The Student Room Group

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
hey well thats interesting but they generally employ less people and make you do more work so longer lines at checkouts and more stacking. And who are you training to be an accountant with?
Cortez
There's a new store opening literally 2 minutes from my house and it pays £7.70 per hour rising to £9 (not sure over what time period but that's way more than I'm on now).

I'm considering applying. At the moment I'm a trainee accountant and I don't really want to carry on with it. At Aldi I'll be earning more than I am now (same number of hours) and so it seems quite appealing but I imagine the workload is quite high? I think I could cope with it though, it's hardly difficult stuff.

Also the opportunity to work my way up would probably be there as well, especially if I get in there from the start.


Does anyone here work at Aldi? If so, what's it like?


I know that they pay their grads a starting salary of 40k, rising to ~57(?) after 3 years.

I have a friend who works there, and this is the consensus:

- They tend to prefer to employ European people instead of British.
- The work starts on day one. You'll get some training on the tills and get shown around the storage area, but don't expect an 'induction day'
- They don't emply as many people as other supermarkets, so you'll never be bored.
- Depending on the area manager, and if you are, the opportunities to expand responsibility are quite good.

Interview help:

- Talk about Aldi's advantages over other supermarlets as they like that.
- Talk about being 'very' hard working - saying breaks are a taboo to you is a definite plus.
- Talk about being very efficient and having great time management skills (Aldi is German, so they like efficiency)
- If you are applying part time, talk about being available 'whenever'
- If you are applying on a temporary contract, talk about being dedicated to working hard and rising to the challenge of....

Hope this helps, and if you have an specific questions then PM me and I'll ask my friend.
Reply 3
I worked at aldi as a store assistant during my degree. Not sure about how other stores work, but at mine I could work for up to 12 hours a day with only one 15 minute break for lunch. I was often working longer than my hours I was supposed to in the day, and without pay, as they expect you to complete the work no matter how long it takes. I could work an extra hour cleaning up and not get paid for it. That might just have been my store though.

I think they do definitely get their moneys worth out of you, hence why the wages are higher than normal.

Staff turnover was unbelievably high and morale was very low.

They dont employ many staff, so you will be expected to do the work of about 2 people. When you arent on the till, you will be working on the shop floor, no sitting at a till waiting for a customer. Because of this, quite often on Saturdays the queues would be huge, with only two people in the store who could work on the tills. We had to put up with quite a lot of abusive customers.

Graduate scheme is a starting wage of 40k or so, but the guy who was my boss worked sometimes 7 days a week. Even on his days off he would be in at work doing bits and pieces. It wasnt unheard of him to work a 16 hour day.

Not to put you off, but do be aware of what working in retail will be like. Very different from accountancy thats for sure!
Reply 4
And on the prospects of working upwards in a store. I wouldnt count on it. Most of the managers are graduate trainees. Aside from a store assistant the only real promotion is to store deputy, which is basically a managers role but not on management pay.
Reply 5
Stick with accounting mate.
Reply 6
The pay is so high coz you have to remember the price of EVERYTHING
yes of course, give up a career with a future to go work in a bargain supermarket. great idea...
Mackem85
I worked at aldi as a store assistant during my degree. Not sure about how other stores work, but at mine I could work for up to 12 hours a day with only one 15 minute break for lunch. I was often working longer than my hours I was supposed to in the day, and without pay, as they expect you to complete the work no matter how long it takes. I could work an extra hour cleaning up and not get paid for it. That might just have been my store though.

I think they do definitely get their moneys worth out of you, hence why the wages are higher than normal.

Staff turnover was unbelievably high and morale was very low.

They dont employ many staff, so you will be expected to do the work of about 2 people. When you arent on the till, you will be working on the shop floor, no sitting at a till waiting for a customer. Because of this, quite often on Saturdays the queues would be huge, with only two people in the store who could work on the tills. We had to put up with quite a lot of abusive customers.

