ALDI Graduate Area Manager... Am I mad?

Ginger83

I cannot speak for Aldi but I have a story to tell you all about the so called great Lidl.
I was made redundant from my job about 4 years ago. I took a job in the midlands and my partner moved down with me. She could not get a job for love nor money. We spent 5 months trying to get her something to do. She applied for everything. Even the fas courses she put in for were knocked back due to low numbers.
Then.... She applied to Lidl for a job as an assistant manager. She went for an interview, oh great job,great money this, that t'other,cars,holidays, sun moon and stars. She was offered an took the job as assistant manager.

She started on a salary of 36k on a proposed 5 day week. The first few weeks went fine, breaking her in easy I suppose. Then it all happened. 6 days per week, 7 days per week. Staff shortages, the phone never stopped ringing on her days off for her to come in cos this guy couldnt make it or this girl had to have her day off. She was left to run the whole store after about 6 weeks, from working on the till to stocking the shelves to manually unloading the lorries that came to deliver stock. She had to get into her car at any hour of her working day to go to work in this store,that store no matter how far away it was cos of staff shortages. I was there some days for a chat and you wouldnt believe the way some customers treated and spoke to her, I dunno how I stopped myself from smacking a few of them. She was refused holidays she booked plenty of time in advance, was called in on her hols, had her job quietly threatened if she did not come in. She was run down, I wasnt getting to see her anymore, she wasnt eating, we were always rowing over the littlest of things. She looked exausted and terrible. Black bags under her eyes, 4 hours sleep per night, worried if her phone went dead.

I just hit breaking point...
One morning she left for work at 6am, to be in for 6.30am to stock up or whatever before she opened the store. The day went by, I waited 5pm,6pm,7pm,8pm,9pm,10pm,11pm,midnight- then I exploded, I had enough, into the car, extremely roadrage was on the menu. I broke every rule of the road in the book!
Down to Lidl I went, a quarter past midnight. Almost 18 yes 18 f***ing hours later there they all were stocking shelves. Up with the handbrake, out, nearly kicked the front door off its hinges and demanded her out. One of the girls had the cheek to say to me she was not allowed to leave. I told her to get out now and told the girl not to expect her back. She told me in the 18 odd hours of that day she had NOTHING to eat, she didnt even have time to go for a p**s. What a kip, a ****hole, a demeaning excuse for a job. Who in their right sane mind would even consider it.
The week after we went down to fas to try for something else. In the meantime the social welfare office refused to pay her anything but I stuck to my guns and she stayed at home.

Other than the above its a great place to work. Best of luck and congradulations to anyone who applied for a job and was 'lucky' to be offered one.

dotsflan

ive had pretty much the same experience with lidl last year!! although i was only a store assitant was working 7 days a week, no such thing as overtime pay, getting phone calls on days off, in the end i lasted 2 months and told the manager to stick his job, since found a job i love and i hope your partner finds something she likes soon, (wont be to hard after lidl:p)

Ginger83

dotsflan wrote: »

ive had pretty much the same experience with lidl last year!! although i was only a store assitant was working 7 days a week, no such thing as overtime pay, getting phone calls on days off, in the end i lasted 2 months and told the manager to stick his job, since found a job i love and i hope your partner finds something she likes soon, (wont be to hard after lidl:p)

I knew she wasn't the only one. Happy you got sorted, my partner did too, she's doing a job she loves for decent people with proper working conditions.

I can't understand the positions being hyped up to be something they are not. It might be all well and good earning 50k-60k per annum but its not if you have to move your life and bed and live in the place. Because thats the way they operate, work you to the bone, two working weeks in one, no time for yourself or family, i pity the children these people might have, poor kids.
All in all I'm pleased my missus left, she may not be on the great big Lidl money but she is treated very well, does not come home like a zombie or an antichrist to me and can relax on her days off. Fair play!

cautchy

I have an interview tomoro with Aldi! It really does seem like some craic reading all these posts! Is there anyone still working there and even slightly enjoying it!?

