Following an online personality test, skills test and video interview, I was invited to attend a group assessment at one of Aldi's regional head offices.
Within the invitation, candidates were asked to do a store walk in preparation for a 3-minute presentation on any topic given to candidates on the day. Although the wording of the invite sounds relaxed, don't be fooled! Spend plenty of time in-store, take extensive notes for the presentations and get to know as many details about the business as you can. Speak with staff in-store and, if possible, ask a Store Manager or Assistant Manager to go round the store to highlight important aspects of the business.
The assessment started with a round of introductions followed by the presentations. The topics given on the day were: how staff operate; products; Special Buys, and customer experience. Be sure to know as many facts and figures as you can e.g. the current number of products sold, how this compares to rivals, average store size, when special buys are introduced each week, etc.
The presentations were followed by an open group discussion about any aspect of the business. Our group spoke about the possibility of introducing self-service tills, advocated by one or two of the candidates, but ultimately agreed to be a poor fit for Aldi's business model.
This was followed by an exercise in which information was given to the group about prospective candidates for selection to a special project to improve efficiency at the till which was to be rolled out across the UK. Each individual had to make a selection as to who they thought would be best, come to a group decision and then present this decision to the assessor. The assessor then challenged the decision, based on information previously unknown to the group, for the group to defend.
At the end, candidates were asked to assess their performance and the performance of the other candidates via a written survey. Throughout the assessment, the assessor sat at the far end of a long table and was generally curt and aloof. The whole assessment experience reflected the toughness of the role and Aldi's corporate culture.
Although the salary/benefits package are attractive and the role dynamic, my main reaction on not being selected for the final interview was one of relief. Speaking with someone who'd previously undertaken the role revealed it demands absolute dedication to Aldi, limited scope for individuality and very poor work-life balance.
Should you get through to the final interview stage, make sure you know everything you can about Aldi as a business and be clear that this is the right career step for you.