The Tales of Target: Episode 10
There is a science to Target. A history to it as well. The history is more personal to me than George Dayton opening the first Target store in Minneapolis in 1902. That is simply what the orientation packet says on your first day on the job. And I would know, I’ve had three orientations, yes three.
Before I tell you why I have been hired three separate times, I should begin even further back in my Target history. My family lives and breathes Target. My mom nearly raised us on her own, with my dad on business trips most of my childhood, and she simultaneously ran an in-home daycare. She is what you would call, the poster child Target guest. If there were a Target demographic, it would be her.
So I grew up within the Red Walls. By the time I was 4 years old I’m sure I could have shown any adult around the Wilsonville Target, perhaps even giving an aisle number for their prospective purchase. On one occasion my mom’s phone rang late at night and it was a family friend, asking my mom what time Target closed. Without realizing the implications of this interaction, she responded “10” hanging up. This became a joke in the family, my mom may as well work behind the service desk.
Time moved on and my older sister entered high school, getting her first job — you guessed it — at Target. “They may as well keep your paychecks,” we joked. Turned out to not be as much of a joke as we thought as her closet doubled with new Target-brand clothing with her new found income and unlimited access to her favorite store. Target holds even more significance than a first job for her, it was also a first date, kiss, and boyfriend… but we won’t go there.
Life moved forward, she is now a nurse and well past her Target employment, but of course now it’s my turn. I went into my first year of college and finished up my first collegiate soccer season. I knew once the season ended I would need to find a source of income and as I walked into the Sherwood Target for my weekly (that’s generous… biweekly) retail therapy session, I saw the sign “Now Hiring.” This sign is always hanging (literally always) but on this trip I noticed it. I headed to Target.com/careers (no shame plug) and applied. Carol from HR called me that same day, setting up my interview. The first of three.
I was nervous, I didn’t know anyone at the store. It goes without saying that I got the job. A cashier for the holiday season. If only I knew.
I worked through the holidays and the seasonal hires were all let go at the end of January, but they liked me so I stayed. My employment trekked on. Flash forward to the events of Episode 8, I had a seizure. This was the end of my first round at Target. Since I did not know when or if I would be returning, my employment was terminated. Five months later I called the store, “Can I have my job back?” Cue interview number 2. This time it was just a formality so my same boss that did my first interview sat with me once again in the conference room, this time we ate Oreos and talked about life. I once again sat through orientation, with the script and videos almost memorized now.
Spoiler alert, there’s a third interview meaning I left again. This time it was to pursue my soccer career that COVID so rudely cancelled. The semi-pro team I had just been rostered on and had attended one training session with had their season cancelled along with everyone else’s on March 13, 2020. I once again dragged my feet back through the doors of Target asking for my third interview. My boss grabbed the Oreos and sat ourselves back in the all too familiar conference room. I again sat through orientation, mouthing the words to the videos on the screen.
So there you have it. I believe this is a Target history lesson worthy of being in the orientation handbook.
