Okay, so those of you that read the story of “The Beast” are wondering exactly what the story of Target is. Well, let me tell you my experience of “working” for Target. Now for those of you that may work or have worked at Target please do not take offense to this. This is MY experience working for Target and no one else. I am in no way shape or form trying to bash you or your job. I am not trying to deter people from applying at Target. I am simply telling my side of the story.
So, here goes. Once upon an October in the year 2010 we needed some extra cash. I had decided to quit my job as a teacher to stay home with our wonderful daughter Bella. I was doing really well with my lia sophia business so I wasn’t really concerned about making enough money to cover our bills. Besides, with making the easy $1000 (roughly) that I had been making each month to cover the cost of me staying home we would be okay. So here we are in October where I had my last Show (no bookings=no business) and didn’t get one single booking. So there I was, out of business (those of you reading this that were going to host a Show for me now would be a great time! J Just kidding, kinda, a little, but kinda serious too! J) not enough money to cover our monthly bills, and Christmas is coming (the goose is getting fat! Please put a penny in the old man’s hat…sorry I just broke out in song!). So I decided I needed to help pull my weight around here financially. I applied at Target and was called for an interview. I went in for an interview that was at noon on a Friday (which, by the way, Aaron had to take a half day for because I didn’t have anyone to watch Bella that day). I got there at 11:53 and told the girl at the customer service counter that I was there for an interview. She told me to go over to the application kiosk and finish my application. It was a bunch of those “What would you do?” type questions. Well, I’m not sure if you have noticed this about me or not, but I can be quite opinionated and am, for the most part, not afraid to speak my mind. So I answered these questions to the best of my ability, debating on choosing what Target would want to hear and what I would actually do…there should be a choice for somewhere in the middle. J I finished that part in about 10 minutes and then I waited for an additional 25 minutes for them to call me up for an interview. My interview lasted approximately 10-15 minutes and they hired me on the spot. I interviewed with two ladies that had been there 25 years EACH! WOW! That’s a LONG time to work for one company! Anyhow, I was impressed with that and let the fact go that I waited 25 minutes for my interview. They then needed to send me immediately for drug testing (okay, I want to say this here…did you know that as a teacher I NEVER had to take a drug test but to work at Target I did….what’s wrong with this picture?). Anyhow, I went straight there because I had to pick up Garrett and take him to the orthodontist in Louisville that day because he was wrestling with a friend the night before and got kicked in the mouth which lead to the inside of his cheek getting stuck in his herbpst appliance. Upon leaving that day they told me that I would receive an email stating when orientation would be but to ignore that and they would call me when it was time for orientation.
A week later I got the email. I waited and waited for the call. Two days before my “scheduled” orientation I went to Target to buy diapers (they have the best diapers) and asked our friend Megan (who works there) if she knew when orientation was going to be. This was Wednesday at 1:00 (I still hadn’t heard anything from Target) and I was supposed to have orientation on Friday at 9:00. Megan told me that my orientation would be Monday at 1:00 (which is an issue due to childcare).
So, Monday rolls around (it’s the day after Halloween and we are dealing with the issues of the beast on this day) and I go to Target for orientation. Luckily Skyla was out of school so she came over to watch Bella for me. I got there at 12:52 and waited patiently. They came downstairs and got us around 1:04ish and took us back to the break room. They begin to tell us that orientation is going to be FOUR HOURS LONG! WHAT????? Are you serious? When I left the house I said I would be back probably in about 2-2 ½ hours because they didn’t tell me how long orientation was going to be. I was going off of when I used to do orientation at Outback. Yep, FOUR hours long. Sheesh! I need to call home and let them know. So we are in orientation watching all these boring videos…blah, blah, blah. One video was all about how you need to be on time. If you are even a few minutes late you need to report directly to your supervisor! Seriously? You made me wait 25 minutes for my interview and started orientation late, but you are going to talk to me about being on time? Practice what you preach people! Then we were given a short break so I was able to call home and let them know how long orientation would be. I told them I would be finished around 5:00. Then we watched another video about schedules and blah, blah, blah. At the end of the video I asked if there was a book somewhere where I could ask off for a day. The girl doing my orientation (who had only been at Target for 3 weeks) told me that I was hired because I was supposed to have open availability and I wasn’t allowed to ask off for a day. Excuse me? Are you serious? So, you’re telling me that I can’t ask off for the Sunday before Thanksgiving to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family? Oh no…I don’t know if this is going to work. Then we go on the store tour and they are talking about how you need to take your break at this time or you are going to be in compliance and if you are in compliance and someone finds out then Target can get fined. That really bothered me because being IN compliance means you are complying with what you are supposed to be doing. What they meant was that you were in NONcompliance. That really irked me! Anyhow, our last stop was to get our schedules. By this time it was 5:30! Yep, I said 5:30! They finally bring me my schedule at 5:45 and scheduled me to train on Wed. 4-8 and Sat. 8-2. Uhm, I don’t know if you looked at my availability or not, but I am a Stay-At-Home Mom and can’t be here until 4:30 ANY day. When I interviewed they told me this wasn’t a problem. The girl looks at me and just stares…I can’t be here at 4 on Wednesday…you can’t? Uhm, no (insert previous sentences) if you want me to be here at 4:00 I am going to be late. She told me just to come in at 4:30 that day, that would be fine. And I can’t work on Saturday from 8-2 because (repeat previous sentences). Okay, just scratch that one out.
Sheesh! I know they are busy but come on! You can do this people! So, that Wednesday came and I decided that I wasn’t going to go work at Target. Their $7.25/hour wasn’t worth all the headache I was going through.
You would think that would be the end of the story, right? Uh, no. The next week comes and I get a call from a New Albany number so I answer it. It was a guy from Target wanting to know if I could come in at 2:00 on Black Friday. Are you serious? I didn’t show up for either of my training days and you are calling me to ask if I could come in at 2:00 on Black Friday? DID YOU NOT READ MY AVAILABILITY??? 4:30 or later ALMOST ANY DAY! So I asked him if I could call him back (Bella was on my hip, tired, and fussy…not a good combo for trying to talk on the phone). Later that day the HR lady calls me back and leaves me a message asking me to call her at my earliest convenience. I have been having issues with my phone so I didn’t get it until she was already gone so I sent her this email:
Hi (insert name here)!
I received your message from earlier today. I apologize for missing your call and not being able to speak with you. It seems that there has been some trouble trying to coordinate my schedule. I understand that you are busy with all of the new hires for the holiday season and these things will happen. It is not my intention to put you or any of my coworkers in a predicament with scheduling; however it seems that the hours I am available are causing some issues. Therefore I feel it will be best for me to decline the seasonal cashier position. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you or anyone else. Thank you so much for this opportunity and your time!
I hope you have a very blessed holiday season!
Best Wishes,
Jenny McKim
Well, you would think that would be the end to our story there, right? NO! I sent this on Thursday and the following Sunday I was watching a movie when my phone “rang” like I had a text. I went over to my phone and it showed that I had a voicemail. Again, I have been having issues with my phone because I was sitting right by it and it never rang. So I listened to the message. It was a lady from Target wanting to know if I was coming in to work my scheduled shift from 4:30-8:30 on the sales floor. SERIOUSLY???? I haven’t even had ANY training and you want to know if I’m coming to work? My goodness!
Well, that is the end of my story….finally! Although, I must admit that I was a bit afraid to go back into Target and buy diapers. ;-)