Ginger83

I doubt it but I'll come back to you if you get it and you can tell me what you think after oh hmm about 6weeks.

orenkay

hi everyone...i have recently had the group interview and the 2nd stage 1 vs 1 interview and got a call yesterday telling me i got through to the third round with an interview with 3 donald mckay and 2 regional directors!!! can anybody tell me anything about what i can expect in the third interview...eg will they be asking me what actions would i take in certain situations etc or will it be similar to the 2nd round except its the regional managers im trying to convince im good enough and get them to agree with donald??? dont know when the interview will be yet...they said they have to try arrange a time to suit all 4 involved which can be difficult!!!

shoegirl

Drapper wrote: »

area managers no#

I'm not being negative, go blind to a store and ask yourself.......... I know 7 people who have gone through Lidl and ALdi and all have said the same...

Large Staff turnover is a reason of what?

A lot of places in Ireland have had a high turnover in recent years because of the availability of other jobs with better conditions, pay and prospects. Things are quite likely to change as the environment rapidly deteriorates, which is certainly appears to be doing right now.

I would consider if the "fit" is for you? I work almost 50 hours a week most weeks in a non retail role but the job is very satisfying and I like the respect I've earned. Money can't buy that. Yes, I would love to have 6 weeks off and a 35 hour week, but I am happy to be paid nearly 10 grand more and make that sacrifice.

You've got to consider what you want for yourself.

kingking85

Hey Folks,

Ive a group interview for the Aldi Area Managers programme on Thursday.

Have you got any useful tips?

Is Aldi another Enterprise Rent a Car type of company? (Mad hours, treat you bad)

HaydensMom

I worked at Lidl for a couple of years part-time as a store assistant while I was in college - it really wasn't that bad. Although some customers tend to treat you as lesser beings than the Dunnes Stores girls etc., just cos it's Lidl. The Germans and higher ups are fairly humourless though. The District Managers had such an air of stress off them I always felt a bit sorry for them. Just after I started one DM actually went AWOL, just could't handle it... and he was no spring chicken graduate either. This is definitely a job for single people with boundless energy and no hobbies. By all accounts Aldi is much the same.

doolox

Only if I was starving.
No money could be worth the Dickensian lifestyle portrayed here in the worst of retail.
Even being a customer of Aldi and Lidl is a functional, soul-destroying experience not mind being a staff member there.
Nobody smiles in Aldi or Lidl.
The security guards stare at you like rottweilers, obviously told that all the Irish are knackers and need to be watched carefully.
The checkers work in tortured silence with not a trace of civility or warmth in them.
The carparks are littered with stern warnings about clamping if you infringe the rules etc.....lovely place to shop.

HaydensMom

I feel I must defend the cashiers at Lidl, having been there myself. They don't smile because they have probably been sitting at that till hauling 10kg bags of spuds across a scanner for many hours. All the company requires them to do from a courtesy standpoint is "HTB" - Hello, Thank you, Bye. The pressure from management to reduce the amount of goods walking from the store mysteriously means that cashiers have to examine your trolley for hidden items and turn it in a certain way, and also in the name of speed they can't allow you to bag your goods at the checkout, which can often get the customers backs up, but it has to be done. Also the number of items they scan per minute is being timed, it must be at least 35 per minute, which is why you often have your purchases flung at you. It's not personal!

Tech3

Only after reading all of this thread now, Ive seen some scary stories from Lidl in terms of managers jobs but there doesnt seem to be any negative comments coming from current or past aldi employees?

Im especially interested in aldi as one of my workmates just recently left his job post here and has taken a managers job in aldi with 50k and the company car.

who007

tech2 wrote: »

Only after reading all of this thread now, Ive seen some scary stories from Lidl in terms of managers jobs but there doesnt seem to be any negative comments coming from current or past aldi employees?

Im especially interested in aldi as one of my workmates just recently left his job post here and has taken a managers job in aldi with 50k and the company car.

What does he think of it? I just applied for Asst Store Manager...

justwantajob!

I'm also interested to know if anyone knows what Aldi are like to work for?

Reading posts online has really put me off applying to them but then I hear good things too, like a friend of a friend works there as an area manager and loves it - I don't know what to think

Running Bing

justwantajob! wrote: »

I'm also interested to know if anyone knows what Aldi are like to work for?

The fact that they appear to have a whole team dedicated to recruiting area managers should tell you something.


