocking as well as logistics and plano on occasion. You will probably get to do lots of things and where you fit best is what you will be doing more of.

 

[theflowspot]

I am also female and started with spot in Flow about a month and a half ago. I have worked push from the get go so that means pushing the merchandise and occasionally bowling. There's only one other female in my area and usually the guys do the heavy loads and have us do the easy stuff. But, it depends on your flow team size.

 

[CrimsonRaven712]

At my store it seems like they stick female flow TM mostly in infants, home/stationary, working on bowling in A, or back in seasonal. The older ladies are the ones who get put back in Softlines, I'm assuming because it doesn't involve much heavy lifting.

 

[Kompa]

Most females get in softlines in my store for flow. Sometimes it's Hba. My store never starts females on the Truck or in the backroom.

 

[RetailWorld]

In my store, not all females get sent to softlines, but all of softlines is female. So go figure.

 

[Noiinteam]

All the flow guys are petrified to work softlines. They will push diapers and baby food. They use to push shoes once in a blue moon, but that also scared them to death (which I can understand). Lol

 

[theflowspot]

I think my store started me right off the bat on push because I was working in hospitality before so I was used to heavy lifting and getting dirty.
I love it, though. Keeps me active and moving and I don't have to talk to anyone besides a guest every now and then.

 

[jenna]

In our store, guys throw the truck, and women tend to work in softlines. Males and females both work the line, and in the BR.

 

[Noiinteam]

We regularly have women throw truck. Much younger than me. You go girl!