Food & Drink & Catering jobs & graduate schemes 2018

The Employer - James Hutcheson (Managing Director of the Aldi Academy - Aldi)

What competencies do you like to see in candidates?

Academic qualifications are important, and we ask that candidates have a minimum 2:1 degree at undergraduate level as well as strong English and Maths skills, as these are critical in the Area Manager role. However, personal qualities such as remaining calm under pressure, and being able to challenge and motivate high performing teams are highly sought after.

Can you talk us through the application process?

All candidates are asked to complete an online application form, which takes around an hour. Successful candidates are then asked to attend a group interview with one of Aldi's seven regional Managing Directors, and if they progress further, a one-on-one interview will be held between the candidate and MD. The process also involved a series of verbal, numerical and psychometric tests.

What is the most common mistake you see in an application, which leads to candidates being rejected?

During our group assessment interviews, we ask candidates whether they have visited their local Aldi store to become familiar with the environment and our products. Some candidates who progress to the final interview stage may not have done sufficient research and this becomes quite apparent during the interview.

What is the main piece of advice you would give a graduate entering the sector?

I always ask graduates whether they're suitable and ready to work in a fast-moving industry such as Retail, and whether they would be comfortable with leading experienced store teams in less than a year with the company. We are looking for individuals who thrive on the challenge of applying an 'own business' mentality to the stores in their area.

What's the main challenge graduates face when they start?

Graduates start by working on the shop floor at Aldi so they understand how our stores operate, and what the responsibilities of the staff are on a daily basis. The work can be quite demanding physically and mentally so graduates have to hit the ground running.

Once they have mastered this, graduates will be asked to look after their own store, so they need to be able to handle this level of responsibility quite early on.

Where do you see company in two years time?

Aldi has continued to grow at a significant pace this year and we expect our market share to continually increase as we open more stores across the UK and as more consumers switch to Aldi for their weekly shop.

If you weren't in Graduate Recruitment, what would you be?

I previously worked in management consultancy before joining Aldi, and although I could have continued with that career path, I couldn't envisage myself working for any other company.

The Employee - Isobel Giles (Area Manager, Greater Manchester - Aldi)

How did you find your graduate job in Food, Drink and Catering sector?

I was searching for graduate schemes online when I came across Aldi, and after a friend attended a group interview, they recommended the job to me. Once I had met with one of Aldi's regional Managing Directors, I was 100% set on the role and I was fortunate enough to be offered the job.

Why do you think you were successful at Aldi?

I have a background of leading sports teams, which is beneficial when you go to work for Aldi, as you will be expected to manage large store teams within your first year. I also have a drive to succeed, and I'm comfortable speaking with and motivating a wide range of people.

What do you actually do?

I am responsible for the smooth running and performance of three stores, including the management and development of people, recruitment of new store staff and maintaining shop floor standards. Recruitment is a large part of my role as our stores are becoming much busier, and I also have to work closely with my Store Managers on the priorities for each week.

Each of Aldi's stores is a multi-million pound business, so I have to ensure that my store teams are working as efficiently as possible to make them a success.

What skills do you need?

You must show positivity and a high level of commitment at all times, attention to detail, and an ability to level and be honest with others in terms of their performance and day-to-day tasks.

What is the best thing about your job?

Every day is different so there's always going to be something that challenges you. Everyone who works for Aldi is also committed to achieving agreed objectives, but you can also make a real impact and change things as you see fit, so it's great to have that autonomy.

And what is the worst thing about your job?

There's always going to be challenges that you can't overcome straight away, so these longer term goals take patience and persistence.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

I hope to still be working for Aldi having developed and honed my management skills. I still have a lot to learn but I hope to progress to directorship within the business.

What advice would you give to graduates applying to Aldi?

Research the job role, and go into the group interview with plenty of passion. You should only apply to Aldi if you want to work in a fast-paced role that's challenging and rewarding. Leadership and extra-curricular roles outside of work are also highly valued by Aldi, so you should look to acquire these before you apply.

If you want to find out more about graduate jobs with Aldi, please take a look at their Minisite.