How Old Do You Have to be to Work at Target?

Generally speaking, to get a job at a Target store in specialty sales, service & engagement, or general merchandise and food sales, you must be at least 16 years old. To be a team leaderㅡor to work in their Distribution Centersㅡyou must be at least 18 years old.

As part of Target’s collaborative and guest-obsessed team, you help create an experience that makes guests say, “I love Target!”  When you work at Target, you’re helping every family discover the joy in everyday life.  

You’re working alongside a dedicated team that brings their passion and pride to all that they do. Target delights their guests with area experts ready to assist with items that are in-stock and priced accurately ensuring guests have an enjoyable experience both in stores and online.

Teen Jobs at Target and Age Requirements

Specialty Sales (Hourly)

The specialty sales team at Target is a sales force of specialized consultants who provide tailored suggestions and solutions through active selling and compelling visual merchandising presentations that inspire guests and build the basket. 

Teams in Apparel and Accessories (A&A), Beauty, and Tech (Electronics) prioritize guest experience while blending completion of tasks that ensure product is available and easy to shop – pulling, filling, pricing, setting, staging, and maintaining the sales floor and the backroom.

At Target, they believe in their team members having meaningful experiences that help them build and develop skills for a career. The specialty sales roles can provide you with the:

• Skills in guest service and active selling
• Knowledge building in industry trends including brand differentiation
• Knowledge of retail business fundamentals: department sales trends, inventory management, guest shopping patterns, pricing and promotions strategies and basic merchandising

The skills needed for a job in specialty sales are:

• Strong interest and knowledge in one of these areas: A&A, Beauty, and/or Tech (Electronics)
• Welcoming and helpful attitude toward guests and other team members
• Learn and adapt to current technology needs
• Effective communication skills
• Work both independently and with a team
• Resolve guest questions quickly on the spot

You must be at least 16 years old to work in specialty sales at Target. 

Service & Engagement (Hourly)

The service & engagement team at Target are advocates of the guest experience who welcome, thank, and exceed guest service expectations by focusing on guest interaction and recovery. Teams are empowered to make shopping easy and seamless for guests at the checklanes, guest services, gift registry, pick-up, and drive up.

Some of the job titles on the service & engagement team include Cashier, Cart Attendant, and Service Desk.

At Target, they  believe their team members have meaningful experiences that help them build and develop skills for a career. These roles can provide you with the:

• Knowledge of guest service fundamentals and experience supporting a “guest first” culture across the store  
• Experience in retail business fundamentals: department sales trends, inventory management, and process efficiency and improvement 
• Experience executing daily/weekly workload to support business priorities and deliver on sales goals

Some of the basic skills Target expects from their service & engagement team include:

• Accurately handle cash register operations
• Climb up and down ladders
• Scan, handle, and move merchandise efficiently and safely, including frequently lifting or moving merchandise up to 40 pounds 
• Flexible work schedule (e.g., nights, weekends and holidays) and regular attendance necessary

You must be at least 16 years old to work in service & engagement at Target.

General Merchandise & Food Sales  (Hourly)

General merchandise & food sales at Target is a team of experts in the areas of operations, process, and efficiency. This team enables a consistent experience for Target guests by ensuring product is set, in-stock, accurately priced, and signed on the sales floor. 

The General Merchandise and Food Sales team leads inbound, outbound, replenishment, inventory accuracy, presentation, pricing, and promotional signing processes for all general merchandise areas of the store. This team leads Food & Beverage, and Food Service, providing a fresh and food safe experience. Experts enable efficient delivery to Target guests by owning pick, pack, and ship fulfillment work.

If you are interested in Food and Beverage, the team focuses on providing a fresh and food safe experience for the guest in all Food & Beverage and Food Service areas.

Roles in general merchandise & food sales include:

• General Merchandise Expert
• Closing Expert
• Presentation Expert
• Fulfillment Expert
• Inbound Expert
• Reverse Logistics Expert
• Food Service Expert
• Starbucks Barista
• Food & Beverage Expert
• Food & Beverage Expert - Adult Bev (limited stores only)

To work in general merchandise and food sales at Target, you must be at least 16 years old.

Can a 15 Year Old Work at Target?

Because the minimum age to work at Target is 16, 15-year-olds can’t work there, but we have a page on our website specifically for 15-year-olds that you can view instead.

