ALDI reviews

No individualism. Your District Manager actually runs the store but has never worked in a store. Aldi doesn’t hire Store Managers for DMs, they hire college grads as DMs- Fact So it’s strictly numbers, it doesn’t matter how much experience you have or who you’ve worked for. Just do the daily checklist, cut hours, and clean up the store that was trashed daily by the customers since your almost never staffed to keep up. My experience in detail- As a manager or manager in training, be prepared to do significant work with very little staff. The bottom line is all that is measured. You will not be given the basic needs to do your job- examples -Keys provided will not allow you to lock or unlock all doors, the result is not being able to do your job, causing frustration and disbelief. -Codes given to you by management to arm the store/or disarm the store will not work due to the DM or Store Manager failing to input your code. FACT (police came to different store’s multiple times due to alarms with my code not working, (after being told it should). -Registers will fail multiple times a week, was told this is typical. -Cooler alarms will go off randomly or with even the slightest change of temperature. As told this is normal. I could go on further… Fact is all Aldi cares about is their operating overhead and efficiency. As a manager you will be asked weekly to cut hours by your DM or by the Store Manager. Even if you are way ahead on your weekly sales forecast, just one day missing projection by even a 1-2% percent and you’ll be asked did you cut hours? I thought that some stores would be different than others, but after seeing several stores over a period, every store is the same. I thought it would change for the better over time.. unfortunately the circus was even worse at stores where the manager chooses not to work. They would prefer to manage and delegate. They can promise you training, you will probably get it if your at a good store that’s staffed, most are not. As a manager in training, What they will not tell you is how long before you get a store. Be prepared to work closing shifts, opening shifts and some management shifts. Some managers looking for a store manager position have waited 1-2 years for an opening. Of course if your willing you can drive an hour or more if an opening emerges, there is no compensation for gas or mileage outside of your area. Knowing what I do now, I would not have wasted my time on this company. They will tell you exactly what you want to hear. You will have no individualism that you can bring to the table that matters. If you are a good salesperson, good merchandiser, it doesn’t matter. The efficiency and the bottom line is all that matters, if you speak up and voice frustration. You will be labeled as not not fitting into the Aldi way of doing things. The company preaches simplicity, then makes it nearly impossible and complex without the basics. “Welcome to Aldi!”is what I was told many times

Never known a job or grad scheme like it - unprofessional, ridiculous and utterly toxic scheme. No life -and a mental health and self esteem destroyer. Watched several of my peers leave before I myself got out. The assigned mentors have clearly never heard the definition of mentoring and the treatment towards their graduate mentees isn’t far off bullying. There is no nurture or support from mentors or directors. You have to work hard and be quickly self sufficient - which is fine if willing to work hard (we all were) - but you can’t teach yourself everything and if the store is struggling, there won’t be time for your learning. And before you think to feed that back to mentors or managers; be aware that instead of finding a way to support your training - you will be blamed. Praise is non existent most of the time but you will be critiqued on all matters - even if you are performing well, they won’t let you know but will instead nitpick you to extreme and pointless measures e.g., a cup in your car, the way you sit in a chair or how crumpled your notes are. It is beyond draining. The rules are outdated and they think paying high salary means you will tolerate all treatment, overwork and no life. You have to sign out of European Working Rights which means you work as the business needs and your life, your family, your health & safety - comes second. Graduates and for that matter all employees below area managers are undervalued and mistreated. You are not viewed as a person but simply a cog in the machine - which will be performance reviewed if it doesn’t spin fast enough. The recruitment is understandably vigorous, long and competitive. If you make it to the final stage you are selected by your area’s MD. Everyone selected has shown they are very willing to work hard, are open to challenges and quick learning - yet turnover remains huge. Of course, the salary is incredible and the car is a great perk. But you will quickly learn that money isn’t worth it. Do not believe promises of work-life balance or supporting your development. As another review said “believe all the horror stories” - it’s not about if you’re willing to work hard, it’s about if you’re willing to be treated like dirt and give up your life whilst you’re at it. I am bewildered how this scheme is so highly regarded and can only assume it is simply due to the benefits. A truly terrible experience and not like any employer I’ve ever come across. I would not recommend wasting your life or happiness on this scheme.