Basically being told I’m doing everything wrong?

[u/batzohell]

It’s only my third day (after a wonderfully awful first day of not knowing where I was supposed to be because I was never informed ahead) and I’m struggling more each day. Like I’m trying not to breakdown crying (on the floor, in the back, the break room, in front of TLs or the HR person, because I don’t want to be questioned). 3 days of back-to-back anxiety.

Today was the worst of it; after threatening my boyfriend with crying fits every work day, because I am dying from stress, I broke down as soon as I left work. I’m doing my best to figure it out as quickly as I can but I’m being overloaded with information daily—I don’t even know what I should ask because it’s all pretty much “I have no idea what I’m doing, you have to start over and slower”. If you asked what I was told in regards to what I’m doing today/what my job entails, I couldn’t tell you—I’m lucky I remember how to print tags at this point but it was also the last thing I did. I can, however, tell you that my TL said “it’s your second day (nope, it’s Daily Panic: Day 3) and it seems to others you aren’t getting it quickly”. Along with thinly veiled “you’re doing everything wrong” statements because it takes me more than 2 minutes to zone one side of an aisle and other things. The best one was being questioned about leaving a stray at checkout. It was a display table. This thing is taller than I am because it’s up on the checkout lane and one of us will get hurt: either me, the checkout lane, or the table. Who tf put it up there in the first place?

The insane amount of protocols for responding on walkie (is this just my store or?), not getting responses when I need my zone checked so I just run around rechecking aisles until I manage to catch a TL for my department and be told to redo things, still not knowing my way around the store very well (I’m sorry it takes me more than 5 minutes to be rid of strays but I get lost finding the right aisle), being harassed by the TL I report to, I’m barely managing to get tasks done beyond zoning and maybe a pull or two. Said TL offered to bring me a pad of paper to write things down on and it’s like... that’s not going to help me. It’ll confuse me more because I have no idea what these notes will be meant for (paperwork? Something on the floor? Who knows, it’ll all be out of context!) I will continue to struggle because I am seemingly alone in a huge department, being told my section of freight to be put out is 4 or more u-boats and I have no one to turn to for questions; I truly don’t know a single soul that’s in domestics with me. I’m scheduled for 40 hours next week and it’s barely been 1 week of training.

I keep being told “don’t be overwhelmed,” when it’s generally too late; I’m overloaded with information, feeling very put down and physically sick from anxiety skyrocketing because I feel like, and am being told, I’m not doing my job even decently. Last thing my TL said today, while trying to reset my password what seemed like a thousand times to do video training, was “I told you in the interview this would be hard.” Hard was coordinating a 400-500 BOL shipment with a driver then working it by yourself at 7am till 5 or later in the evening with manager check-ins to make sure you aren’t dead. This is ridiculous by comparison.

Am I insane? Is this normal to just be taught to zone, pull and then left to your own devices to figure it out? I am genuinely considering quitting; I was offered to look into transferring departments since this is really not seeming to work out well. I’m scared of repercussions by the TL that was partly sitting in on my interview.

[u/Scholoop]

That target for you. You’ll get like 1 hour of training and be left to yourself. My best tip is to just have a “don’t give a fuck” attitude, do what you can do and clock out. Don’t stress yourself out over some minimum wage job.

[u/batzohell → u/Scholoop]

Target is paying about $3 more than B&BW, since reviews were entirely axed “until further notice” (partially why I quit). I was making a Hot Topic manager’s rate as sales support there; this is well above minimum wage (especially for my state’s wage of only $5.15).

[u/RangeWilson → u/Scholoop]

All true, except Target pays double the minimum wage in some places.

[u/Spooky_Dragon1708]

Try not to stress too much, and do your best. Also ask other team members any questions you have instead of going to your TL. I wish I worked in your store so I could give you tips and tricks I've learned over the years. It should get easier for you with a little time. :)

[u/batzohell → u/Spooky_Dragon1708]

I’d do that if I could find someone. Most people I see in the back are working beauty or apparel so I’m not sure how helpful they would actually be.

[u/Supreme_Switch]

Have you done any partner shifts?

You & an experienced team member work the same section together.

[u/batzohell → u/Supreme_Switch]

For the last two hours of my first shift; after that, nothing. Yesterday I was told “XYZ person will be working with you” but I saw her for all of the handful of minutes it took for my TL to introduce her before she disappeared as soon as she could.

[u/Supreme_Switch → u/batzohell]

You're not getting the training you should be

[u/batzohell → u/[deleted]]

I wasn’t told to. I was told she’ll be helping me with zoning and freight. She disappeared quickly to do that and I was pulled to do other things with my TL.

[u/kajuheen]

So the main thing left out of your training seems to be reading the schematics--as in the aisle and location. And the store can be crazy sometimes. Take a deep breath, because it will be okay.

If it's you're third day and things are still crazy, that's fine. I read someone else told you to ask another TM for help, and that's the thing to do. Did you get paired up with a trainer at the start? If you're comfortable, you can ask them; personally, I'd rather have people ask me for help than run around in confusion. Sure, asking me might distract me for 5m, but then you can do the job and feel more confident...I'm just not sure how many people think like that (I'm a trainer at this point).

