PLACEMENT YEARS OPEN DOORS TO GRADUATE RECRUITMENT
As competition for university places increases year-on-year, graduates are looking for new ways to stand out from the crowd. For a motivated graduate like Leila MacGarrow, it was her work experience with well-known commercial brands that helped her to catch the attention of Aldi.
Leila, aged 27 from Worcestershire, was a student in business administration at the University of Bath with experience at BMW and Amadeus, the technology investor, when she first heard about the places on offer at Aldi.
“It was Aldi’s reputation that attracted me to the programme” Leila said. “The pace of career development matched my ambitions perfectly and the freedom to set my own goals independently sounded amazing. Aldi has a fantastic reputation for its training and progression and after looking at other recruiters, for me they didn’t compare.”
After completing her application, Leila was asked to attend a one-on-one interview with the Regional Managing Director. Since starting in October 2006, Leila has been an Area Manager for just over four years and is currently in charge of stores in Ludlow, Bromsgrove, Leominster and Droitwich, overseeing a staff of 40 people.
Leila said her experience has been one of immense reward: “In the beginning, everything was made very clear. There is a fantastic support network so if you ever feel overwhelmed there is someone there to talk to.
“At first I may have found it a little bit daunting because the end goal seemed so far away. But now I feel that I’ve gained so many life skills. I’ve grown both personally and professionally.”
Aldi receives applications from more than 12,000 graduates every year and those selected for an interview will need to have a great range of skills and experience. In her spare time, Leila enjoys sailing, scuba diving and climbing. During her four-year course at University, Leila completed two placements: one six-month placement with BMW in Oxford and another six-month stint in the south of France with Amadeus. She also completed an international exchange, spending a semester studying in Paris.
So far Leila’s greatest achievement has been opening three new Aldi stores and recruiting her team from scratch. “The best part of the job is seeing your employees fulfil their roles, develop and progress.”
As an Area Manager, Leila is responsible for the management of all her stores; from discussing strategies with store managers, to job interviews and performance reviews. “For six months now, I’ve also been the mentor to a trainee Area Manager newly enlisted to the team, which has been fantastic.”
Compared to all her friends, Leila is much further ahead in terms of career progression and appreciates the level of freedom and responsibility.
“The Area Management Programme has given me a head start in life. My family is really proud of me and my dad even shops in one of my stores!”
Regional Managing Director Richard Holloway said: “Leila stood out from the crowd and proved she could work well in a team and was ready for the intense Aldi training, she developed an ability to apply herself.
“Aldi is currently looking to recruit more than 50 graduates for this academic year, just like Leila. We favour those outstanding candidates who can offer something beyond academic achievements.
“Graduates with strong sporting backgrounds, who have led a team or gained life and work experience really stand out.”
Quick fire question round
What makes Aldi stand out from other recruiters?
The pace of career development and responsibility.
What makes Aldi stand out from other retailers?
You are thrown in at the deep end, but allowed to learn from your mistakes and go straight to the top.
Describe your career at Aldi in three words.
Varied. Challenging. Rewarding.