Archived Switch areas or work up to team lead?

[Bullseye12]

So I was hired back in mid September as a softlines TM. It is stressful but I generally like the job and I know I am one of their strongest TMs. I am really interested in working hard to try and move my way up somehow. I was recently approached about possibly switching to an HR TM. So my question is, if my goal is to move up, would the better bet be to stay in softlines and work towards become a TL there, or take the TM job in HR, even though we don't have a TL position there? I know my work has not gone unnoticed in softlines, and I am confident they would approach me with a TL offer there at some point in the future. So do I stick with softlines in hopes of that, or would taking the TM position in HR be the better route?

 

[Dog]

Taking the TM position in HR would be a lateral move so to speak, so if you like softlines and are pretty indifferent between the two (HR and softlines), with your main concern being to move up, I would stay in softlines. Definitely talk to your store leadership and tell them that you are interested in developing towards a TL position though!

 

[LearningTree]

Staying on the salesfloor would give you better opportunities to move up to a TL position. In my experience that's where most ETLs look first for a new TL. Very rarely do they look to pull someone out of HR. It's a very different world and generally the skills you learn and utilize in HR don't transfer to the salesfloor. Also, you're not going to get noticed as much in HR as you would on the salesfloor.

However, I will say that outside of Target, being in HR would give you more opportunities and would look better on your resume.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Being HR tm can lead to other things. We do have 1 gstl who started as a HR tm & got promoted to tl.

 

[Modernization]

I became an HR team member and it benifited me greatly, but I never became a TL. When I went to interview at other jobs though the HR role was super beneficial to talk about as well as having that title for a resume. Target tends to lead people on and make them think they are the next TL. I was told 2 years ago that they were looking at me as potential TL material and since then started working towards that role. When I left Target I got the equivalent of 2 promotions instantly so obviously I was ready for a basic team lead position. Depends how many openings there are at your store. If it’s slow to get an opening then don’t get your hopes up too much. Who knows, maybe your store is better than mine was.

 

[Bullseye12]

Thanks for your responses guys, they were really helpful! I took some of the things you all brought up to the HR ETL, who is the one that brought up the move to HR to me. We are pretty close and she likes me a lot - I've told her I am interested in moving up and long-term growth within the company and in her opinion, she said it would be better for me to be in HR. She said that there are already a lot of people on the bench for TL, so it would be a while until I would be considered. She also said that as a softlines TM, I go pretty much unnoticed during visits and by upper management, but working in HR as sort of her "right-hand (wo)man", I would be noticed more by upper, and she said she would be able to speak very highly of me to them. She also said that moving to HR would be a faster track to STL and above, because a promotion from HR TM would be right up to HR STL, skipping the TL position completely. Thoughts on all of this?

 

[SallyHoover]

I would think if you want to move up you might want to take the HR tm but see if you can back up at guest services for the additional experience.

 

[HRLady]

Thanks for your responses guys, they were really helpful! I took some of the things you all brought up to the HR ETL, who is the one that brought up the move to HR to me. We are pretty close and she likes me a lot - I've told her I am interested in moving up and long-term growth within the company and in her opinion, she said it would be better for me to be in HR. She said that there are already a lot of people on the bench for TL, so it would be a while until I would be considered. She also said that as a softlines TM, I go pretty much unnoticed during visits and by upper management, but working in HR as sort of her "right-hand (wo)man", I would be noticed more by upper, and she said she would be able to speak very highly of me to them. She also said that moving to HR would be a faster track to STL and above, because a promotion from HR TM would be right up to HR STL, skipping the TL position completely. Thoughts on all of this?

Your ETL-HR sounds like she is really trying to sell you on the HRTM position. However, I recommend that you ask yourself if HR would be the right fit for you.

I enjoyed doing HR but it was definitely not an easy desk job. There were definitely its challenges. Realistically ask yourself if what I mention below sounds like something you would be interested in doing.

You will need to be able to work independently and as a team. Your team will be very small and there is a lot of work to do in a short amount of time along with constant interruptions. You may get pulled away to do non-HR stuff as well.

