Target's Secret Interview Questions

Target's Secret Interview Questions

Interviewer Questions for Executive Team Leader or Team Leader

1) Tell me about a time when you exerted extra effort to help a guest.
2) Describe how you think that product out of stocks can be proactively prevented in the store.
3) Tell me about the last time you missed a deadline and why.
4) Tell me about a time when you were asked to do something with little help or direction from others.
5) Tell me about a time when you were asked to do something unexpected or on short notice.
6) Tell me about a time when you had to learn a new skill that was important for your job.
7) Tell me what you think is the significance or importance of maintaining the Target store image.
8) Tell me about a time when you were dissatisfied with the appearance of your work area and what you did to improve it?

Interviewer Questions for Executive Team Leader Human Resources

1) Tell me about a time that you were part of a group that did not work together as well as it should have.
2) Tell me about a time when you went all out to make your store, or work area, look presentable.
3) Tell me about a time when you had to shift attention between multiple activities that competed for your time.
4) Tell me about a work program or project that was not running well and what you did about it.
5) Tell me about a time when you had to shift attention between multiple activities that competed for your time.
6) Tell me about a time when you addressed a safety concern.
7) Tell me about the last time you had too much to do and too little time to do it.
8) Tell me about a time you investigated your work area for possible improvements.
9) Describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult guest or co-worker.

Interviewer Questions for Store Team Leader

1) Tell me about a time when you executed a plan in a timely manner.
2) Tell me about a time when you were unable to help someone.
3) What do you view as the biggest challenge regarding in-stocks in a Target store?
4) Tell me about a time when you asked for feedback that would improve your performance.
5) Tell me about a time when you had to drive a change that was not well received by others.
6) Tell me about the last time you took a project that was a stretch of your skill set.
7) Tell me about a time when you had to introduce yourself to someone new and how you handled this situation?
8) Describe a situation when your planning led to a favorable outcome. 

Thanks to Dave K for providing this info. If you have confidential Tarbut info send it to me for publication.

Target's Canadian stores lose nearly $1 billion US in under one year

BY LINDA NGUYEN, CANADIAN PRESS FEBRUARY 26, 2014
 Full story at: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Target+Canadian+stores+lose+nearly+billion+since+opening+last/9553242/story.html

  
Target Corp.'s Canadian stores lost nearly US $1 billion in less than a year of operations as the Minneapolis-based discount retailer began its first expansion outside the United States.  For the full year, the Canadian segment lost US $941 billion before excluded items on US $1.3 billion of sales. Target said its annual gross margin rate was 14.9 per cent.

Hopes had been high last year when the chic discount retailer announced it was opening its first stores in Canada after buying some of the properties from the now-defunct Zellers chain.

Since its arrival in March, the retailer has faced high expansion costs and disappointing sales as shoppers complained about near-empty shelves and notably higher prices than at U.S. Target stores.

Despite the rocky start, Target announced last month that it will be continuing with its Canadian expansion with the opening of nine more stores this year.  It plans on opening two locations in Mississauga, Ont., and one store each in Toronto, Ottawa and Barrie, Ont. Stores will also be added in Edmonton, Victoria, Winnipeg and Candiac, Que.

Five of the locations will be in former Zellers locations, while the others will be newly constructed stores.  By the end of 2014,, Target said it will have a total of 133 locations in Canada.

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Don't forget to look at these Target sites:

• http://targetfiling.blogspot.com/
• http://targetccguidelines.blogspot.com/
• http://beckfordvtarget.blogspot.com/
• http://targetguidelines.blogspot.com/
• http://targetapdirectives2006.blogspot.com/

New addition to keep up with the Target Class Action suits, go to:  

http://targetstoressucks.blogspot.com/

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PREPARE  AND EXECUTE

My Pay and Benefits
Script #3: team member meetings


CONFIDENTALITY NOTICE
You are receiving this information because you have a leadership role in the preparation for 2012 Benefits Open Enrolment. A well defined communication cascade is being followed to ensure the best experience possible for our team members. All intended recipients here have received this communication. If you have any questions contact benefits.feedback@target.com  

ASSUMPTION
Attendees have no prior knowledge of the health care strategy or changes for 2012 Open Enrollment. Leader is aware of the medical plan choices offered at your location. If needed, log into the Health Care Benefits Engagement Portal to view a list of medical plans offered at your location.


OBJECTIVES
• Share business case and changes for 2012 Open Enrollment, as well as what will not change
• Answer questions, direct team members to resources and tools for more information
• Reinforce next steps and what materials they can expect to receive prior to Open Enrollment


WHY WE ARE HERE
• Thank you for joining us/me today. I have some important information to share with you about health care benefits. I will give an overview about what is – and is not – changing and what you can do to prepare for the upcoming Open Enrollment period.
• While I know not all of these changes are applicable to you, due to privacy requirements we must share this information with all team members, so I appreciate your patience and attention today.
• As I share this information with you, please note areas where you would like to know more. I will answer your questions at the end of this meeting.


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PREPARE AND EXECUTE


BACKGROUND
• Target, like many employers, is faced with the serious challenge of rising health care costs. But, we have a plan.

