# Does anyone here work for Lidl?



## cyberfairy (Jan 24, 2007)

I am leaving my current nursery job to move up North. I am on 6.75 an hour which compared to most nurseries is a lot of money, and have been told by people where I am moving to, that despite my qualifications, brilliant references  and experience will only ever be on minimum wage in that field of work.
I have an English degree but as yet, seen no jobs suitable in the area I am moving to (Lancaster)
However, been told that Lidl pay over seven quid an hour for shop assistants and the money rises a lot the higher up the scale you go plus there is a pension scheme.
There is a Lidl near Lancaster and I am seriously considering applying for a job with them as despite it not being my vocation, reckon I can earn enough money in a few years to do an MA or at least have have a wonderful out of worktime life.
Anyone else have experience of working for Lidl and is it as good as it sounds?


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## Pete the Greek (Jan 24, 2007)

Apparently Aldi are even better paid.

And as the ad says, they'll give you an Audi (ha ha funny eh?) for their 30k a year job


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## cyberfairy (Jan 24, 2007)

Pete the Greek said:
			
		

> Apparently Aldi are even better paid.
> 
> And as the ad says, they'll give you an Audi (ha ha funny eh?) for their 30k a year job


Don't think there one near Lancaster but guess could always pay a chaffeur to drive the audi to my shelf stacking job


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## LilMissHissyFit (Jan 24, 2007)

The guy on the till at my local one said he gets £5.50 an hour so I dont know whether they are still amongst the high payers now we have min wage.


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## Pete the Greek (Jan 24, 2007)

have you considered getting in touch with a local temp agency, get some office experience in?


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## cyberfairy (Jan 24, 2007)

LilMissHissyFit said:
			
		

> The guy on the till at my local one said he gets £5.50 an hour so I dont know whether they are still amongst the high payers now we have min wage.


 That's weird-remember seeing years ago, posters in Bristol Lidl offering jobs for over seven quid


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## geminisnake (Jan 24, 2007)

I was under the impression that Lidl pay £8 hr, I shall try remember and check tomorrow or Friday if you like.

I'll ask what it's like to work for them too, though I'd guess to an extent every shop is a bit different. Dunno what's good for where you are but anything over £6 hr is good round here.

What age is the bloke at LMHF's shop? Might be relevant.


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## cyberfairy (Jan 24, 2007)

Pete the Greek said:
			
		

> have you considered getting in touch with a local temp agency, get some office experience in?


I am a shit slow typist and have been practicing my touchtyping but still have a terror of working in an office. Done it when writing for magazines until managed to freelance but the thought of typing in an office terrifies me-would rather work in supermarket. Maybe it's a perverse snobbery of mine. Happy to be considered lowest of low (ie supermarket shelf stacking if am comfortable with it  and earning decent money to fund career) was happy writing for magazines in office or freelance. But though of being told to type someone elses words  quickly by a middle manager in court shoes makes me want to scream and kill.


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## Pete the Greek (Jan 24, 2007)

cyberfairy said:
			
		

> I am a shit slow typist and have been practicing my touchtyping but still have a terror of working in an office. Done it when writing for magazines until managed to freelance but the thought of typing in an office terrifies me-would rather work in supermarket. Maybe it's a perverse snobbery of mine. Happy to be considered lowest of low (ie supermarket shelf stacking if am comfortable with it  and earning decent money to fund career) was happy writing for magazines in office or freelance. But though of being told to type someone elses words  quickly by a middle manager in court shoes makes me want to scream and kill.



fair enough, I understand entirely.

If it's work that you can do nice and easy, and you leave home at the end of it with no worries or responsibilities, then working in a shop could be way forward.

