I applied online. I interviewed at ALDI (Lancaster, England) in Sept 2014
Interview
I applied for the Deputy Store Manager role on line and within in a week I received a phone call asking if I can attend a group interview. In the group interview there was 9 off us and we got asked to know everything about the person next to you in two minutes which was easy and then we did the survival exercise on how you would survive on certain items etc. Near the end we did a flexibility form and maths test, Very basic! e.g. £100 change from £41.35. After I received another phone call for 1-1 interview and this only consisted of asking me about my lifestyle and why I want to work for ALDI, They couldn't offer me the DSM role because the role has been filled internally, and instead offered me a 25hr store assistant contract with no possible overtime due the efficiency they run by. I said I would consider it and then got offered a work trial and again very easy it's just a tour of the store and how they work. in the end I declined. the store assistant role which has no overtime just 25hrs flat. I think it's a good company to work for if your willing to work really hard and graft for the good pay.
I applied online. The process took 1+ week. I interviewed at ALDI (Cork)
Interview
Very basic interview process. Often there would have been group interview processes in place but I did not have to complete this. Some thought-based questions, an exercise to complete some basic maths problems and keep track of the time it takes to complete them and then some questions on last experience.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
"How would you handle somebody stealing from the shop?" or "What would you do if you spotted a large wet patch in an aisle?"
Very negative.
4 stages, application, video interview, in person interview and finally in-store experience.
I read the negative reviews for the deputy manager position before applying, but gave it a go anyway. Unfortunately, I had a similarily negative experience. After going through the entire process, lasting well over a month, I was offered a store assistant role at a different store to the one I applied for. At no point during the process was I asked if I was interested in being considered for this different role, nor was I even given feedback for my actual application. I was simply sent an offer for a different job with no explanation!
The in-store experience was a very brief chat to the store manager and a tour of the store. During this process the deputy manager position wasn't discussed and looking back it seems I was being considered for the store assistant at this stage (if not before), not deputy manager but I wasn't told this before I attended.
I have made a complaint because I feel my time was wasted going to the final stage when it was clearly for a different, lower paying and less senior role, than I had applied for.
Also, all of the in store process happened at a different store to the one I'd applied for. I thought this was due to where the area manager was located, but I was ultimately offered the position at this store so I now have my doubts. This store was outside of the wide area I had said I was willing to travel to for the job, so again I was ignored here.
Having checked again all of the stores in my area are apparently looking for deputy store managers. I have a feeling I wasted my time from the very start.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
General questions about experience and about availability. There were a few scenario based questions at the interview related to how to deal with customer complaints and general store problems. One question about aldi "culture" at store experience.
I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at ALDI (London, England)
Interview
Standard online tests that you see everywhere else. Followed up by a video interview that only gives you 30 seconds from reading a question to providing a response. This in itself isn't so bad, but the fact that I was asked to describe my management style, personal style, favorite employee traits and disliked traits in a 20 second clip is just ridiculous. Perhaps don't put a time limit on responses.
Was invited to a store for what I was told would be a sort of on the job assessment and was told the qualities they're looking for, which perfectly aligned with my current role. I got to the store to find out it was actually a 1 to 1 interview which I was only partly prepared for (obviously was ready for some questioning but not a full blown interview) and then was told despite "ticking all the right boxes" they thought it'd be best to offer me a store assistant role because I have no retail experience.
Safe to say the offer was quickly declined and interviewing manager was given some words of advice.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell us about a time you've had to talk to a team member about their poor performance