ALDI District Manager Trainee Interview

Interviewed Feb 2012 (took 3 weeks)

I submitted my resume and a cover letter to the email address provided on the ALDI careers website. Knowing that ALDI generally only does campus hiring, and prefers college students, I thought it was a long shot. I am two years out of college, working full-time and getting an MBA. Neither of the colleges I've attended are ALDI recruiting schools. Nevertheless, I received an email reply approximately 1 month after submitting my resume and cover letter, and I was told there would be interviews 1 month later. I paid for a plane ticket and traveled from my current residence to the district office where I hoped to work. The interview was on a Friday, and there were approximately 11 other candidates interviewing. We weren't told about a specific number of openings.

The first interview consisted of purely information and Q&A sessions' followed by a 1:1 interview with a Director of Operations from the local ALDI office.

That following Monday, I was sent an email letter that I had been selected for the 2nd round of interviews. This time they booked my travel, and I returned 2 weeks later. At this interview there were only two of us. We met all of the Directors, interviewed 1:1 with 4 of them, and got a tour of the warehouse. We then went to lunch with a current DM and DMT and were given a tour of the store. They provided some valuable insight into the job.

The people at ALDI seem very nice. They are goal oriented and success driven. They are serious about the business and, if you are a candidate, you need to be as well. Listen - there is a reason why the compensation package is so fantastic. A lot of responsibility is given to you as a DM, and a lot of work is expected. This is not a job, it more of a lifestyle. There is no 40 - hour week, and they tell you that upfront. If you just want to get in and out of the office everyday, and are more focused on what you get to do in your free time, they will caution you not to pursue the position any further, and that is good advice. But, if you're interested in real responsibility, commitment, autonomy, the ability to see how your work impacts the company, and at least twice the compensation of most of your friends, I'd say this job is a good choice for you. Make sure you express your passion in the interview.