Passive aggressive corporate culture that favors those who meet the 'norm'. Young women are particular victims of this trend- I worked here right out of college and in place where I was not ready to settle down. A majority of my peers (women age 30 and below) were married, in serious relationships who constantly talked about marriage, or married with children and I keenly made aware by my coworkers that I was the odd man out because I didn't share their priorities at present. Moreover, if you are an out of state transplant you feel similar push back. Target has a real issue keeping BAs, and particularly out of state BAs, from staying more than a few years, therefore leaving a majority of buyers, managers, and higher ups to be Minnesotans (and northern Iowans) or those who married Minnesotans. AKA Minnesota and their summer lake houses are all people talk about and gives the organization a 'Minnesota nice' mentality from the top down.
If you are a college graduate looking at target for your first job, please evaluate all aspects of the culture and your long term goals before accepting an offer here. Target does a great job of wining and dining new recruits and you can get lost in the luster of what they are offering. Really talk to Interviewers and Recruiters about diversity, corporate culture, and their backgrounds before making your decision - I was seduced by the pay, benefits, and the allure of working for such a well known organization and the reality was I spent my first year out of school miserable, working a job I didn't want to get out of bed for.
