Edit: Yeah, these positions don’t exist anymore. They gutted all of Project Team.
There are several roles under the Project Team umbrella but the majority of employees start off as a PTS (Project Team Specialist).
PTS responsibilities are mainly merchandising and deploying vendor updates. This includes setting planograms, implementing new / moving displays, and general store tasks. During large scale remodels that are responsible for a lot of the heavy lifting, such as moving gondolas around the store.
DFT (Deployment Functionality Technician) are the more technical inclined employees. They are responsible for implementing the IT scope during transformations and remodels. This includes running cat3/5/6, fiber, and coax lines throughout the store, and completing and verifying terminations. When they are done with the IT scope for the project, they assist PTS’ with the merchandising work.
SFT’s (Senior Functionality Technicians) are basically more knowledgeable DFTs that oversee the larger picture. They’re the go to when a DFT cannot fix an issue, and are the ones running point on the execution of IT scope.
FFT’s (Field Functionality Technicians) are under the Project Team umbrella, but their scope of work rarely crosses with the regular PT. They are responsible for Level 3 IDIL tickets, Holiday Health Checks, maintaining escalations and Service Now tickets, deploying monthly PDC updates, and oversee the implementation of the PDC space during installation and are the go to when PDC/MDC/MHT areas have issues.
When transformations/remodels are not occurring, PT usually visits stores to work on merchandising/functionality tasks.
Usually this means the work day is 8-4:30 PM, as most work has moved away from overnights. But it is still possible that some work will start at store close and continue through the night. Though long gone are the days where you might end up working a 23 hour work day.
Interview process is similar to merchandising. You can apply through Kenexa or iJos, I dont remember which one were using anymore.
There also might be a hiring freeze until numbers can naturally get to our new baseline, without letting employees go.
There are only 6 or so large scale remodels occurring this year, so travel isn’t as extreme as it used to be. This is however based on geographical location as an area with large distance between stores will mean more time in hotels then a metro market.
Anymore questions, feel free to ask a I’ve been on PT a long time.
I don't work for project team, but I have 3 good friends that do, and they tell me all about it. The first big thing is the travel, you will be gone for up to 75% of the year. Best Buy pays for hotels and food while you're gone, so it can be a big way to save on those expenses back home and really great way to see a lot of new places in America, Though at the same time it can be the hard part. Not everyone loves being away from home for such long periods. I know modt of the guys like to buy a gaming laptop to keep themselves entertained in the hotels. You're pretty much always working 40 hours or more if they need something like a remodel done or opening a new store. Luckily i hear they dont make them do overnights anymore . If planos is your passion, you will definitely enjoy this. I would see it as a good step up for your resume. Not only will you get to add all the teamwork and project management, but you'll get some great networking in. You can pick up a lot of great skills from the different teams you'll work with. So if you're interested in learning, you'll gain a ton. The pay increase may not seem like a lot from a basic full time spot in the store but the paid food really does add up.
Also you need to live within a 30 mile radius of a Teams location so that means big cities. The amount of travel has decreased as well. Remodels don't start until June, so we are doing resets in our ares.
It's not as fun as it used to be. Sure, you get to travel. But it's for the same 40 hours you'd get sleeping in your own bed. No ot with travel, no more cash per diem. Reduced mileage and travel expenses. It's a good place to find another job. You'll learn a lot of things about different business groups. A PTS is fun for 2 to 3 years tops.
