Archived VM TL

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Just did my first day of orientation for vm tl. I was told by the ETL. I would do a cashier training this week during one shift then to do all the rest of my other merchandising training I would be going to another store because they want to make sure they train all the vm TL's and the same way. So far its been cool I don't feel like I'm better than anyone as other people are saying. I'm just interested to see how much independence and freedom I'm going to have with the merchandising . Currently everything is all over the place... And the theme is supposed to be plaid.. but it's kind of just randomly thrown everywhere in the store. Can't wait to put my mark on it.
 
Good luck on that.
Randomly thrown all over the place is kind of Spots trademarked marketing technique.
 
Fashiongurl said:
Just did my first day of orientation for vm tl. I was told by the ETL. I would do a cashier training this week during one shift then to do all the rest of my other merchandising training I would be going to another store because they want to make sure they train all the vm TL's and the same way. So far its been cool I don't feel like I'm better than anyone as other people are saying. I'm just interested to see how much independence and freedom I'm going to have with the merchandising . Currently everything is all over the place... And the theme is supposed to be plaid.. but it's kind of just randomly thrown everywhere in the store. Can't wait to put my mark on it.
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Unless they totally change it from the way it is now I don't think you will have a ton of freedom but you will get to change some things for instance:

Target sends a book out called a "visual adjacency" and it shows you pictures and a diagram of a store. You match your rack count and flip to your map. You start in one corner of the map and find out what rack it wants there. You free up the rack you need and then see what clothes they want on that rack.

But Surprise!! Price change (me at my store) marked that clearance last week for some reason. You now need to use your visual merchandising experience and keep to the brand clothing and similar style.

They only make you set the first 2 rows of your store to the adjacency and then the back 2/3 rows you just have to keep the brand called for on it.

Just a heads up: Be prepared for boatloads of clothes and nowhere to put it. Sometimes Usually new clothes come in early before the old stuff goes clearance. So you have to merchandise it in a way to keep both on the floor and looking good.

Some stores are a cluster but they are hoping now with a new Tl dedicated to maintaining the brand of these areas (instead of the brand, abandons, managing the team, setting tables/sales planners) that things will shape up.

But good luck! Target is definitely an experience.. keep us posted on how things go. My VML hasn't started/been chosen yet so it's still a waiting game on things to get better
 
Besides a passport- birth certificate or military card- what other type of secondary ID can they accept when i go to my " onboarding"?i do have a photo drivers liscense for my primary ID
 
tanner6116 said:
Besides a passport- birth certificate or military card- what other type of secondary ID can they accept when i go to my " onboarding"?i do have a photo drivers liscense for my primary ID
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I feel like drivers license or state id. Normally something that's a photo id. Then passport, birth certificate or social security card.
 
You know, Target has always had these specific standards of presentation, but they weren't being met. ETLs and TLs are cutting corners in attempts to make green scores, and this is causing presentation to suffer greatly throughout the store. This VML has been added to be sort of like a merchandising police. Lol they're here to crack the whip on everybody who's over stocking and throwing products on the floor haphazardly (especially in home innovation, apparel/accessories and trend runs) Target can't trust their TLs to maintain a brand style anymore so they hired help.
 
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Part of the VML's job is to train other leaders on Target's style and remerchandising guidelines. I think Spot is hoping these newbies will be able to change the whole merchandising culture a little...
 
To those that are shying away from the position due to it being abstract it's a shame. Target is still trying to define this role and we need strong bodies to help take VML to the next level. Right now it's very boxed in by adjacencies but I feel with the right momentum, the VML role can have a lot more opportunities. I personally have a lot of fun with sales planners, #3 mannequin outfits and flexing outs in domestics by telling cohesive stories through product to drive additional sales. I work a lot with very seasoned team leads that I learn a lot from but openly discuss PTM in hard lines, flexing in jewelry/shoes, and work closely with back room to get discontinued items out before they go clearance. However I will be honest this is a merchandising job. My more visual jobs in the past have offered much more freedom. Hopefully target will loosen the reigns eventually. And to everyone joining the style team, welcome! If I can offer any words of encouragement and wisdom is to tune in to what your stores needs are visually, stay focused on that bc distractions are inevitable and play towards the strengths of your peers.
 