• Because we care about our teams, Target is committed to providing quality, affordable health care coverage. I am proud to share that we have been able to keep key elements of our health care plans the same in 2012.
  1)  Target will continue to pay for the majority of your health care costs.
  2)  For our national health care plans, the HRA or HAS accounts contributions, health plan deductibles, PPO  copayments, pharmacy copayments, coinsurance coverage, and out-of-pocket maximums will not change in 2012.
  3)  We also have minimized changes to premiums.

• We are working hard to control the things we can, and are making thoughtful adjustments with your best interests in mind. This helps us control costs for you and Target while still providing affordable, quality health care coverage.

• Target is self-insured, which means that the company is fully responsible for the health care benefits we provide. Target is the insurance company. Target decided how the plans work, what team members will pay for coverage, and the services covered by the plan. We partner with UnitedHealthcare and other regional administrators like Kaiser and HealthPattners to confidentially administer the plans.
• Target shares the total cost of health care with you.
  1)  Target pays the majority of the cost.
  2)  Team members share in health care costs through premiums and out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles and co-insurance or copays for health care services.
  3)  Because we share the cost, if health care expenses decrease, Target and team members both save.    And, if expenses rise, we all pay more.

• In order to keep costs down for all of us, we all need to be informed and actively engaged in our health care choices.


CHANGES
• While most of the changes I will share are for the 2012 plan year, some will not affect you until 2013. I want to tell you now, so that you have time to prepare. I will also be providing you with a summary page of all the changes at the end of our meeting.
• Before I share what is changing, I want to emphasize an important point:
  During Open Enrollment, the single most important action you can take is to go     online or call to choose your health care benefits.

Your current medical and dental plans will NOT automatically continue. During your Open Enrollment period, you must log on or call the Target Benefits Center to make your choices.


NOTE: There are two versions of the script change 1. If you offer the Kaiser, HealthPartners, or BCBS-Alabama HMO at your location, read 1B.


NOTE: Hawaii locations DO NOT need to share this change as the medical plans offered in Hawaii are not changing. All other changes (2-4) do apply and should be shared with teams in Hawaii.


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                                                                                                                                PREPARE AND EXECUTE


1A. LOCATIONS WITHOUT KAISER, BCBS-ALABAMA, OR HEALTHPATNERS HMOs
[Note: Log onto Health Care Benefits Engagement Portal to view a list of medical plans offered at your location]

In 2013, we will offer only account-based health care plan options (HRA or HSA).


Nearly half of our enrolled team members are already enrolled in an HRA or HAS. These plans were first offered in 2006 and have proven to reduce health care costs for both Target and team members because unused HRA and HAS account dollars roll over to the following plan year, helping to build savings to pay for future medical costs.


We will phase out plans that offer flat co-pays for services (like the PPO) and instead offer account-based plans with coinsurance.


As a result, 2012 will be the last year to enroll in the PPO and HMO. These plans will be available only to those who are currently enrolled.


We will continue to offer the Basic Plus PPO for Stores part-time team members. In 2012, the deductible and out-of-pocket maximums will not change.

OR

1B. LOCATIONS WITH KAISER, BCBS-ALABAMA, OR HEALTHPARTNERS HMOs
In 2013, we will offer only account-based plan options (HRA, HSA). Nearly half of our enrolled team members are already in an HRA or HAS. These plans were first offered in 2006 and have proven to reduce health care costs for both Target and team members because unused HRA and HAS account dollars roll over to the following plan year, helping team members build savings to pay for future medical costs.


We will phase out plans that offer flat co-pays for services (like the PPO) and instead offer account-based plans with coinsurance.


As a result, 2012 will be the last year to enroll in the PPO. Only those currently enrolled in the PPO will be allowed to re-enroll for 2012.


While we will continue to offer the Kaiser, HealthPartners and BCBS-Alabama HMO plans because they provide access to doctors and facilities that team members otherwise couldn’t access, these plans will be restructured to more closely align with the HRA plan.


The plans are changing for 2012, but the good news is that the premiums will be decreasing. The (Insert: Kaiser or HealthPartners) plan will continue to have copayments for some services but you will now have a deductible to reach before the coinsurance phase begins. More information about these changes will be shared during Open Enrollment. [Note: do not read this paragraph for BCBS-Alabama s the plan design is not changing in 2012.]


2. WE WILL VERIFY DEPENDENT ELIGIBILITY.
We know that our team members have good intentions when enrolling dependents, but research tells us that approximately 5 to 7 percent of enrolled dependents are actually not eligible. When ineligible dependents are enrolled in our health plans, we all pay the price in the form of higher premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.


In June 2012, all team members with a dependent enrolled in our plans will be asked to provide documentation to make sure that only eligible dependents are enrolled.


For most of you, this will not be a problem. If you are covering someone who is not eligible – such as an ex-spouse, child over age 26, or a niece or nephew for whom you are not the legal guardian – that dependent will be dropped from coverage.