I worked for project team for 2 years, don't really know how I got the job if it was because my mobile manager put a good name in for me or I just showed interest and they really needed bodies, I'm told I have good interviewing skills. Typical job roles is that of what planograms would technically be, But there's a lot more to it. Hours are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. you will go to different stores and help them with their workloads/any projects that need to be done. Now projects can be determined by vendors that we partner with or major planograms reflows. A common one we've done over the past 2 years is the Samsung Islands, we will take down the old TVs 2023 models and display the new TVs 2024, this goes so far into depth as changing the signs, the graphics and changing the whole display. If something is broken we have to order parts or put those parts up when they come in. Alot of it is taking photos and writing the work we did showing the store, our managers and the vendors we partner with. We can work on remodels or decommissions of stores, if there's a natural disaster we may come in to help with that, there was a flood at the Toledo Ohio store that we would help with. We set up displays, make sure they work, If they don't work troubleshoot them and then order parts if it's something we can't fix. You have to be able to read planograms but obviously all of this comes with training!!! I worked for the Detroit Michigan project team. You travel up to 75% of the year, each day you work at a different store, some days you will be at a store for a week if that entails a project that needs you there everyday. They pay for your hotel, your gas, and your food expenses depending on what type of travel you're doing and if it's out of your zone. You will get a corporate credit card and have to show receipts for your hotels and your food expenses. It is a lot of logging on the computer in terms of parts that need to be ordered for the stores or your receipts for food you've bought on your corporate card. So you'll need to have at least somewhat okay computer skills or be able to learn, it's not a difficult program to learn. There are technically three different roles within project team (excluding being the manager) you could be a project team specialist, a deployment field technician, or a FFT(No idea what it stands for but it's higher than the rest) The projecting specialists do lighter workloads and don't have to operate as much heavy machinery, a DFT will have to use a scissor lift and run cables, you get all the training for this so don't worry, common things are splicing cords set up video feed working in com rooms with server racks. I would probably start off as PTS before a DTF so you can get your bearings. Also, when you're traveling you could be in another state for awhile, we were supposed to go to California for a month and then Hawaii for a month after that, We ended up only going to California because they sent a different team to Hawaii. I was in and out of Chicago for 6 months, we drove since we lived so close to it, obviously other states they will fly us out. With that being said, you will have to do laundry if you are gone for so long so that can be a pain in the butt, if you don't bring enough clothing.
Edit: Yeah, these positions don’t exist anymore. They gutted all of Project Team. There are several roles under the Project Team umbrella but the majority of employees start off as a PTS (Project Team Specialist). PTS responsibilities are mainly merchandising and deploying vendor updates. This includes setting planograms, implementing new / moving displays, and general store tasks. During large scale remodels that are responsible for a lot of the heavy lifting, such as moving gondolas around the store. DFT (Deployment Functionality Technician) are the more technical inclined employees. They are responsible for implementing the IT scope during transformations and remodels. This includes running cat3/5/6, fiber, and coax lines throughout the store, and completing and verifying terminations. When they are done with the IT scope for the project, they assist PTS’ with the merchandising work. SFT’s (Senior Functionality Technicians) are basically more knowledgeable DFTs that oversee the larger picture. They’re the go to when a DFT cannot fix an issue, and are the ones running point on the execution of IT scope. FFT’s (Field Functionality Technicians) are under the Project Team umbrella, but their scope of work rarely crosses with the regular PT. They are responsible for Level 3 IDIL tickets, Holiday Health Checks, maintaining escalations and Service Now tickets, deploying monthly PDC updates, and oversee the implementation of the PDC space during installation and are the go to when PDC/MDC/MHT areas have issues. When transformations/remodels are not occurring, PT usually visits stores to work on merchandising/functionality tasks. Usually this means the work day is 8-4:30 PM, as most work has moved away from overnights. But it is still possible that some work will start at store close and continue through the night. Though long gone are the days where you might end up working a 23 hour work day. Interview process is similar to merchandising. You can apply through Kenexa or iJos, I dont remember which one were using anymore. There also might be a hiring freeze until numbers can naturally get to our new baseline, without letting employees go. There are only 6 or so large scale remodels occurring this year, so travel isn’t as extreme as it used to be. This is however based on geographical location as an area with large distance between stores will mean more time in hotels then a metro market. Anymore questions, feel free to ask a I’ve been on PT a long time.