I mean if it was a good job and worth the money and people stayed in the job would they really interview so many people? Has anybody ever not actually got to the interview stage?

The whole thing seems pretty transparent to me:

1. Advertise a job for grads offering 50k + Audi
2. Interview them and pick the person you think will stick the job the longest
3. Work said person like a slave having them work so many hours the 50k + Audi actually turns out to be minimum wage on a pro rata basis.
4. Accept the persons letter of resignation when they become too burned out after severl weeks/months.
5. Lather, rinse and repeat

The whole just seems like an exploitative sham to me....the equivalent of sticking a big juicy worm on a hook, catching a fish with it and then beating the fish over the head with a blunt baton until the last vestiges of life are drained from the creature.

But fvck it 50k and an Audi....I say go for it;)

justwantajob!

Babybing wrote: »

the equivalent of sticking a big juicy worm on a hook, catching a fish with it and then beating the fish over the head with a blunt baton until the last vestiges of life are drained from the creature.

I like your choice of words Babybing!

The area manager starting salary has gone up to €60k, increasing to €84k in three years

My boyfriend knows someone who actually works there as an area manager so I've asked him to find out if he likes it, I'll let you all know how he responds

Bokky

Hello everyone,

I'm new here, I just stumbled onto this thread googling working at ALDI - it has been an interesting read!

My situation is a little different - I'm final year of uni in Australia. ALDI has only opened up in the last 10 years, but they have done quite well and there's about 200 stores at the moment.

Anyway, seems like they offer a pretty similar grad set up here - AU$83,000 for the first year plus company car. THis hands down beats anything else I could get - most starting grad salaries are $42 - $52 K. Personally, I am a little concerned with the lack of personal life area managers seems to have. ALthough, I am young, single and willing to perform.

I guess my biggest concern would be that I'm taking my career in the wrong direction. I don't want to be exploited by the company, and be stuck in a traveling retail manager role the rest of my life. At the end of the day, I want to move into corporate and command the big bucks from the head office - though I guess with ALDI that may be harder because they would base their corporate stuff in Europe.

Well, had an initial phone interview, so my application is moving along. I will keep you guys updated with how it pans out for me. I did speak with an area manger at a careers fair the other day - seemed like he was enjoying it.

Nody

Bokky wrote: »

My situation is a little different - I'm final year of uni in Australia. ALDI has only opened up in the last 10 years, but they have done quite well and there's about 200 stores at the moment.
...

I don't want to be exploited by the company, and be stuck in a traveling retail manager role the rest of my life. At the end of the day, I want to move into corporate and command the big bucks from the head office

How do you think people got up there in the first place? Let me tell you that it is not via sitting around doing their 40h a week and meeting, not exceeding, the goals. Keep in mind that the higher you go the fewer positions there are to compete for and that the competition is constantly increasing as you advance up.

Oasis44

I went through 3 rounds of interview for the District Manager role with lidl
before deciding to pull out and look elsewhere.

Everything that had been printed above is true - they want you to work a MINIMUM of 48 hours per week (which is the max amount you are supposed to work under the working time directive in Ireland) and most likely you would be doing 50-70 hours a week on average.

They basically own you, can get you to work anywhere they please and will give you ridiculous targets (such as X amount of items being scanned every minute by store assisatants - its a supermarket! are you supposed to force people to buy things??!!).

Anyway I know now why they normally want grads for these roles as they will most likely have no ties and will be fairly flexible. For people in their 30's like myself with a family working for Lidl/Aldi is a no no unless you want a divorce and not see your kids much (no joke).

My advice is to stay well clear unless you have no life as it is

Mr.Nice Guy

As a recent graduate I've been considering the idea of applying for ALDI. This thread makes for interesting reading.

In UCD we had a chap from ALDI in to talk to us a few months ago. He was a former student there himself and went on about the difficult interview but said the pay was great, there was a car, lots of responsibility etc.

It sounded too good to be true and this thread would seem to suggest that. I can't say I fancy a job where I'm being worked into a state of anxiety.

gman2k wrote: »

All I keep seeing in posts above is 'great money - very tempting.......'

