I applied for a job at three different Target stores in the surrounding area. When you fill out the application online you can select them in the order of which you want to apply from first to third. I was curious as to which Target my application was currently at, so I asked someone I know who works at the third Target on my list if they could have someone they know in HR check and tell me. My application was still at my first choice. A couple of days later, I get a call from the third Target I had selected (the Memphis Central Target) to set up a phone interview. I set up the interview for the following day. I tend to get nervous in more formal situations. I overthink things and ramble on, so I did research on possible questions they might ask me and typed them and my answers up to refer back to. The one question I felt I messed up on was one that wasn’t on my list. While the interview process may have been a bit difficult for me for a number of reasons, it'd probably be average or even easy for most people. It took maybe fifteen minutes at the most. I got a call the next day from this Target, but I wasn’t near my phone at the time. They had left a voicemail message wanting to schedule an in person interview with me. I called back immediately which was a little less than ten minutes after they had called me, but I was told the person I would need to speak to had left for the day and I need to call back tomorrow. I called back the next morning, but the person I would need to talk to was not there for the day. I would have to call back the next day. I called back the next morning, but she had to leave and wouldn’t be back until the afternoon, so I was told to call back then. I called back that afternoon and I was about to get the usual bit I’ve received from many places about how I can’t call to talk to someone about my application (after being asked if I had filled out an online application) but that they would call me. I then explained to the woman my situation and she told me that the person I needed to speak to was there and directed my call to her line. I was directed there three times and back to the main desk where the woman told me that she believed who I needed to speak to probably wasn’t in the office at the moment but she would take my name and number and have her call me back. The weekend passed and then Monday I called again, because a person I know who works at this particular store informed me that sometimes people do not pass on the message. The person who answered the phone told me that they were backed up in the hiring process and that the person I needed to speak to was holding interviews and people were still calling trying to schedule interviews. She informed me that the people over hiring planned to call everyone back and suggested I wait until they called. I checked my email the next morning, and I received that standard, ‘Thank you, but we're not hiring at this time’ letter. But just the other day I was told this Target store is behind in the hiring process and still had interviews to set up. I believe the only reason I was called for an interview is because of the person I know who works there. I only asked her to see where my application was (because Target doesn't send emails to notify people when their application has moved to their next choice) but she probably asked them to consider me. I had been applying there for five years and had never heard a word before then. They wouldn't even take a phone call. I feel I should add that for the holiday season of 2016 you can call and speak to someone about employment. I have multiple times for the Memphis East Target store and still haven't heard back from anyone though. Their assessment test for the application has also changed a lot since then. It's not any better than the previous assessment test, it actually seems a little bit worse to me, but at least you can call and talk to them now. It's progress, if only for the holiday season.