Store manager Review

The general day to day running of the store was covered with a degree of brevity but I was taught about maintaining stock levels and proactively ordering ‘hot’ items when stock was low. Staff rostering was shown to me in a basic sense, as well as cash handling and the physical opening and shutting down at the end of each day.

Retail management was a new field for me so I definitely walked away with new skills. Staff rostering

I definitely enjoyed the programme. Aldi has a grass roots approach in that managers are expected to knuckle down and carry out day to day activities alongside the employees they manage so I was grateful that I learned a ‘bottom up’ approach and had a good, grounded way of looking at management.

I felt valued. Aldo do expect their ‘pound of flesh’ so long hours and a heavy workload are the norm, but in return, staff feel valued and go to work with a smile on their face. I felt like I was part of a strong team but was also valued as an individual.

The programme was largely done ‘on the fly’ as I was not a complete newcomer to management. We’d come across a problem and, if I’d dealt with it before, move on to the next one. I was asked what I was experienced in and then the programme was tailored in a way that I would learn as and when problems arose.

I received a good amount of training. I basically learned alongside the whole team and as such I got to train with colleagues, managers and supervisors in all aspects of their work. I was not assigned a training provider in particular, but this worked to my advantage as I got to meet everyone.

I received a good amount of support. They were aware I was previously a manager but also allowed me a lot of slack as many experiences were new. I was told that if something was tough, not to be afraid to ask for help, and that there was no such thing as a silly question.

Aldi are an above average payer. For the retail sector I was pleasantly surprised at how much I took home. Staff discounts are generous and the management scheme means that if anyone wants to earn more, and has the drive, they can at least enquire and there is the possibility to move up the ladder.

There are definitely opportunities outside of work. Aldi operates a different to normal model, and so, having walked away with new skills, I feel I would be more equipped than most to go into the supermarket and retail sectors. Discount supermarkets teach an employee how to do just about everything.

Yes

It was a new experience for me but I felt welcomed. I was eased in but also told what was expected from me and, as long as the work is done to satisfaction, the rewards and opportunities are in plain sight. They are a welcoming company and I’d happily recommend them.

Manage your expectations. Supermarket management is not glamorous anyway, and even less so with discount chains. You will really be expected to muck in and get your hands dirty, but this the best on the job training. You’ll walk out with an appreciation for what people do on every step of the ladder.