Listen folks, good money means less than nothing if you have no life working in a sh1t job.
All you'll be left with at the end is regrets for having wasted years of your life.
I should know - I worked in retail management for years. Working 60 hours a week, telling schoolkids and deadbeats how to stack tins on a shelf. All respect to people who work in shops - but most of them don't want to be there.
So you get to age 75, on your deathbed, and you think back.....
Do you say - I wish I could have spent more time working for those sh1theads?
Or will you say - I wish I was out enjoying life?

Working long hours for a souless company who never appreciates you, but wants more and more all the time, just for a car and some euros in the bank??

Don't even think about it.

This is a great post. I agree with your sentiments. Will try to keep this in mind as I try to figure out what I'll do.

stepbar

I'm glad that this thread has served as an eyeopener to jobs that offer rediculus incentives in the first place. Buyer beware and all that.

professore

Ace2007 wrote: »

Most graduates are going to be studying so if you think about its not that much, for example an accountant/actuary will spend years studying to qualify and will then after maybe 6 years be on the same as what a first year graduate workin with aldi.

Hard work never killed anyone.

Seems to me it would make more sense to work 2 normal jobs in that case. And BTW hard work has killed lots of people from stress.

cfitz86

Im thinking about applying for the LIDL managmenet programme, has anyone done it? or is anyone currently doing it? Iv worked for Dunnes in the past and that was an absolute nightmare, employees are treated with virtually no respect or common curtosy, Can the same be said for LIDL?

Oasis44

cfitz86 wrote: »

Im thinking about applying for the LIDL managmenet programme, has anyone done it? or is anyone currently doing it? Iv worked for Dunnes in the past and that was an absolute nightmare, employees are treated with virtually no respect or common curtosy, Can the same be said for LIDL?

Are you serious? Dunnes would be like Heaven compared to the hell that is Aldi or Lidl - if you thought dunnes was tough dont waste your time applying for the aldi/lidl jobs.

Mairead1975

Hi

Ive heard awful stories, but a job is a job nowdays. Maybe short term pain for long term gain. Ive heard that you can go from Managing the store to cleaning the loo's. Ive interviewed 2 people who worked there and they were doing a 70-80 hour week, and that's when Aldi was unheard of!

Group interview - fine line between being too gobby. Important to listen to what other people are saying, acknowledge when they make a good suggestion, show that you're a team player, stay cool, non confrontational, thank interviewers at the end....basic stuff.

You can expect, team exercises, in-tray exercises, work related tasks, discussion

All the best with whatever you decide

Mairead
http://www.careermentors.ie

johns1664

cfitz86 wrote: »

Im thinking about applying for the LIDL managmenet programme, has anyone done it? or is anyone currently doing it? Iv worked for Dunnes in the past and that was an absolute nightmare, employees are treated with virtually no respect or common curtosy, Can the same be said for LIDL?

Which management programme - Store or area? I do District Manager program.

I would probably prefer Aldi to Lidl, if I ever had to choose. I have only worked for Lidl though. I have met people at Lidl who worked for Aldi, and there seems to be better rewards at Aldi. I am not just talking money/ car, but breaks, insurance etc. Also Lidl is trying to do too much now - 1600 product lines making harder to work in store, harder to work at a fast pace. I think they re having a hard time right now, competition is fierce right now. Lidl has less market share than Aldi, but Lidl has more stores, I think Aldi is run better.

My experience working for Lidl is a bad one. Dont get me wrong, I mean I really work my guts out, put in the hours and all that stuff, that's not a problem. But the thing with Lidl is that I just find most of the managers really rude. I have a boss that shouts at me for no reason. I think it's just the stress of retail, but more so in Lidl where there's few staff and little technology.

In terms of respect / courtesy I say it's pretty lacking. I ve dealt with loads of rude /demanding people before, but I have never, ever, EVER dealt with people like the ones you work with at Lidl :eek:. It's not that there demanding they re just unreasonable. Its corporate bullying really. My boss speaks to me so rudely, but I dont answer him back, not because I cant but because I am so shocked by his rudeness, I am really lost for words! Not everyone is rude though, but I say most are

I have never worked in a place before where staff are not allowed a key to the changing rooms/toilet area. the reason is that the manager does not trust the staff. So staff at a particular store have to ask to be let in! They're also really paranoid about staff so they may do the honesty check e.g. leave 10 euros on the floor, and see if it gets handed in.