Also, 7-8 quid an hour is decent and where there is overtime, there is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


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## cyberfairy (Jan 24, 2007)

geminisnake said:
			
		

> I was under the impression that Lidl pay £8 hr, I shall try remember and check tomorrow or Friday if you like.
> 
> I'll ask what it's like to work for them too, though I'd guess to an extent every shop is a bit different. Dunno what's good for where you are but anything over £6 hr is good round here.
> 
> What age is the bloke at LMHF's shop? Might be relevant.


would appreciate that 
Have heard good things about Lidl and Aldi. 
I am 28 and a graduate so hopefully would be on more. What a waste of fifteen grand student fees though  Been trying to tell my little brother that a degree doesnt mean shit unless you do it in something boring or live in London and work in an office for fifteen grand and work your way up...
I have wiped kids bums for over ten years now and worked so much unpaid overtime writing reports etc and so despite loving working with kids, feel sick at the thought of going back to what I was being paid when 17


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## cyberfairy (Jan 24, 2007)

Pete the Greek said:
			
		

> fair enough, I understand entirely.
> 
> If it's work that you can do nice and easy, and you leave home at the end of it with no worries or responsibilities, then working in a shop could be way forward.
> 
> Also, 7-8 quid an hour is decent and where there is overtime, there is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


Totally. I work sooo much unpaid overtime, have kids reports to write and working with kids means having to deal with abused kids, OFSTED, evil parents and can't be dealing with it anymore unless get paid over ten grand a year which at the moment I don't due to unpaid holidays etc I get a half hour break all day long with not even a staff room to collapse in and the thought of no bums to wipe and an hour break for more money is so tempting


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## LilMissHissyFit (Jan 24, 2007)

cyberfairy said:
			
		

> That's weird-remember seeing years ago, posters in Bristol Lidl offering jobs for over seven quid



So do I which is why I asked...
He just said "not no more we dont"
he is a student at the uni, Ive seen him around so under 21 I assume


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## geminisnake (Jan 24, 2007)

Ms fairy, have you looked here?

http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages/c.c.n.sa.index

Just found store assistants can get Hourly rate up to £7.80 and 
Store Managers up to £35,000pa and Deputies up to £23,000pa


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## gaijingirl (Jan 25, 2007)

My brother worked for Lidl - he went there after working at Tescos.  The money was really good but they worked him ragged - and he's a very hard worker - he started out as a teenager on the markets.  He left in the end for a much lower paying job at Whittards.  

My housemate who works for Sainsbury's and seems to know people in all the different supermarkets reckons it's well known that Lidl like to get value for their money (which is no surprise really!   )


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## Sweaty Betty (Jan 25, 2007)

Find out how you pronounce lidl for me?, because this bird on the advert says.....lee-del....and i loose the will to live when she does


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## cesare (Jan 25, 2007)

cyberfairy I went into retail after leaving school, no clever A levels or degrees or anything, me. That was Tesco, but they're all much of a muchness even nowadays. OK, the things that aren't obvious until a smartarse points it out ... unless you're sitting behind a till - you are standing up all the time and you can't sit down - at all. So working behind one of the counters is walking up and down for 3 to 4 hours solid before 15 mins tea break if you get me. Shelf stacking, same, on feet for 4 hour stretches plus lifting and carrying boxes.

None of that's a problem, blimey we can all mostly do physical work. But it is physically draining and lots of peeps don't realise that because for some reason shoppers see shop workers in passing at most and don't click about what the shop workers job entails.

I know nursery work is draining too, I was just mentioning the retail specific stuff re no sitting down and very sore feet iyswim.

</tuppence worth>

Good lucks xxxxx


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## Thora (Jan 25, 2007)

Have you thought about doing teaching assistant work in a primary school?  If you have nursery experience and are qualified you shouldn't have too many problems, and that pays about £60 a day (in London).  Or maybe moving into nannying?


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## LDR (Jan 25, 2007)

What about looking after kids in your own place?  I know a few people who do that and get paid a fortune.  

You could set up an after school club or something.  It sounds like you have the skills and experience.

Just a suggestion.


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## Schmetterling (Jan 25, 2007)

haylz said:
			
		

> Find out how you pronounce lidl for me?, because this bird on the advert says.....lee-del....and i loose the will to live when she does



Well, it should be pronounced 'Leedle' but try ordering a cab saying that!  Here in England most people say 'Liddle'.


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## Sweaty Betty (Jan 25, 2007)

Schmetterling said:
			
		

> Well, it should be pronounced 'Leedle' but try ordering a cab saying that!  Here in England most people say 'Liddle'.