Kool- so you are allowed to literally get out on that floor and " work "?alot of rack standards and home endcaps
 
BlueSide said:
Part of the VML's job is to train other leaders on Target's style and remerchandising guidelines. I think Spot is hoping these newbies will be able to change the whole merchandising culture a little...
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Lots of seasoned tms could do the same, but spot had never let us. Except for clearance endcaps and pfresh and then it's never really full quantities of anything. But after years of flexing out for full and impactful in market I can easily merchandise circles around some external. And I already know spots rules. To assume I need a vm degree abd to have worked at some high end clothing retailer is stupid. Besides Filenes and Macy's aren't even that upscale. Now you want to talk La Mer or Lord and Taylor's maybe...or Armani...
 
Absolutely! I love to dive into almost every department during the week. Prioritize home, mannequins then PTM but after that I enjoy adding in projects. Good luck, Monday! You'll love it! Any questions feel free to PM me.
 
Our former softlines Tl is going for this position and I strongly believe there is a superiority complex going on. She fails to understand that she is only moving lateral with more pay and will have no extra pull over anyone. She's already trying to boss people around and i'm sitting there like, yeah hunny.. go over there and Cull your food. Don't tell me how to merchandise my clearance.
 
signingminion said:
Lots of seasoned tms could do the same, but spot had never let us. Except for clearance endcaps and pfresh and then it's never really full quantities of anything. But after years of flexing out for full and impactful in market I can easily merchandise circles around some external. And I already know spots rules. To assume I need a vm degree abd to have worked at some high end clothing retailer is stupid. Besides Filenes and Macy's aren't even that upscale. Now you want to talk La Mer or Lord and Taylor's maybe...or Armani...
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PREACH! I mean, I'm more than happy to have someone coming in who can help take some of the load off when it comes to doing everything at once by myself, but to shame current TLs (or TMs) is a damn shame. We may not have fancy degrees, but we know our stores and our guests. I can't stand when people discredit the current employees.

Hats off to the VM-TLs here that are actively trying to do their best and integrate themselves into our teams, though. I wish you the very best, and I can't wait to see pics and hear stories about positive things coming up.
 
@signingminion I agree entirely. It's absolutely not fair to cut internal hires out from this opportunity. I worked with a TL that would have been a dream for this role at another store however they were passed for an external hire. He is still an asset to me personally with endless suggestions and information. What I am told is they wanted those shades of grey, people not trained to think the way Spot has trained them all these years to get outside of the box. Or to learn how other big stores merchandise and those processes. So far I keep pushing those limits just to be told to read black and white. But time will tell as this role expands hopefully.
 
VMLwhatsthat said:
@signingminion I agree entirely. It's absolutely not fair to cut internal hires out from this opportunity. I worked with a TL that would have been a dream for this role at another store however they were passed for an external hire. He is still an asset to me personally with endless suggestions and information. What I am told is they wanted those shades of grey, people not trained to think the way Spot has trained them all these years to get outside of the box. So far I keep pushing those limits just to be told to read black and white.
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Which is dumb. I have years of vm experience outside the box, but not clothing. If I thought it would help I'd quit to apply external.
 
signingminion said:
Lots of seasoned tms could do the same, but spot had never let us. Except for clearance endcaps and pfresh and then it's never really full quantities of anything. But after years of flexing out for full and impactful in market I can easily merchandise circles around some external. And I already know spots rules. To assume I need a vm degree abd to have worked at some high end clothing retailer is stupid. Besides Filenes and Macy's aren't even that upscale. Now you want to talk La Mer or Lord and Taylor's maybe...or Armani...
Click to expand...
LadyCynide said:
PREACH! I mean, I'm more than happy to have someone coming in who can help take some of the load off when it comes to doing everything at once by myself, but to shame current TLs (or TMs) is a damn shame. We may not have fancy degrees, but we know our stores and our guests. I can't stand when people discredit the current employees.

Hats off to the VM-TLs here that are actively trying to do their best and integrate themselves into our teams, though. I wish you the very best, and I can't wait to see pics and hear stories about positive things coming up.
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Whoah. I never mentioned internals/externals.
 
Haha how many ways can you merchandise a rack in softlines with the fixtures we have? Its either face outs, waterfalls, or shoulder bars. Thats it. If they wanna bring new fixtures with this position, then I'll believe hiring externally will help.
 
Vml- heres something- standard wise im seeing in some targets-many un even rack heights- lack of gridding within dept and sometimes racks triple " kissed" together-are these " opportunities i can look at improving ?
 
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