The pay is good, but remember that if you are paid E 40k, divide it by the hours - 60 or more and hourly rate becomes poor. I also had to opt out of working time directive (WTD) to take the job......Convenient they say it is just a 50 hour week, 2 hours above the 48 for WTD, meaning you opt out. In reality, more than 50.

You could try it anyway, not enjoyable for me though, they want people who are black and white in thinking. And its a really disciplined company, they check how clean our company cars are. I cleaned my car twice in a week once, and they still read out my name in front of others to humiliate me, saying it was dirty (there was a bit of dirt but not much, just from the journey that morning, and let's face it we can't spend all day polishing our car!!!)

Of course you might find you enjoy it, good luck anyhow.

pearcider

You could try it anyway, not enjoyable for me though, they want people who are black and white in thinking. And its a really disciplined company, they check how clean our company cars are. I cleaned my car twice in a week once, and they still read out my name in front of others to humiliate me, saying it was dirty (there was a bit of dirt but not much, just from the journey that morning, and let's face it we can't spend all day polishing our car!!!)

You have got to be kidding me! Honestly, i would have told your boss to shove the company car up his arse. How can you even take such policies seriously? Working in retail is bad enough...working under Nazi like perfectionists while doing it...er no thanks. :eek:

Seámus-Púbach

just had interview today for lidl district manager

I only literally turned 20 last week so I think they were more pushing me towards the deputy store manager

thing is im not sure whether or not to go back to college and do a new course or take the job if i get offered

screw it im only 20... i could do it for a year and get a bit of bob together couldnt i??!!!:eek:

wmpdd3

Do you have any experience in retail?

maxwell smart

For the district manager programme, Lidl prefer people with little or no experience. This may not lead to a job in the retail area, you may go into distribution, property, marketing, IT..it depends on your degree and how well you perform.
If your only 20 you might as well give it a go, but remember this. The aim is to break you. If you can handle this, then you will survive. I frequently had new TDM's arrive in the warehouse, so we would give them a couple of 18 hour days picking and packing. Checking temperature etc. Some did not come back after the first day. They usually gave it a week to see if it got any better.....it didn't!
The new MD in Lidl is a tough bloke, but is fair. Be glad that PK has gone home. Just be aware that the german staff there are only there to make a name for themselves.
And be careful with the procedure for giving in your expenses, its awkward and they will reject anything that is not 100% correct.

Any more questions just ask

stepbar

maxwell smart wrote: »

For the district manager programme, Lidl prefer people with little or no experience. This may not lead to a job in the retail area, you may go into distribution, property, marketing, IT..it depends on your degree and how well you perform.
If your only 20 you might as well give it a go, but remember this. The aim is to break you. If you can handle this, then you will survive. I frequently had new TDM's arrive in the warehouse, so we would give them a couple of 18 hour days picking and packing. Checking temperature etc. Some did not come back after the first day. They usually gave it a week to see if it got any better.....it didn't!
The new MD in Lidl is a tough bloke, but is fair. Be glad that PK has gone home. Just be aware that the german staff there are only there to make a name for themselves.
And be careful with the procedure for giving in your expenses, its awkward and they will reject anything that is not 100% correct.

Any more questions just ask

Back when I was looking for a job, I was interviewed by both and TBH I was more impressed by Aldi than Lidi. I remember sitting in an interview for Lidi with two German ***** (yes *****) and thinking that it had to be one of the worst jobs going. On the other hand Aldi seemed more professional in their approach towards prospective employees. If I was doing it again I would go for Aldi over Lidi.

SerialComplaint

Seámus-Púbach wrote: »

thing is im not sure whether or not to go back to college and do a new course or take the job if i get offered

screw it im only 20... i could do it for a year and get a bit of bob together couldnt i??!!!:eek:

It's very hard to give up work (and a regular income) and go back to full-time study. If you want/need the qualifications, go back to college.

BlackWizard

maxwell smart wrote: »

Be glad that PK has gone home.