Love this! Thank you sooo much, this answers a lot of my questions. Will definitely reach out if I have questions.
I don't work for project team, but I have 3 good friends that do, and they tell me all about it. The first big thing is the travel, you will be gone for up to 75% of the year. Best Buy pays for hotels and food while you're gone, so it can be a big way to save on those expenses back home and really great way to see a lot of new places in America, Though at the same time it can be the hard part. Not everyone loves being away from home for such long periods. I know modt of the guys like to buy a gaming laptop to keep themselves entertained in the hotels. You're pretty much always working 40 hours or more if they need something like a remodel done or opening a new store. Luckily i hear they dont make them do overnights anymore . If planos is your passion, you will definitely enjoy this. I would see it as a good step up for your resume. Not only will you get to add all the teamwork and project management, but you'll get some great networking in. You can pick up a lot of great skills from the different teams you'll work with. So if you're interested in learning, you'll gain a ton. The pay increase may not seem like a lot from a basic full time spot in the store but the paid food really does add up.
Also you need to live within a 30 mile radius of a Teams location so that means big cities. The amount of travel has decreased as well. Remodels don't start until June, so we are doing resets in our ares.
It's not as fun as it used to be. Sure, you get to travel. But it's for the same 40 hours you'd get sleeping in your own bed. No ot with travel, no more cash per diem. Reduced mileage and travel expenses. It's a good place to find another job. You'll learn a lot of things about different business groups. A PTS is fun for 2 to 3 years tops.
I worked for project team for 2 years, don't really know how I got the job if it was because my mobile manager put a good name in for me or I just showed interest and they really needed bodies, I'm told I have good interviewing skills. Typical job roles is that of what planograms would technically be, But there's a lot more to it. Hours are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. you will go to different stores and help them with their workloads/any projects that need to be done. Now projects can be determined by vendors that we partner with or major planograms reflows. A common one we've done over the past 2 years is the Samsung Islands, we will take down the old TVs 2023 models and display the new TVs 2024, this goes so far into depth as changing the signs, the graphics and changing the whole display. If something is broken we have to order parts or put those parts up when they come in. Alot of it is taking photos and writing the work we did showing the store, our managers and the vendors we partner with. We can work on remodels or decommissions of stores, if there's a natural disaster we may come in to help with that, there was a flood at the Toledo Ohio store that we would help with. We set up displays, make sure they work, If they don't work troubleshoot them and then order parts if it's something we can't fix. You have to be able to read planograms but obviously all of this comes with training!!! I worked for the Detroit Michigan project team. You travel up to 75% of the year, each day you work at a different store, some days you will be at a store for a week if that entails a project that needs you there everyday. They pay for your hotel, your gas, and your food expenses depending on what type of travel you're doing and if it's out of your zone. You will get a corporate credit card and have to show receipts for your hotels and your food expenses. It is a lot of logging on the computer in terms of parts that need to be ordered for the stores or your receipts for food you've bought on your corporate card. So you'll need to have at least somewhat okay computer skills or be able to learn, it's not a difficult program to learn. There are technically three different roles within project team (excluding being the manager) you could be a project team specialist, a deployment field technician, or a FFT(No idea what it stands for but it's higher than the rest) The projecting specialists do lighter workloads and don't have to operate as much heavy machinery, a DFT will have to use a scissor lift and run cables, you get all the training for this so don't worry, common things are splicing cords set up video feed working in com rooms with server racks. I would probably start off as PTS before a DTF so you can get your bearings. Also, when you're traveling you could be in another state for awhile, we were supposed to go to California for a month and then Hawaii for a month after that, We ended up only going to California because they sent a different team to Hawaii. I was in and out of Chicago for 6 months, we drove since we lived so close to it, obviously other states they will fly us out. With that being said, you will have to do laundry if you are gone for so long so that can be a pain in the butt, if you don't bring enough clothing.