HR multi-tasks many different things: pay, recognition, scheduling, staffing, promotions, terminations, disciplinary action, leave of absences, ordering supplies, calling people to replace shifts, helping TMs with issues, printing reports, responding to e-mails, etc. There are long processes to each thing. For example, staffing alone already involves screening applications, playing phone tag with applicants to set up interviews, coordinating mass interviews, job offering people, running orientation, working on a pile of paperwork, and tracking every person's training. Imagine doing all of this just to have new TMs quit in less than a month. Now, your team needs to staff again.

Also, FYI, you should probably know that moving from Apparel & Accessories (a.k.a. Softlines) to Human Resources is considered a demotion because the HRTM position is now in the lowest pay grade thanks to the geniuses at HQ. According to the promotion/demotion guidelines, they are supposed to subtract $0.50 from your current pay rate for this demotion.

(Courier New font = sarcasm/snark)

 

[Planosss]

What a load of shi*. You can jump from HRTM to STL? Are you sure thats what she said?

 

[Yetive]

I'm thinking he meant SrTL.

 

[Bullseye12]

What a load of shi*. You can jump from HRTM to STL? Are you sure thats what she said?

I'm thinking he meant SrTL.

Yes that was a typo, I meant SrTL!

 

[Bullseye12]

Your ETL-HR sounds like she is really trying to sell you on the HRTM position. However, I recommend that you ask yourself if HR would be the right fit for you.

I enjoyed doing HR but it was definitely not an easy desk job. There were definitely its challenges. Realistically ask yourself if what I mention below sounds like something you would be interested in doing.

You will need to be able to work independently and as a team. Your team will be very small and there is a lot of work to do in a short amount of time along with constant interruptions. You may get pulled away to do non-HR stuff as well.

HR multi-tasks many different things: pay, recognition, scheduling, staffing, promotions, terminations, disciplinary action, leave of absences, ordering supplies, calling people to replace shifts, helping TMs with issues, printing reports, responding to e-mails, etc. There are long processes to each thing. For example, staffing alone already involves screening applications, playing phone tag with applicants to set up interviews, coordinating mass interviews, job offering people, running orientation, working on a pile of paperwork, and tracking every person's training. Imagine doing all of this just to have new TMs quit in less than a month. Now, your team needs to staff again.

Also, FYI, you should probably know that moving from Apparel & Accessories (a.k.a. Softlines) to Human Resources is considered a demotion because the HRTM position is now in the lowest pay grade thanks to the geniuses at HQ. According to the promotion/demotion guidelines, they are supposed to subtract $0.50 from your current pay rate for this demotion.

(Courier New font = sarcasm/snark)

Thank you so much for all of that information, that was super helpful. I do think I would enjoy the HR work. However, I do think I might miss being out on the floor and interacting with guests (the good ones at least lol), and the exercise that comes with softlines. It would be great if I could try out HR and if I don't like it, move back to softlines. I guess I would have to ask my ETL-HR about that. She also said that although the switch to HR would technically be a demotion, I would keep my pay.

 

[HRLady]

Thank you so much for all of that information, that was super helpful. I do think I would enjoy the HR work. However, I do think I might miss being out on the floor and interacting with guests (the good ones at least lol), and the exercise that comes with softlines. It would be great if I could try out HR and if I don't like it, move back to softlines. I guess I would have to ask my ETL-HR about that.

You're welcome! Glad that I could help. Let me know how it goes.

She also said that although the switch to HR would technically be a demotion, I would keep my pay.

That's good that she will keep your pay the same and I agree that you should (demotion pay reduction sucks) but it is a small red flag that she doesn't follow the rules. In this instance, it works in your favor, but you should be careful. If you choose to go into HR, keep yourself informed of processes and policies to protect yourself. Document all instances of her (or any leader) asking you to do something that doesn't align with the rules. Trust me, you do not want to get thrown under the bus.

 

[Black Sheep 214]

Trust me, you do not want to get thrown under the bus.

I’ll second that...