Definately. Although I enjoyed trying to chat away to PK for aslong as I could until he left the store.

johns1664

Seámus-Púbach wrote: »

just had interview today for lidl district manager

I only literally turned 20 last week so I think they were more pushing me towards the deputy store manager

thing is im not sure whether or not to go back to college and do a new course or take the job if i get offered

screw it im only 20... i could do it for a year and get a bit of bob together couldnt i??!!!:eek:

Yeah I agree you could save up money for a year from working there. Even as Deputy Manager you will get good leadership skills and responsibility at Lidl.

Remember that a year in Lidl is a long time, and even as deputy you will be in the middle of store assistants and store manager. This can be a tough place - the store manager wants results - the SA may not care much. Working early or late shifts, and because you're on salary you may work many hours.

But it will look great on your CV and give you the money for uni.

You might want to look at Aldi too. And talk to the staff as much as possible @ Lidl, just so you're ready.

FreedomJoe

Going for an interview with Lidl next week.

Read all the above stories, and to be honest I would rather just not bother.

But lets face it, getting a job in Ireland is tough today.

I have tried finding lwork at loads of places and got no where, and with the government about to introduce Welfare cuts as in the Snip report a job is better than a life on the dole.

Im thinking maybe just stick to it untill I find something else/better, its easier to find work when your in a job than out of it.

Of course thats if i get a job with them!

I received this email from them

Thank you for your application. We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to an Assessment Centre, which will be held in our Regional Distribution Centre at Lough Sheever Corporte Park, Castlepollard Road, Mullingar, Co. Westemath.

The Assessment Centre will be approximately 3 hours in duration.

3 Hours just for a Assessment at 6pm at night?

Clearly a sign of things to come!

Anyone have any ideas what this is and what to expect?

Thanks

johns1664

okay am not sure what position you are applying 4, and I would not put that much detail on this site anyway. Can't answer specifically.

in broad terms Lidl culture/people are as follows, so display these things in you're answers....

Sense of urgency - everything done real quick.
Discipline - when asked to do something do it (don't say yeah but...)
Trust no one
Control - Don't be too relaxed - e.g. it does matter if an employee is 3 minutes late
Efficiency is key - do things the easiest and simplest way
Good time management
Multi- tasking - in store you have to go from checkout, to stock filling, to helping customer.

the company is not really flexible but they expect you to be flexible, and I find them quite nosy when asking questions to applicants e.g. where else are you applying? How far have you got with that application......they may even follow up in the second round interview saying how is your application progressing with Aldi! :eek:

in some assessments they may get you to do a test and pull you into a individual interview, then you go back to the test, to see how you cope with interruptions + can multi-task.

Group assessments should show you have leadership, so make sure you re heard, but also listen to others. And in a group presentation make sure you ask many questions, showing interest in retail.

Also you may be shown a presentation - make sure you remember what they show you - you may be questionned after. Write notes if you can.

You may also get questions on maths (without a calculator), e.g. if you have 200 m rod, how many 20.6 cm lengths can you get into it and how much remaining. Don't worry if you don't get 100% correct, just stay calm they are seeing how you cope with pressure too.

So practice maths without calculator + also do an online iq test, as I think dey may give you tests like spot the missing shape/missing number.

Remember dat it doesn't matter what background you have just show you willing to learn there way of doin things. Determination, flexibility, sense of urgency, leadership and teamwork skills essential.

paulie1981

Hi all,

Sorry to revive a month old thread but I'd appreciate some input.

I'm seriously considering applying for the area manager programme with Aldi and am wondering how much emphasis do they place on the 2.1 degree?

I have a business degree but unfortunately it isn't a 2.1. I have a number of years experience working for the distributor of a very popular car brand as business development/area sales manager. I would hope that this would be considered over the lack of a 2.1.

I consider myself very lucky in the current climate (I hate that phrase!) to have a good job with a co. car etc. but Aldi would offer more diverse and extensive management experience.

Thanks!

Mairead1975

Hi there

To be honest I wouldnt reflect too much on this and just go ahead and apply. As with all roles at the moment, there will be competition, but if you dont apply soon, you wont know!! Your CV is only as good as you make it and things like 2:1 v's 2:2's are things that are outside of your control, so why worry about them.!! You have to just tailor your CV as much as possible for what they are looking for

LIDL and ALDI are extremely tough places to work. Ive met alot of people who have worked in them and whilst the car and the salary maybe appealing, the turnover of staff is very high due to the hours and culture. This was the case before the recession - this may have changed since though. One person I met in a management role was working a 70-80 hour week.

