Archived Visual Merchandiser

[Tay2323]

Our store is getting a VM...we dont' have a VML, so we're just getting a VM.
I have seen posts on here talking about what a VML does, but haven't seen anything recent about what a VM will do... Our store has never had this position before.
Can someone tell me what their job entails and will they be equally working in hardlines and softlines? How many hours a week do they get? what does a typical work day look like?
My softlines leader said they'll mostly be in hardlines? But wouldn't they have to be in softlines too since a lot of things they do are visual?
Just really any info you can give about the VM position would be greatly appreciated !

 

[HRZone]

I guess it depends on your stores leadership. VMTL report to the softlines ETL but seeing how you don't have a VMTL you probably don't have a softlines etl so the vm will report to the ETL salesfloor.

Ours works on the mannequins in softlines and the "Ikea like" areas of hardlines (the Dwell furniture area) and mini seasonal.

 

[theanimal]

our VML never leaves softlines to help the other areas they are supposed to help with.

But mainly they are supposed to help with making things visually appealing for people to buy. Basically the VM will do the same minus the leader role.

 

[SFSFun]

VM is a brand new position being rolled out to hundreds of stores this year. It sounds like it's just going to be a VML but will be paid less and won't oversee any TMs.

 

[instockout]

Guess it depends on how th vm is. My vm never leaves softlines even though we have two decent softlines tl's over there. Our Hardlines has multiple tl's as well, but never take care of the visual problems because they know it's supposed to be taken care of by the vml. So instocks ends up being the vm over in Hardlines. The vm is supposed to help out with ptms as well and make it look nice. Never happens.

 

[instockout]

VM is a brand new position being rolled out to hundreds of stores this year. It sounds like it's just going to be a VML but will be paid less and won't oversee any TMs.

Paid less, but still makes what a tl makes lol

 

[NKG]

By the sound of the description, Im already doing the VM job...

 

[NKG]

So Ive been encouraged to apply for the VM position for another store that does not have a VML. I was all excited for the position until a) I was told several other people were interested in the job and b) that people on here said they weren't interested in hiring internal. I read the description and its all stuff I have experience in. Any advice?

 

[Castagnier]

So Ive been encouraged to apply for the VM position for another store that does not have a VML. I was all excited for the position until a) I was told several other people were interested in the job and b) that people on here said they weren't interested in hiring internal. I read the description and its all stuff I have experience in. Any advice?

If you were encouraged by someone in management at your store, I'd say you should at least give it a shot. Don't think there'd be any harm in at least putting your chips in. The "not interested in hiring internally" thing might even be an ASANTS situation, too.

 

[HRZone]

So Ive been encouraged to apply for the VM position for another store that does not have a VML. I was all excited for the position until a) I was told several other people were interested in the job and b) that people on here said they weren't interested in hiring internal. I read the description and its all stuff I have experience in. Any advice?

Its a popular job. Ours was posted for three days and we had three highly qualified applicants not including our two internals who got passed over.

Should you get an interview I think you will want to do research into what Target looks for in the VM position. I am told the reason our brand tms were passed over is they wanted someone with a "fresh perspective" on making merchandise aesthetically pleasing.

 

[Bullseyes]

The VM tm is basicially a TL without any TL responsibilities.. most of the time will be spent in soft lines because that's where the hours are for adjacencies
It's speculated that the stores getting a VM will, in the next few years, turn that person into a TL.

 

[signingminion]

The VM tm is basicially a TL without any TL responsibilities.. most of the time will be spent in soft lines because that's where the hours are for adjacencies
It's speculated that the stores getting a VM will, in the next few years, turn that person into a TL.

They would have to comp some serous numbers to justify two vmtl per store...

 

[Bullseyes]

They would have to comp some serous numbers to justify two vmtl per store...

The stores getting VM's do not have vmtls.. but in the next few years mannequins are most likely going to be widespread, meaning the vm tm will most likely, be the TL. It's almost a preparation for it

 

[HRZone]

The VM tm is basicially a TL without any TL responsibilities.. most of the time will be spent in soft lines because that's where the hours are for adjacencies
It's speculated that the stores getting a VM will, in the next few years, turn that person into a TL.

I think it's asants, we have our brand tms do adjancies. Our VMTL spends equal time in hardlines doing mini seasonal and the dwell magazine bs.

