Target

• Every other weekend off (a godsend in retail)
• Not chained to a desk
• Truly get to own your business if you are good at what you do (you get leeway from HQ direction if you have good reasons for what you do and approval from STL or DTL).
• In the same respect, the support is always there if you need it.
• Or when in doubt, use Google. Their database is EXPANSIVE! Just have to know where to look.
• Business casual attire (beats wearing a suit everyday)
• EXCELLENT benefits package
• Probably the only retailer I know of where leaders in the stores pyramid are neck and neck with employees in the HQ pyramid in regards to pay. For example, a lot of ETLs make as much or more than the Business Analysts.
• Random days off during the week and sleeping in on closing nights.
• You get to take a mid-shift 10 am - 7 pm after a closing night (most retailers make you do a "turnaround," aka close and then open).
• If you communicate effectively with your STL, you pretty much get to write your own schedule.
• Plenty of autonomy in my position, but still very involved from a team standpoint.

• Can be political at times, but not nearly as bad as working in a corporate office (been there, done that).
• Keeping Red and Khaki exciting every day is a challenge, but a welcome one.
• Guests can be rough sometimes, but if you have thick skin, you'll be fine.
• There is no work-life balance, but this is true of any job that is truly fulfilling. Prepare to work 60 hours a week, especially if you want to get promoted. I'm hoping this improves as I learn to maximize productivity a little better ;-)
• I really don't know why people complain about working at Target. You people truly do not know how good you have it here. Every job has cons. Life is not rainbows and butterflies. Put your big kid pants on and go to work. Oy.
• Discount somewhat disappointing, but standard for department stores (I'm hoping this is an indicator of a low markup).

Clearly, whatever you're doing is working because stores that are on best practice are very successful. However, I am still trying to figure out how Target does this with such little pressure to make sales. Perhaps take some pressure off the STLs and share the load with the ETLs.

The only reason I feel the pressure is because I've worked for other retailers who were very sales-focused. I don't think 'drives for results' is instilled into all levels nearly enough. You guys need to work that into service academy.

I feel that if the importance of making sales were communicated throughout the onboarding process, stores would make their goals more consistently.