I'd just apply and draw your make your own decisions if you get offered the job. You dont have to take anything you're offered. If you get an interview then great, if not, you just have to move on

Regards
Mairead

Oasis44

It amazes me how anyone would want to work for aldi/lidl after reading this thread. They expect their staff to work like machines, have no life and be on call 24/7. These companies have assessment centres every single month - does that not say it all? Its because their turnover of staff is huge and from my understanding most managers last 12-18 months max before packing it in. Each to their own of course but seriously shop around before going to work for these companies. BTW the maximum work hours in Ireland is 48 hours per week and these companies blatently ignore this fact and make the managers 'sign out' of the working time directive.

If any senior Aldi/Lidl staff are reading this you should be ashamed of your work 'culture' and the way you treat your personnel :mad:

wmpdd3

Yesh they should just hire two area managers for each area and a manager team for their stores add the cost to their grocery selling price!

Blazer

Heard all the horror stories as well as a mate was an Area Manager for Lidls.
He was easily doing 14 hour days 6-7 days a week.
Start by 7am and most nights it would be 10pm by the time he'd pack it in.
No fun at all.

But I imagine if you were able to stick it out for 2-3 years you'll have an extremely solid CV for applying for your next job and they'd bite your hand off to hire you.

HaydensMom

Go for it I say. I know for recent graduates the 2.1 is a requirement but they might well appreciate the experience more. My advice would be to address the lack of 2.1 in your cover letter and outline how your work experience compensates for this. Also I'm sure they would be impressed that you are willing to leave a good job to join the company and not just applying off the cuff cos you're unemployed. In my humble opinion they are looking for personal qualities more so than fantastic degrees. Anyone that has had contact with any of the higher-ups in Aldi/Lidl would probably agree that they all have similar characteristics - very professional and serious, quietly confident, the kind of people that command respect. They are also willing to sacrifice their personal life for the good of the company. If this is you, Donald will spot it straight off at the first interview. In the second interview, be prepared to explain why you didn't get the cursed 2.1. That's my advice.

However, I didn't make it past first interview so I could be talking out my bottom.

kathrynyoung839

For my personal Blogg on my Aldi Interview please visit:

http://graduatejobsuk.blogspot.com/

I went to the Middleton branch and detail all the content of the interview!

Hope this helps

Thanks

xxxx

abouttobebanned

Yes, please visit your blog, which is private. Clever.

kathrynyoung839

Sorry for inconvienience...

PLease find my personal experience on the following Facebook Groups:
'Job Hunting After University?' or 'graduate jobs - graduate-jobs.com'

Thanks

amy3000

Hey just got a letter for a grouo interview for the Aldi graduate area manager postion. Was wondering if anyone has any advice on the 5 min presentation, what kind of thing they are looking for, or examples of other presentations they have heard. Ive also read about the survival group task and was wondering if anyone knows the right answer? Thanks

dmac0202

Oasis44 wrote: »

They expect their staff to work like machines, have no life and be on call 24/7.

So true. Some of my experiences as a Store Assistant for Aldi include working a 6-8 hour stretches with no break; If I arrive for work one minute before my start time I'm "late" yet they have no problem keeping me on after my assigned finish time; frequent phone-calls asking me to come in earlier than scheduled or getting a call on a day that I'm off asking me to come in that day (effectively being on call); frequent locker checks and PLU tests; ridiculous till speed targets (>1000 items/hour) and the list goes on.

Unfortunately, when it comes to jobs it's an employers market right now and whilst I'm doing what I can to get out, complaining to them about this is pointless as their attitude would most likely be "if you don't like it you can leave" and right now that's not a viable option for me.:(

Mykhailo

Hi guys! I've seen you are talking about ALDI here. I need your help in one question. I'm working in the quite same company in Ukraine. And I strongly need an information on how ALDI promoted itself in web. If anybody could help me, please write. Thanks!!!

outta

Im the same now Freedom

Got a interview. How did u get on? Any news would be appreciated.

browner85

what exactly is a graduate job?
as in is a tradesman the same qualification?