UKC

I'm currently looking for a job (who isn't?), and as the opportunities in my field are few and far between, I've been taking a look at various graduate schemes. A couple that seem to offer good wages and benefits are the Aldi and Lidl graduate manager schemes. However, there are various forum posts around the internet that talk about long hours, lots of responsibilities, time away from home, living in hotels etc.

I'm wondering if anyone here is or has been in one of these graduate schemes, and can tell me if there is a justification for the alleged 40% drop-out rate? Is it really as intense as some anonymous internet people make out?

Cheers

In reply to Taurig: Simple answer yes. I have had 2 friends on the Aldi scheme. One lasted 6 months (call her Friend A) of the year they wanted, and I promise you she wasn't shy of long hours or hard work (She is now at RBS). The other lasted the year and got out as they had wanted (Friend B).

Aldi is extremely well paid for any first year grad job, 40k + audi A4, you have to expect that they will want a lot from you.

For friend A the killer was 2 weeks without a day off doing something like 16 hour days to cover another a drop out or something similar (can find out exactly if you wish). She did sacrifice her social life due to the long and irregular hours (friends all had weekends off when she was probably working)but she accepted that.

Both said that you will be easily criticized for a minor mishap etc but never/rarely praised even if the task was done to a fantastic level. Neither A or B struck me as people who need praise but if you only here negatives then it could possibly get you down - but do check if you sometimes need a pat on the back.

Both walked into second jobs due to the known toughness of the scheme (obviously they provided good reasons for their departure to the new boss). It goes give lots of responsibility and demands a lot.

Neither to my knowledge spent any time living in hotels, will check though, but both spent a lot of time away from home on the road to various stores.

Friend A doesn't quite regret it but would never do it again or recommend it unless you really don't care about anything except the pay cheque.

Friend B appreciates how far it took them but has warned me against it saying that do it for 6 months while applying elsewhere unless you are desperate to earn 60k a year but suffer from a lack of life.

If you want any more information please ask and I'll even offer what I have been told or go ask either of my friends.

Final point, even though I'm being told think hard and avoid it, due to the options out there I have just about finished filling in the form, whether I press send depends on my next 2 interviews.

In reply to Taurig:

above sounds like they have better info, but I'd add that when I was about to finish uni (going back a few years now as I'm 29) everyone got obsessed with the great deal too. Big money? Car? Training? don't need a vocational degree? AWESOME!

obviously you don't get anything for nothing and most of those people seemed oblivious to this simple fact.

In reply to Taurig: Go for it. What have you got to lose? That which does not kill us makes us stronger and all that. Good luck.

In reply to Taurig:

Not specific to this one but most graduate training schemes that are well paid (e.g. management consulting, investment banking) are going to demand their pound of flesh with very long hours and in the case of consulting extended time away from home (I worked in consulting for 2 years after graduating).

The flip side is they can offer you attractive career prospects once you have finished them, it certainly helped me get the job I have now. Plus you may find you like the lifestyle or organisation you join; I didn't but many did.

Alternative is a lower paid graduate scheme with a firm you are willing to stay with for a longer term career.

In reply to Taurig: Mate of mine did one with Lidl. He still works there several years later and says his dos f'all now having ascended in the company. I think he's in charge of lettuce, or something...

Thanks for all the replies so far, they have been helpful.

Perhaps I'm a natural cynic, but when I saw what they were offering in terms of salary and benefits I automatically thought 'whats the catch?', and from what has been said above, it's fairly obvious. Perhaps they do pay a fair bit more than other grad schemes, but if you look at the hours that people say you work, are you really any better off in terms of salary per hour?

If I was really interested in obscure pork products or whatever they usually sell, maybe it'd be worth it, but as it stands I have as much interest in working for Aldi/Lidl as I do for any retailer, and I'd rather have a life that didn't centre round work.

In reply to Taurig:

I know a few people who studied German, and they tell me that Aldi/Lidl are very popular places for deutschsprachige Absolventen to apply to, as German language skills are very useful for talking to the middle/upper management.

Können Sie Deutsch?

In reply to verygneiss:

Or "kennen Sie Deutsch?", as they say in German

In reply to Taurig: My eldest is toiling to find a proper job, I am sending her the link(s)

In reply to alan wilson:

You cruel man!

I'm afraid I speak no German whatsoever and foreign language isn't my strong point.

In reply to Taurig: Working for any supermarket is really hard work. My brother used to work for Sainsburys and hated it due to the ridiculous hours you have to work. He now works for Waitrose who are a much better employer (bonus!) but he is still in the office for 7am!

If you aren't work shy, go for it. If you get in, it will give you a fantastic professional grounding which you can choose to take or leave once you have finished.

In reply to Taurig:

I am not on the Aldi graduate program, I am on the construction side and work closely with area managers and property directors.
Aldi are fantastic to work for if you fit. Yes, it is extremely hard work and a lot will be demanded of you. You'll get a bloody fantastic package out of it though and good prospects IF you fit.

You hear right about being worked hard........ but they pay very well for it. If you want something for nothing this is not the company for oyu in my opinion. If you're prepared to put a lot in, you'll get a lot back.

The drop out rate is justified in a couple of ways. Aldi do not need to fit their (very sucessful) company around you when they can find many willing managers who fit IN with them and their way of thinking.

The other benefit is the 'uniform is very MIB.

In reply to Removed User:

This is very true in the organisation that you are not worked hard in the same way as you climb the ladder. However, much like working for SMERSH, the shark tank awaits those who make bad decisions. The higher up you are, the closer you are to the shark tank.