Internship Spotlight: Elizabeth Erb, Target

Elizabeth Erb '23 BSBA (Operations & Supply Chain Management) was an Operations Manager at Target in Tucson, AZ

What was the process of getting this internship, job, or summer experience? The process in getting this internship was pretty simple, and Target really fostered a great interview process. I saw a post on LinkedIn regarding a recent Eller graduate starting at Target, and saw that they had interned as an Operations Manager. So with a quick Google search, I saw a job posting and applied. Target Human Resources reached out and scheduled an interview with a recruiter. After my interview with my recruiter, I was was scheduled to have an interview with two senior managers at the Tucson warehouse. I heard back within a week of that last interview. 

What was a typical day like? A typical day included getting to the warehouse and checking for call outs from team members and then we would receive the total ship plan for the day (which was usually between 20,000 - 30,000 units) from the production controller. Using those we would build a staffing plan for the day, and then attend a meeting to let the other departments know our plan for the day. At 4pm we would greet our team members to conduct warm ups and get the day started. Every three hours we attended meetings, "check and adjusts," where we connected with the other departments to see how we can support one another in ensuring the daily plan was met. In between those meetings I spent my time on the warehouse floor supporting my team members and making staffing adjustments. 

What was your favorite part of the experience? Getting to know all my team members! I managed a group of about 50 people and I was lucky enough to get to know each of them over the 8 weeks I was there. 

If you worked on a big project, please describe it below: Over the summer I had the great opportunity to partner with my fellow intern, Ian, to give a tour of the whole Tucson Distribution Center, along with a presentation, to a group of Target store executives and global supply chain leaders. This was a great opportunity to show what we had learned over 8 weeks!

What advice do you have for other students looking for a similar experience, or advice for future students to be successful? My advice would to just be confident in your skills and put yourself out there! Also, it never hurts to apply to a job, even if you are scared you won't get it.