Retail Management Placement Review

My time at Aldi was very enjoyable and a real challenge. No day is the same and you get the chance to operate within all areas of the business. You also get the chance to meet and work with an array of people who you otherwise would not have met. Although waking up at 3am on the odd day might not be great, I would recommend a placement at Aldi to anyone.

You are made to feel like an important cog in the team, both in store and at Head Office. It does depend on how you perform and how you interact with others but the amount of responsibility you receive makes you feel valued. In store, you may encounter the odd person who is cynical towards you or who, for whatever reason, may have a chip on their shoulder.

I received a good level and quality of support nearly all of the time, particularly from my area manager who would spend lots of time training me whenever I was with her. The team at Head Office were similarly helpful. Support given in stores is more varied- most store managers are brilliant but there are definitely some who are reluctant to help and just want to finish work as early as possible.

There was never a quiet day at Aldi. Due to high store productivity targets, you would be running around for most of the time in store, juggling a number of tasks. Store time was physically tiring but you quickly get used to it. The time at Head Office was busy but in a different way. It was predominantly project-based and there would be tight deadlines for a high volume of projects.

The responsibility given to you at Aldi is outstanding, although it does vary to a degree on your performance. I ran the store for the first time after a couple of months. You will only be given this responsibility when you are ready. Also, the projects you do at Head Office can be crucial to the business whilst you also get the opportunity to carry out area manager tasks.

Although my time at Aldi does not help specifically with my degree as I do History, it has helped me to develop more general skills which could prove invaluable. I have improved my time management skills and have become more efficient with my work. I also feel more confident and am a better communicator than I was 12 months ago.

There is a huge contrast between the atmosphere at the office in store and at Head Office. Although you have a good laugh when in store, the atmosphere is normally pretty frantic as there is always so much to do. Store staff do tend to be really proactive people which definitely helps! The atmosphere at Head Office is much more relaxed., although it is a lot more corporate. The team at Head Office do seem to have more time on their hands.

For a very well organised company, there were a few things which were overlooked in terms of the organisation of the placement. Looking at the placement as a whole, it was well organised. It was the details which were a bit sloppy. For example, we were not shown around Head Office when we arrived and no one explained what the situation would be regarding travel expenses or accommodation for our time at Head Office.

The company do invest a lot of time in you, there is definitely the feeling that you are being trained up to become a future area manager. From the higher end of the business, including from area managers and directors, personal training was very good. They seem acutely aware of the need to look after and train their staff, an area which Aldi may have overlooked slightly in previous years. However, this message has not filtered down to all store managers-there are a few stores where training is still neglected.

Aldi is a very attractive company to work for due to the responsibility you are given, the potential for rapid promotion and the financial benefits. Working for Aldi is a real challenge but you are paid fairly for your time. 55/60 hour weeks are expected of area managers but there is so much to do that days seem to pass extremely quickly. The possibility of running your own area so soon after graduating is definitely a great opportunity.

I got on very well with all of my IP colleagues but, aside from 2 national meetings for IP students in Manchester, there was nothing social organised by Aldi between us. For the 7 months that we were in store, we only saw each other at the odd store opening if we were working there on the same shift.

I lived at home for the majority of the placement and then moved to the Wirral for the time at Head Office. The cost of living on the Wirral is fairly average. We tended to meet up in Liverpool for social gatherings which is fairly reasonable. The nearest place to go out other than Liverpool is Chester. There are some reasonable gastro pubs and restaurants on the Wirral.

Although there are some clubs and bars in the Wirral, we went to Liverpool as a few of the IPs were based there anyway. Liverpool is good for a night out, you can have a 'student night out' or something a bit more civilised. There is also Chester not too far away. Local nightlife is a bit irrelevant during store time as you are all in different places.

Unfortunately, there were not any activities on offer apart from the ones that we organised between us. Area managers and directors meet up for the odd activity day but we were not invited to any of these. There is no opportunity to enter the area manager social circle. The IP group are very much seen as a separate entity.