The only action you need to take during Open Enrollment is to make sure you enroll only eligible dependents.   During the Dependent Verification Process in June, you will receive more information about the process, what documents are required, and support to help you complete the process. This will keep our overall costs down for all of us. Information about who is eligible is available online at http://www.targetpayandbenefits.com/  or by calling the Target Benefits Center at 800-828-5850.


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PREPARE AND EXECUTE

3.  A TOBACCO SURCHARGE WILL BE INTRODUCED.
Because tobacco use increases health care costs, you will pay an annual surcharge of $260, which equates to $5 per week, if you or any of your enrolled dependents use tobacco products.
During 2012 Open Enrollment, you will be asked to state whether you or any of your covered dependents have used tobacco products in the past six months. If you do not complete this step, you will be charged the $260 tobacco surcharge.


There are two ways to end the tobacco surcharge:
1) After six months of being tobacco free, call the Target Benefits Center to have the surcharge removed,

OR

2) Complete the free ‘Quit Plan’ tobacco cessation program and call the Target Benefits Cengter to have the surcharge removed.

4. ALL TEAM MEMBERS MUST GO ONLINE OR CALL TO ENROLL THIS YEAR.
The best way to become a better user of health care is to understand your options and make informed decisions. That’s why this year you must actively choose your benefits during Open Enrollment.

You can do this one of two ways:
   1)   Go online to www.targetpayandbenefits.com,  or
   2)    Call the Target Benefits Center at 800-828-5850  

This is a change from prior years, when you did not need to do anything if you were happy with your current plan. 

However, because we are moving to HRA and HAS plans and you will have new dental options to choose from and because many team members are in plans tht my not be most cost effective option, everyone must take this action this year during Open enrollment.

All the information you need will be available online. By reviewing your options and making your benefit choices, you are taking the first important step in being an informed health care consumer.

We want you to choose for yourself. If you do not go online or call the Target Benefits Center to re-enroll, you will be placed into a Target-selected medical plan and will be listed as a tobacco user, resulting in the $260 annual surcharge.

• We all need to take an active role in our health care decisions. We are asking for your commitment and partnership through this process. Together, we can manage our health and our health care costs.

PAUSE AND ANSWER QUESTIONS

•  I know this is a lot of information.
•  I would like to answer your questions or concerns.
[Respond using FAQs. If questions are asked that are not ddressed via FAQs, note them and email them to benefits.feedback@target.com]
                                                                                                                         21  Leader execution Guide

                                                                                                                                                                     
 PREPAIR AND EXECUTE

NEXT STEPS
•  The most important point I can make today is you MUST take action and go online or call to re-enroll in your benefits during your Open Enrollment period.   

Re-enrollment activity is highest near the end of each Open Enrollment period, so plan ahead to re-enroll early.
•  If you are not familiar with the website or don’t remember your password, please log on to http://www.targetpayandbenefits.com/  or call 800-828-5850 today to make sure that you are ready well before for Open Enrollment.
•  Even if you aren’t eligible for or interested in health care benefits, the targetpayandbenefits.com web site provides information about benefits offered to all team members, including the My Discounts website with hundreds of discounts on various goods and services, information about our free NurseLine, Team Member LifeResources and more. I encourage you to take a look.
•  Important information will be sent to your home during the upcoming months, be sure to log onto her or insideTGT to ensure that your home address is up-to-date.
•  Just as in prior years, you will receive an Open Enrollment packet that explains your enrollment options, premiums and other important information. This year it is even more important to read these materials before you enroll.
•  Changes cannot be made after March 31, 2012. Saying you were not informed about required re-enrollment will not qualify as an exception. You will be notified of required enrollment through mail, from leadership and through other communication vehicles.
•  There will be a training session available to you to help you learn more about Open Enrollment, the tools available to you, and how to use the website to enroll online.
•  Thank you for your time today.
[Respond to additional questions using the FAQs provided.]


CLOSE


                                                                                                22  Lender Execution Guide

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  Target HQ is busy looking in-


A big 'Hello' to all you Tarbutt HQ types who are looking in from Minneapolis!  I see you are spending record amounts of time on this site and also looking at some of my other sites.
 
When you drop by my blogs, site meters record this, what you look at, how long you spend and I am working on getting an app that will let me know what you had for lunch (ok I just made that one up).

IP Address: 161.225.196.111 — [Target Corporation]
Operating System: WinXP
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Resolution: 1280x800
Visit Length: 23 hours 45 mins 5 secs (this stat is just for the last 2 days!)

You are all welcome, download all you like and poke around as much as you want.  Some of you may be thinking of leaving Tarbutt, before you do be sure and take with you some nice T. confidential information and when you are gone keep me in mind as I would like to publish some of these documents.  I am particularly interested in anything that shows other Team members just how T. is screwing them, so keep me in mind for such things but FYI, I do not pay for or sell such info.  (drop a line to me via:  consumeractivist@hotmail.com )

Don't forget to look at other interesting Tarbutt sites, such as:

http://targetfiling.blogspot.com/
http://targetccguidelines.blogspot.com/
http://beckfordvtarget.blogspot.com/
http://targetguidelines.blogspot.com/
http://targetapdirectives2006.blogspot.com/

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 12/31/11