31 Target employees shared the most useful thing they've learned at work, and 5 lessons kept coming up

Five Target team members told Business Insider that they had gained valuable soft skills through working at the chain.

"It has benefited my confidence and made me come out of my shell, because you have to be more outgoing and bold," an employee from Pennsylvania told Business Insider. "I deal with all kinds of bull-crap — sorry — everyday. So it, in a way, forces you to step up or you'll get walked all over."

Two employees said that they learned that patience is important, while another team member from Colorado said they learned "how to talk to people."

And a team member from California told Business Insider that they learned they were a "strong a-- person."

"I know how to do so many things now, and, even if I don't I know, I'm capable of learning," the team member added. "And I'm fast. Adaptability is key, and Target has really helped me to hone that flexibility in my work life and my personal life."

"People may not remember your name, but they'll remember the way you made them feel," one Target team member told Business Insider.

The team member said they always tried to remember that "you never know what kind of day someone is having" and that a smile "can make someone feel important."

The team member described an encounter with a woman who called the store. The customer, who said they were facing a family tragedy, was frantic because the store's pharmacy was set to take two hours to fill her anti-anxiety prescription.

"The woman on the phone was in the middle of the worst panic attack of her life," the team member said. "I can never forget how shaky and frantic her voice sounded. At this point, I realized that I was the only person she had to keep her sane."

"I hope I helped her enough until she could get the proper assistance she urgently needed..." the Target team member added. "I think about her a lot and want to give her the biggest hug ever."

A former Target team member from Virginia told Business Insider that they learned "how to be less of a nuisance and more helpful to retail workers" from working at the store.

The former employee said they developed a better "understanding that retail workers are actual people and not in control of every sale Target has, so getting mad at them accomplishes nothing."

One Target team member from Virginia said they gleaned a ton of information about the strategies Target uses to sell its goods.

"The way the whole store is constructed is done to make people spend money," the employee told Business Insider. "The dollar section is placed at the entrance to catch your eye, because it is cheap in price and encourages you to pick it up."

The employee continued that the seasonal and grocery items are toward the back of the store.

"So you have to walk by the clothing and toy section to get to them," the employee said. "And Starbucks is in the front, to keep you wired as you make all your purchases."

Are you a Target team member with a story to share? Email acain@businessinsider.com.