I received the offer and cleared the background checks, and have my start date this past week. This is current insight from a very pleasant interview process – the time from initial recruiter contact to the offer was 32 days.

Upfront observations: Treat every aspect of every conversation and meeting as an interview. Target culture lives Fast, Fun, and Friendly. They’re looking for people that bring talent and match those core beliefs. Target is a team culture: it’s about the WE, not the I or the ME. Connect with each person in the process quickly; it enabled a free-flowing conversation that did not feel like a traditional interview for me.

The details: I initially applied to an ETL position as a 'traditional candidate' (e.g., went to the website), and also did some networking. This led to me becoming a referral: I was asked by a current Target Team Member to provide a hard copy of my resume for review by other Team Members. Less than a week later, I was contacted by a recruiter to set up an initial phone-screening interview. This interview lasted about 40 minutes and was split into two sections: the first were introductions and an explanation of the Target brand and some general information. I knew by the end of our conversation that I would be moving onto the next step: an interview with an STL (Store Team Lead).

The initial call was to set up a meeting time. I was given the option of a phone or face-to-face interview, and given my commuting distance, we agreed to a phone interview. This interview lasted about 20 minutes and was very structured in terms of questions. We went through 5 scripted questions, with both of us asking each other questions that built on the answers to previous questions. I was told that I would be contacted in the next few days if I was moving forward. Within 10 minutes of hanging up, I received a call inviting me for face-to-face interviews the next day. I knew that I would interview with a DTL (District Team Lead) and a District HR Lead.

When I arrived the next day, I learned that the two agreed to shift me from two 1:1 interviews to a 2:1. This interview lasted about 40 minutes and was in three parts: introductions, scripted questions, and an opportunity for me to ask them questions. I received a call that afternoon scheduling me for my final interview with a Group HR Lead for the following week. I was prepared for a face-to-face interview, and it turned out to be a phone interview. It lasted about 25 minutes and consisted of 5 scripted questions. I received a call less than 2 hours later with an offer.

Interview Questions: Every question was on this site, and being prepared to answer them cannot be overstated. These are the questions I was asked, and some of these questions were spawned from answers I gave to another question.

• Why do you want to work at Target?
• What interests you about this position?
• What is your greatest strength/weakness?
• Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?
• Tell me about a time you came up with a creative solution to a problem.
• Tell me about a time you made a mistake and how did you deal with it.
• Describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult co-worker.
• Describe a time when you had to present an idea to a senior leader.
• Tell me about a time you made sure someone received praise/credit.
• Tell me about a time you made a difficult decision with little information.
• Tell me about a time you spoke for a team when addressing an issue to your boss.
• Tell me about a time you had to handle a difficult person's performance.
• Tell me about a time you developed a coworker.
• Walk me through a time you worked on a group project at work or school and a member was not contributing and what did you do.
• Tell me about a time when you had to learn a new skill that was important for your job.
• Tell me about a time when you had to drive a change that was not well received by others.
• Tell me about a time when you went all out to make your store, or work area, look presentable.

They are HUGE on the STAR answer method. They each WANTED to hear the Action and Result for each question! Hint hint.

Have questions ready when asked if you have questions! I stuck with a core group:

• What excites you and keeps you committed to Target?
• How has Target helped you develop and advance in your current role, and what could I expect?
• How does Target work to ensure Team Members achieve a good professional and personal life balance?
• What was your career progression with Target?
• What is your expectation for an incumbent in this position?

All but one question I was asked, I found on this site. The one that was not was easy to answer given the preparation for the others.

I created a grid of all the questions I found and then created 3-5 bullet points (many repeated). I did my best to use leadership situations that covered many of the potential questions. In each interview case, I would use the same job or scenario so it created a frame of reference.

What is your greatest strength/weakness?

I immediately made a point to view weakness as an opportunity and referred to it as that.