 

[signingminion]

The stores getting VM's do not have vmtls.. but in the next few years mannequins are most likely going to be widespread, meaning the vm tm will most likely, be the TL. It's almost a preparation for it

Except why waste the payroll in ulv stores? Even with the fudged bump up org chart for some? Sltl can and does mannequin when vmtl is on vacation. Unless you vmbp lets you stray from adjacency you don't need the "extra merchandising training" that sets a vml apart.

 

[Doglover89]

At my store, the visual merchandiser is now the VMTL and an SLTL. Our store has two HLTLs but one SLTL and the SLTL was feeling overwhelmed, so now the VMTL is the second SLTL. It's confusing and a bit odd because now somebody I barely know or work with is helping write my review and judging my performance. But the VMTL works in softlines 95% of the time anyway, although occasionally she will help out with a focal in domestics or in seasonal or something. She is s-l-o-w-l-y becoming proficient in setting SL pogs. She and/or the SLTL do adjacencies and most POGs with regular softlines tms scheduled under presentation. We don't have brand tms and I'm not sure why. The LV store down the street has them. I was hoping with AE 2017 we would get some vmtms or brand tms but I guess that ain't happening.

 

[SFSFun]

So Ive been encouraged to apply for the VM position for another store that does not have a VML. I was all excited for the position until a) I was told several other people were interested in the job and b) that people on here said they weren't interested in hiring internal. I read the description and its all stuff I have experience in. Any advice?

Go for it! You won't get the job if you don't at least try.

VM is a brand new position, so I wouldn't take it too seriously if a few people so far have said they are looking externally at other stores.

 

[SrTLall]

At my store, the visual merchandiser is now the VMTL and an SLTL. Our store has two HLTLs but one SLTL and the SLTL was feeling overwhelmed, so now the VMTL is the second SLTL. It's confusing and a bit odd because now somebody I barely know or work with is helping write my review and judging my performance. But the VMTL works in softlines 95% of the time anyway, although occasionally she will help out with a focal in domestics or in seasonal or something. She is s-l-o-w-l-y becoming proficient in setting SL pogs. She and/or the SLTL do adjacencies and most POGs with regular softlines tms scheduled under presentation. We don't have brand tms and I'm not sure why. The LV store down the street has them. I was hoping with AE 2017 we would get some vmtms or brand tms but I guess that ain't happening.

Stores can have as many brand TMs as they want. It's up to the store to decide when and where to have one. IMO, stores that aren't implementing brand TMs are missing an opportunity.

 

[Doglover89]

Stores can have as many brand TMs as they want. It's up to the store to decide when and where to have one. IMO, stores that aren't implementing brand TMs are missing an opportunity.

I think its a pay issue. I would say at least half if not more of my own shifts are in workcenters with a higher paygrade than salesfloor (which I'm keyed in as), but HR won't budge on changing it. My store would rather have softlines tm do brand work at the N03 pay rate.

 

[HRZone]

Stores can have as many brand TMs as they want. It's up to the store to decide when and where to have one. IMO, stores that aren't implementing brand TMs are missing an opportunity.

Well corporate did change the directive that brand tms have to be assigned somewhere, you can't just make "favorites" a brand tm to give them a small raise (used to happen at my store)

But that 25 cent boost is a small price to pay (2 dollars per 8 hour shift) for someone to Captain shoes, cosmetics or wherever your leadership decides to place them.

 

[SrTLall]

I think its a pay issue. I would say at least half if not more of my own shifts are in workcenters with a higher paygrade than salesfloor (which I'm keyed in as), but HR won't budge on changing it. My store would rather have softlines tm do brand work at the N03 pay rate.

I'm sure ASANTS, but at the store level there is no justification to underpaying TMs. Stores need to monitor hours spent, not how much people are being paid.

 

[SrTLall]

Well corporate did change the directive that brand tms have to be assigned somewhere, you can't just make "favorites" a brand tm to give them a small raise (used to happen at my store)

But that 25 cent boost is a small price to pay (2 dollars per 8 hour shift) for someone to Captain shoes, cosmetics or wherever your leadership decides to place them.

You can assign a brand TM to just about anything. In Logistics I could have n Unload Brand TM, a Line Brand TM, a Bulk Brand TM, a Light-Duty Brand TM, etc.

.25 may seem small, but, in most cases, thats just about what people get for a yearly raise.

 

[Tay2323]

At my store, a lot of the ETLs are confused about what the position will entail and if they are looking for external....shall be interesting to see how this all turns out...

 

[Kompa]

Useless position. Just zone

 

[HRZone]

Useless position. Just zone

You clearly don't have one or yours is just really bad at their job