LIHU‘E — There are up to 300 employment opportunities available, now, said Dee Ann Facuri, the Target Lihu‘e store manager.
“Traditionally, we do several hiring fairs to fill positions,” Facuri said. “However, with the current COVID-19 situation, we can’t do that.”
However, the website indicates only 74 positions for the state of Hawai‘i, and just a dozen for the store in Lihu‘e that will open shortly.
“Those are some of the positions being advertised,” Facuri said. “We always hire more than one individual for a position. We’ve already gotten responses from the hiring appearance done earlier by Target’s Koa Kubera, and those people are now in training at other Target stores.”
Available positions include the range from department managers and leads to team members, with each job offering employee benefits that include a 10% Target discount and competitive wages that include starting pay at $15.75 an hour. Heading to target.com is the first step in applying for any of the positions, she said.
“We want people from the community to become part of the Target ‘ohana. We’re making it easy for people to apply,” Facuri said. “We have all shifts available, including open, regular, seasonal, and the new, on-demand sifts. People who act quickly are able to work up to 40 hours a week.”
On-demand shifts require that applicants be qualified for Target employment but are able to schedule their own shifts. On-demand employees also get employee discounts.
The normal process is for applicants to fill out the forms at target.com/careers. A “hiring” flier also lists 808-482-0084 as the phone number to call for more information.
“We’re making it easy for people,” Facuri said. “We have a temporary office located adjacent to Kumu’s Cupboard, and people are able to come in there to fill out an application, or even schedule an interview.”
Additionally, Facuri said Target Lihu‘e, scheduled to open in the fall, is seeking local vendors to supply some of the store’s needs.
David Sosner, Kukui Grove Center general manager, and Josh Pajela, the Kukui Grove operations manager, confirmed the store’s progress toward opening while touring the Kukui Grove Marketplace on Wednesday.
According to the U.S. Federal Reserve, the unemployment rate for Kaua‘i in May of 2021 was at 11.30% after reaching a record-high 32% in April of 2020, and a record low of 1.6% in October of 2017.
“Construction is progressing nicely,” Sosner said. “They’re getting close.”
Kukui Grove is also offering a variety of employment opportunities in anticipation of extending its COVID-19-shortened operating hours.
“Our kukuigrovecenter.com website has a little-used or known ‘jobs’ tab that we’ve been able to turn into a virtual job fair,” said Melissa McFerrin-Warrack, the center’s specialty leasing and marketing manager.
“We have posted all of the employment opportunities from all of the shopping center’s tenants, and will also have the links to the Target and Ross Dress for Less opportunities. It’s a virtual job fair with everything in one place so people can do one-stop shopping for employment opportunities.”
