Archived "Straight line" Promotions?

[Logistics princess]

I'm a flow team trainer. Other than 1 other person on my team, I'm the most crossed trained tm. I run the Ad set team on Sundays to rave reviews, am a few different leads "go to" tm for questions, comments, projects, etc about push, backstock, zone, and have a great relationship with pretty much the entire chain of command in my store.
Not to brag, but in my store, I'm the bomb.

My issue is this-
I have half my higher ups telling me log. TM to log. TL promotions point blank don't happen often enough to try for. "Target wants you to be global. You'll have to accept TL in a workcenter you don't want and work your way around to the one you do want."
The other half is telling me, "If your heart is in logistics, but not in GE, why would you go for a GSTL post? It'll happen, just gotta look and not settle."

I'm head over heels for logistics. I love my job, I'm good at it. I know it like the back of my hand. My heart just isn't in softlines, or consumables, or price accuracy.

Is flow TM to log. TL an attainable goal or am I going to have to settle for "eventually a log. tl"?

***This post may be more of a rant than an actual question, but I'd love feedback!***

 

[Retail Girl]

I can't imagine with all of the TL cuts that have to happen by September that there will be any open TL positions in your district to even worry about. But if there are, you basically have to take what you are given. They do their best to fit you to one that they feel will be a good fit for you, but in the end, if you don't take what is offered, there may not be another offer.

 

[Logistics princess]

Ugh. I'm not going to go for a TL post I'm not ok with. My performance would suffer and that isn't fair to me or the team I'd be leading.
Guess I'll stay a big fish in a small pond for a while longer.

 

[buliSBI]

From what I experienced, no matter what position is available, your Exec's will have someone in mind for a position before the present TL leaves or the first interview (if there are even interviews).

For about 3-4 years, I applied for any position opening, TL/Specialist/Brand/GSA and the only time I was interviewed was when it was another store. Most positions were given to outside hires or internal TMs with connections to the Execs. Usually those TMs didn't even last more than a year in the position, yet they still kept on hiring or promoting the same way. During that time I applied for Target positions, I also applied for other companies.

It should be attainable for the best performing Flow TM to get the Log TL. But it just depends on your store politics and Execs, and any upcoming TL cuts.

But then again Target loves to shuffle the cards. About every 2-3 years, my stores usually re-aligned the TLs to make them more global. GSTLs would move to SBTL/FATL, Salesfloor TLs would move to Logistics, and Logistics to Salesfloor.

The best thing to do to move up in Target is to kiss butt, brown nose the Execs/TLs, and work hard comes in about 5th.

 

[paidtosmile]

It's attainable... about a year ago we had a flow TM promoted to flow TL within 5 or 6 months! They do really want you to be global though... you'll be considered a TL regardless of what work center you happen to be in at the time or what team member you're helping/training/etc. Being able to partner with other leaders in the store and lead other TM's would be easier if you were cross-trained in their area!
It'll happen eventually if you stick it out long enough, but in the mean time it wouldn't hurt to learn more positions and get cross-trained in different areas (knowledge is power)! And who knows, you might end up liking a different/new area even more

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Go with they give you, master it. You will succeed at it. Having log background helps even more. Master all areas. It can lead to better things for you.

 

[Rock Lobster]

If you aren't willing to do other areas then I would not go for TL. If they promote you they would know there is an 18 months rotation that either isn't going to happen or if they do want it to happen it would be a struggle. Better not to get started on that path if you can't be global.

 

[Logistics princess]

18 months rotation?

 

[paidtosmile]

18 months rotation?

The first 18 months of your TL rotation, you're required to stay in the same position at the same store

 

[Logistics princess]

Oh yeah. There are a few leads at my store that have been in place for 3ish years.

 

[Rock Lobster]

Oh yeah. There are a few leads at my store that have been in place for 3ish years.

The point is that, especially with all the cuts, they are going to have high standards around the talent that they promote. I would never promote a TL to Senior TL if they weren't eventually going to be capable of being an ETL and STL as an example. For this reason, it is important to promote TLs that *could* be successful in any position, because if you are going to be a strong and promotable leader, you should be able to get your results in any area. The best TLs can get moved into the worst areas and make them green again, not get their area good and never move from it.

 

[kingpin003]

Target doesn't want to promote the best logistics TM in the company. As a leader they are looking for Leadership Expectations that apply to every position. A strong leader can lead flow regardless of their background because they know how to use the resources they have. I started in logistics and I love flow. I eventually moved over to be an instocks TM and made a huge difference on that team. I knew I wanted to be a TL in one of the logistics roles. When I promoted to Sr. TL they needed softlines filled and I was next in line so that was where they put me. I didn't get a say in the matter, I was offered Softlines or I could stay a TM. I took it and have used my experience to partner with the flow team as needed and to make a difference in the way we handle softlines. In the future, if I ever get the opportunity to go back to flow I would gladly take it and be an even better leader on flow now that I've branched out.