Graduate scheme is a starting wage of 40k or so, but the guy who was my boss worked sometimes 7 days a week. Even on his days off he would be in at work doing bits and pieces. It wasnt unheard of him to work a 16 hour day.

Not to put you off, but do be aware of what working in retail will be like. Very different from accountancy thats for sure!


Your experience sounds very much like 'horror' stories I have heard.

OP, the job will be hard. I mean, if you care more about the money than the job satisfaction and your happiness etc, then go for it.

Surely being allowed one 15 minute break in a longggg shift is illegal?

The pay is higher for a reason. But which means more to you, more money or happiness? :p:

Good luck either way. :smile:
Reply 9
.............
Reply 10
as the crunch hits people but the demand for necessities and foodstuffs remains the same its the likes of aldi that stand to gain! go for it! the pay sounds good for it
Reply 11
oh dear. ive just got a job there. start in 2 weeks
Reply 12
The remembering the prices thing is true, for all the fruit and veg. A friend of mine worked there, was a Store Deputy too and got about £12-£15 an hour for those shifts. Very hard work.
Mackem85

Graduate scheme is a starting wage of 40k or so, but the guy who was my boss worked sometimes 7 days a week. Even on his days off he would be in at work doing bits and pieces. It wasnt unheard of him to work a 16 hour day.


That's quite depressing. I've got an interview for their grad training scheme next week, and I've heard so much stuff like this that it's rather starting to put me off! Mind you, for 40K starting salary + company car, I suppose you kind of expect to be working ungodly hours! If you don't mind me asking, from what you've said about working there - would you say that it wasn't a particularly friendly/enjoyable place to work?
Reply 14
Cortez


Where do you get this ******** from?



Someone my mum knew worked at the one by near my house. Might not be same everywhere but it is at my local one
Reply 15
Ruthie!
Someone my mum knew worked at the one by near my house. Might not be same everywhere but it is at my local one


There website suggests otherwise.

http://www.careers.aldirecruitment.co.uk/working-for-aldi/the-myths.asp
Reply 16

fair enough but I have also noticed they punch in the prices quite often. but meh whatever. I'm not lying about it, it happens, whether company policy or not.
Reply 17
indigovioletred
That's quite depressing. I've got an interview for their grad training scheme next week, and I've heard so much stuff like this that it's rather starting to put me off! Mind you, for 40K starting salary + company car, I suppose you kind of expect to be working ungodly hours! If you don't mind me asking, from what you've said about working there - would you say that it wasn't a particularly friendly/enjoyable place to work?


It was like any job I suppose, there were some good times and some bad times. My boss was quite strict and wouldn't allow us to play the radio, wouldnt give us many breaks and generally made us feel miserable. But on his days off when we had another manager in, it was enjoyable. We were allowed the radio on and to have a laugh. It all depends on the people you are with.

The majority of customers were quite nice and friendly, as it was the same people who came in to the store all the time. However, with the credit crunch and more and more people shopping there now I dont know if that will have changed.

If you have an interview for their scheme, then you are definitely doing well as they are quite choosey about who they pick. All I could say is don't go into the interview/job thinking that it will be easy. Its a very hard job that requires a lot of grafting. Hence, as you say, about the wage being so high. They expect a lot from you for that kind of money.

Don't let me put you off. Some people are suited to retail, some aren't. I wasnt, but you might be.

Good luck for your interview, and us know how it goes. If you have any other questions, either ask here or message me, I'll happily answer any queries you have :biggrin:
Reply 18
Ruthie!
The pay is so high coz you have to remember the price of EVERYTHING


Just to clear this one up, in the store I worked at you had to remember the codes for fruit and veg, and the specials that arrived each week. You get given a list to remember. The codes arent long, and you do have a sheet in case you forget.

Prior to total electronic systems being introduced you did have to remember the prices of everything, but from the stores I worked in this was no longer the case. Just the numbers above as I mentioned.
davey jones
yes of course, give up a career with a future to go work in a bargain supermarket. great idea...


hahaha made me laugh

Latest