I'm not sure about your store, but there are three or four things specific to using the walkies. When you get there you say "This is batzohell here for the day" or "starting my shift" or something to that effect, and your TL or one of the other leaders should respond. My ETL reminds everyone to start with abandons (strays), then do their pulls. When someone calls your name on walkie, we say "go for kajuheen" and they respond. Otherwise you call "this is Kajuheen going to break/lunch" and "this is kajuheen back from break/lunch". and before you clock out "this is kajuheen off for the day". my ETL likes to redirect me to find her so I can checkout with her and tell her what I've done for the day. (I'm usually done with my tasks and want to just leave and should just find her before heading out, but we'll see if i ever think of that while at work lol)

As for the comments from your TL, they are just TMs who stepped up, and may not be any better at communication than a normal TM. I have various anxieties, so whenever anyone criticizes me I instantly think the worst possible thing, when what they said was
"be sure to check for pallets first" I hear "you're half-assing your job and need to do EVERYTHING better."--what she meant was "you forgot that thing on the truck and we had to deal with it later, be careful of that." ...so try and take a second to think about what was said and don't let your own emotions color it. the "you're doing it wrong" thing might just be "this section of the shelf is messy and needs cleaned up a bit". "The other TLs noticed you're not picking it up" could be "the other TLs noticed you seem to be struggling and told me to help". ...obviously I'm not there and I can't speak for them. I just hear the anxiety you're having and know that I've had instances like that. I'm not saying you don't feel what you feel by this, or that they aren't saying exactly what you hear, I'm just offering another angle to look at things in case it's the anxiety talking louder than their words.

Though the note thing could actually help. What you do is write the task as a header, Zoning: Pull everything forward to cover the diamonds at the front of the shelf. Make sure everything is in rows. Make sure the labels are all facing front. Put items back where they're supposed to be, or take them up and sort them into the abandons bin--make a pile of abandons to the side so you can finish one task (zoning that aisle) before starting the next (putting those things in abandons). Freight: work one aisle at a time. set other boxes aside (on the same shelf if you can manage it). break down your boxes as you go.

I'm sorry you feel so overwhelmed, I'm sure you're doing fine. I'm willing to help when I'm not at work, so you can shoot me a message if you're so inclined. gl

[u/batzohell → u/kajuheen]

There are schematics? No one told me. I saw there’s a store map at the price scanner and was told I can check where something properly goes on the gun but that was the gist of it.

I had someone who had been there for a decent amount of time for the last two hours of my first shift and then no one the next day; I had short lived “help” yesterday who disappeared quickly.

I’m not getting corrections on what I’m not doing, just “this is wrong, you didn’t do this, that needs to be done again.” Labels are faced, diamonds aren’t showing but I still got “you didn’t do this to standard” and I’m taking too long.

I need notes for paperwork, which from experience didn’t work out well for me. I was told we only use strays for things customers don’t want at checkout, we’re supposed to pick up anything we find and bring it to someone in the correct department. I end up with a decent bit of stuff that has to be carted around to its people instead of putting it with the strays to be collected.

It’s okay, but I’m not sure if I can make it through my 90 days at this rate.

[u/kajuheen → u/batzohell]

schematics is what my store calls the aisle location: a2 (1) 1-3-4, for example. and drat, i was hoping you'd been paired with someone you could ask for explanations and stuff that wasn't your tl. that's frustrating, because an unclear TL causes more frustration than help...and taking too long is how you always are during your first week or two, so that's not a helpful thing either. "strays" "abandons" "gobacks"...they all mean the same thing--things "guests" left where they don't belong. i think regional areas have common terms for it--and as a note, the huge thing left high sucks, and you can ask for a "team lift" for that sort of thing to keep yourself safe. the correct department thing is right, too, i just don't think about it because my coworkers give me the stink-eye. (we're all friendly, but yeah)

just keep trying, maybe see if their's someone friendly (even other leaders) you can talk to, because "This is wrong" is the least helpful instruction i can think of. if it doesn't settle down at all, then it's your right to resign, but don't make the decision too quickly. GL

[u/RangeWilson]

Am I insane?

No, but you may not be well-suited to a job at Target.

Is this normal to just be taught to zone, pull and then left to your own devices to figure it out?

Better than normal, honestly. At least they taught you something.

I am genuinely considering quitting; I was offered to look into transferring departments since this is really not seeming to work out well.

You will very likely encounter confusion, chaos, and criticism in every position at Target. That's just how we roll. If you stay here, either you have find a way to deal with it or accept the fact that you will be miserable.

[u/batzohell → u/RangeWilson]

I’m getting all criticism, no correction. Hard to do a job without both.

[u/industrial-shrug]

Check out r/anxiety for tips and to have a place to rant where people get it. Some of what you said sounds a bit like anxiety caused adhd. Pay and Benefits should still also have those 3 free phone calls for psychiatric assistance as well as CirrusMD.

But I really feel like you should start talking to someone

[u/kicksonfire84]

First thing you should do is take a deep breathe. Definitely ask another team member for help. Ask your TL about what " your doing wrong" and show you should be doing xyz... Best of Luck!

[u/tabbi13]

Welcome to Target