Can a 16 Year Old Work at Target? 

The minimum age to work at Target is 16, so 16-year-olds can work there. We have a page on our website specifically for 16-year-olds that you can view for other options.

How Much Does Target Pay Part-Time Workers?

The hourly earnings for employees at Target vary because of state and city minimum wage laws. However, we can give you a general idea of what the hourly pay is for each position. 

Specialty Sales (Hourly)

Specialty sales team members at Target make somewhere between minimum wage and $15 per hour. If you are coming in at entry-level without any prior experience, then you will most likely start close to  minimum wage.

The average hourly rate for a Target specialty sales team member is $12.

Service & Engagement (Hourly)

The rate of pay for service & engagement team members is between minimum wage and $15 an hour. You will most likely start at the lower end of the range, but depending on your previous experience, you might be able to negotiate a higher starting wage.

The average hourly wage for service & engagement team members at Target is $12.

General Merchandise & Food Sales (Hourly)

The rate of pay for general merchandise and food sales at Target is between minimum wage and $18 an hour.  You can negotiate your pay rate based on your previous retail experience.

The average hourly rate for a Target general merchandise & food sales team member is $13. 

How Much Experience Do You Need to Work at Target?

Target is an entry-level, friendly company, so you can apply for a position without any experience and get hired. However, if you do have previous retail experience, that can help you negotiate a higher rate of pay.

What Should You Wear to a Job Interview at Target?

When you show up for your interview at Target, you will want to be dressed in business casual attire.  Consider something like a buttoned-down shirt with nice slacks and dress shoes. You do not want to show up too casual in a t-shirt and jeans, but you don’t need to be too formal and show up in a business suit.

Target Interview Questions

The possible questions in a job interview are endless, and it always depends on the interviewer. There are some common questions that they have been known to ask most applicants. However, be prepared for some curveball questions. 

Do you work well with a team?

Why are they asking?  

There are a lot of different positions in the store, and each one has individual responsibilities that will make the store run efficiently and smoothly. They want to know if you can do your part and work well with the team. However, there are also positions available that are a little bit more independent, so if that is a better fit for you, they need to know this.

What’s the ideal answer?

Obviously, the ideal answer to this question is “yes.” If you have examples from previous jobs or in school situations where you have worked successfully with a team, then definitely share those. However, if you would rather have a position that is something you can do on your own, that’s ok. Just be ready to explain why you work better independently than you do on a team.

If a product that a customer wanted was no longer available in stock at the store, what would you do?

Why are they asking?  

If they ask you this question, they are trying to find out what job skills you would bring to the position, and if you can think on your feet and make a sale. In this scenario the customer is wanting to spend money, so you need to figure out how to land the sale without having exactly what the customer is looking for.

What’s the ideal answer?

Product knowledge in your department is importantㅡespecially in specialty sales. But, even in general merchandise and food sales, you need to know what products are available for sale. You should know best sellers, new products, promotions, and sales items.

If a customer wants something that is no longer available, the answer to this question is to know alternative product options that are on the shelves that you can recommend. Having product knowledge is essential to success at a retail job, and the more you know, the better customer service you can give.

Why should we hire you?

Why are they asking?  

If a manager asks you this question, they are trying to get you to sell yourself. A big part of your job at Target is to give excellent customer service and to be able to drive sales with excellent communication and product knowledge. 

They are wanting to find out how well you can communicate while being positive and professional. If you can sell yourself, you can sell their merchandise.

What’s the ideal answer?

Know your strengths. If you get asked this question, tell them how you will benefit their business. They want to hear that you are creative, have above average verbal communication skills, have a friendly and upbeat demeanor, and can successfully sell merchandise.

Tell them that you are a reliable worker who will show up to work on time for every scheduled shift. If you want a career with Target, definitely let them know because there are opportunities for advancement. And, their store team lead, store manager,  and district manager positions pay very well.

Benefits of Working at Target 

Everyone who works at Target gets a merchandise discount.  However, the benefits they offer are for workers who average at least 30 hours per week.

Benefits include:

• Paid time off, paid holidays, and paid sick days
• Annual Bonuses
• Vacation 
• 401K and Retirement Plan
• Flexible spending account
• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Mental health care

What it’s Like to Work at Target