I went on another job hunt, this time I went outside of 'indeed' and began looking at various other sites such as 'totaljobs' and 'reed'. Both of which offer a very similar if not identical service to indeed - however during my research I have noticed indeed offers on both quality and quantity in job advertisements. I came across a job ad on totaljobs for a customer assistant position at a Lidl store in Sunderland. The stereotype gets flung around often - 'they graduated and went on to work in a supermarket'. However in this case, I know that Lidl along with Aldi are both fantastic places to work. And if a place offers me money and personal development it's all I can ask for in a job.
I began the application process for Lidl which was quite a lengthy one. I had to create an account through Lidl just for the application process. This was quite a sophistocated scheme as it allows you to save or change your information as you go, and it allows you to attach your CV and cover letter via PDF. In my time searching for jobs one of the standout things you have to grasp or master is the ability to write cover letters, and furthermore the ability to adapt the cover letter your writing to suit the application. Some jobs would evidently require me to elaborate more on my academic skills and qualifications, whilst others it would benefit me to talk solely about my work life and skills from employment. In the context of this application I wrote a lot about my current and past employment and what I have learned from that with brief mention to my study at degree level.
Below is my cover letter which I wrote specifically for Lidl. I wrote this adhering to the useful document on how to write a cover letter which Lidl have on their website.
"I am applying for this position as Customer Assistant at Lidl as I see myself as a strong candidate for the job with all of the necessary skills. I found out about the position on the Lidl website whilst researching the career opportunities that the company offers.
I am enthusiastic about this position as I believe that Lidl can offer me a platform for personal growth. I aim to challenge myself in all aspects of my life, and working at a place which pushes me to reach my potential is an exciting prospect. Lidl promotes the values which I aim to integrate into my every day life, as an employee and as a member of society.
I am an innovative forward thinker, who is highly motivated, open-minded, and willing and able to adapt to new workplace situations. I have exceptional interpersonal skills honed by my years of experience working in a fast-paced environment, and can build a rapport with customers which is essential to any business.
I have five years of experience working in hospitality. My job has given me an extensive understanding of customer satisfaction, and how to provide consistent and excellent service. My job has also allowed me to work at numerous venues across the UK; Murrayfield stadium, Durham County Cricket Club, Northern Pride, the Stadium of Light.
I am currently in the application process to study a part-time Masters Degree in Film Theory & Practice at Newcastle University. I would be aiming to work at Lidl alongside my degree. I am extremely flexible and willing to work as many hours as I possibly can outside of my hours of study. I am available for an interview any time of any day throughout the week. I am willing and able to start the job as soon as required.
Kind regards,
Bradley Sampson"
After writing my cover letter and providing all the necessary information in the application process I was then forwarded to another section of the application. This was not something I have ever experienced before but Lidl require you to complete a 25 minute timed interactive test. This test goes over mathematics, ethics and essentially common sense. These questions are multiple choice and present themselves through an interactive inbox in which you play a Lidl employee receiving emails from other Lidl employees wanting your advice. It's really quite clever but strange at the same time. It's more and likely an effective way to condense applicants based on test score to find their compatibility with the company. So if you do bad on the test, chances are you won't even be considered. I like to think I did good because I'm decent at mathematics and from my years of experience in my job I was equipped to answer the questions regarding customers. The sections where I felt like I didn't do so well were in regards to supermarket deliveries etc. I have no experience of this and I don't know the workflow so I seemed to struggle. However even if you don't feel confident it could come down to chance. With that type of system you could manage to get most of the answers right just from chance alone. Even if I don't get the job, that experience will still benefit me if it ever comes to doing something like this again. I'd like to think that the entire application process that I am going through for jobs is demonstrating my willingness and ability to adapt to new situations and to push myself outside of my comfort zone.
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