It's not a game any more.

So I am a little annoyed today with work. I am in what is called a learning group, which is a group of people who are training to be in my same position through out our district. Of the people in the group I am the youngest and one of the only 2 that is new to Target. So everything I do is creating a first impression for all of my higher ups. We have been given a project to go over the company's donations and look at our grant process. We also get to look for other non-profit groups that would fit into our giving guidelines and recommend a group to give money to. For me this is something I like doing, I have been on the other side with the non-profit. It is really nice to be the one to be able to give out that money.

The problem that has come up is one of the guys in my group left early today without helping. He has the same position as the rest of us, so he should be helping us. I got a little mad because he has been there for 4+ years so he better start taking this serious. If this goes bad, it hurts me more than any of them. Every other person in my group has a history with Target, except for me. So I can't fuck up. Target is a competitive place, and if you haven't noticed I am stepping up my game. I want to make sure I am doing well and that I stand out in a positive light, which will help me make more money!

We also have a "know it all" in the group, and no it isn't me. She is brand new to Target yet thinks she has all the answers. She also tries to lead us, which doesn't work well. She does it in a way that is totally patronizing, like talking down to us. When she gets into a store and takes over leadership, she is going to have issues. The moment anyone tries to correct her is going to cause problems. In Target if you can't take constructive criticism you will fail.

I do feel very good about getting this job. Target is a huge company that makes 50 billion a year. Their interview process, background screening, and hiring process is very intensive. I had 6 interviews with Target and had to fill out a test, which includes a logic portion. I have a friend who applied and was turned down. Target is also big on having their staff from within move up, so for me to enter the company brand new says something about me. Yes I am building my ego, but I need that right now. There are only two people total in my learning group that are new, the rest have years of experience. So I entered into a position that it took someone 4 years to get to. That makes me feel pretty damn good. This huge corporation saw something in me that they wanted on their team. They have a lot of people apply for this position, but I made it! Some may be thinking this is just Target, but it isn't. This is the real thing for real money.

It is funny though, we are all trying to jockey into position. Some are tying to do it by knowing everything, others want to do it because they have been there for years. For me I want to do it with my work. I want to make sure that everything I do "exceeds" their expectations (old hotel thing). And as Sadie knows, I am good at going above and beyond. That is why tonight I am getting everything together for our project, I won't let us fail. That is also why my poster is already finished, and looks damn good! I want people to talk about my work in a positive way long after I am finished with the training.

I also met my first homo the other day. He is the logistics guy in Riverdale. It was kind of funny we both picked up that the other was a homo right away. I don't know what it is, maybe I am a flaming homo, but some people can tell. It was good that I met him though. I was able to talk about my worries about being open to everyone, but he said I would be fine. Target even has a LGBT network within Target. I am also completely protected with rights and benefits being gay. I can also offer my partner (should I ever find one) health benefits and things like that. I also have to find a mentor within the company, someone who can help lead me where I need and want to be. I think he will be a good option, he will be a store manager soon so he has the experience and I can learn a lot from him.

There are some random facts that I have discovered about Target. I bet you never knew this but Target has its own forensic lab. This is so good that police agencies come to them for help in cases. Target being extra nice does the work for them for free. And this isn't me trying to talk them up, they literally were able to put a tape recording back together, one that NASA couldn't even fix. They started this lab as a way to investigate crimes within their stores. So clearly you should not shop lift in Target, they have a lab that will come after you!

So that's the update of the day. I am in the process of buying a new car, I think it's going to be an Audi! I figure I may as well get the car I want so I don't end up wanting a new one right away.