Oh it just sounds so , well i want to say "gay", but i shan't!!!


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## radio_atomica (Jan 25, 2007)

Apparently the reason why Aldi used to pay their till staff so much was because firstly, they didn't have seperate staff for shelf stacking/till work/customer service, you just got put on a task each shift depending on what they needed.  The second reason was because they didn't have barcoding machines on their tills so everyone working on the tills had to be able to remember what every single item cost, and manually enter the amounts.  I've heard people talking recently about how Lidl still pay more for till staff but I don't know if this is true or not.


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## Schmetterling (Jan 25, 2007)

haylz said:
			
		

> Oh it just sounds so , well i want to say "gay", but i shan't!!!


How very dare you?


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## Sweaty Betty (Jan 25, 2007)

Schmetterling said:
			
		

> How very dare you?


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## Schmetterling (Jan 25, 2007)

radio_atomica said:
			
		

> Apparently the reason why Aldi used to pay their till staff so much was because firstly, they didn't have seperate staff for shelf stacking/till work/customer service, you just got put on a task each shift depending on what they needed.  The second reason was because they didn't have barcoding machines on their tills so everyone working on the tills had to be able to remember what every single item cost, and manually enter the amounts.  I've heard people talking recently about how Lidl still pay more for till staff but I don't know if this is true or not.


When I was a very very small tiddler Aldi did not have belts at the tills either and the goods were moved by the cashier from one trolley to the next.  
And yep, new staff would go through a training period specifically aimed at memorising all the prices.  I used to be mesmerised by their ability to type in all the prices, and without looking at the numbers.


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## funkinfantastic (Jan 25, 2007)

cyberfairy said:
			
		

> Don't think there one near Lancaster but guess could always pay a chaffeur to drive the audi to my shelf stacking job




There is an aldi in lancaster..... 
Bout 5 mins out of the centre on the bus

No lidl though.....


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## cesare (Jan 25, 2007)

Schmetterling said:
			
		

> When I was a very very small tiddler Aldi did not have belts at the tills either and the goods were moved by the cashier from one trolley to the next.
> And yep, new staff would go through a training period specifically aimed at memorising all the prices.  I used to be mesmerised by their ability to type in all the prices, and without looking at the numbers.



That was the same in the first Tesco I worked at, back in the late 70s. No conveyer belts and an expectation that you would mostly remember the prices so that you could ring the goods up quicker. The shelf fillers used to drop by the checkouts and let us know if they'd changed any of the prices (sticky labels in them days!) because they knew that otherwise we'd carry on ringing them up from memory and not checking. it was almost like a competition, speed and memory.


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## cyberfairy (Jan 25, 2007)

funkinfantastic said:
			
		

> There is an aldi in lancaster.....
> Bout 5 mins out of the centre on the bus
> 
> No lidl though.....


Oh looked on supermarket map and they said there was one..


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## cyberfairy (Jan 25, 2007)

LD Rudeboy said:
			
		

> What about looking after kids in your own place?  I know a few people who do that and get paid a fortune.
> 
> You could set up an after school club or something.  It sounds like you have the skills and experience.
> 
> Just a suggestion.


I have thought about doing childminding in own home but rules and regs are quite strict as far as I know and will take a long time to organise. House moving to is rented and very small-really steep stairs to upstairs loo so think would not be allowed.
I have not got a level three in childcare, only level two so can't set up or be leader or anything and not spending a year doing level three.
Cheers for advice though


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## cyberfairy (Jan 25, 2007)

Thanks everyone for advice and help-have to admit despite being on feet most of day in nursery, the thought of standing all day at till is not appealing 
I will have a wander around local Aldi and see how harrased the staff look before commiting to anything 
 If so, then will try for a teaching assistent job-done it before and quite enjoyed it. Just fancied being around non-ankle biters for a bit..


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## mrs quoad (Jan 26, 2007)

> Area Manager
> 
> Are you a born leader? Do you have the drive and strength of character to help shape the Aldi global success story?
> 
> ...


I'd be lying if I didn't admit to seriously considering that offer before deciding I'd go for a job that paid less than half, but which I believed in...

It was described as a 'graduate opportunity' when I first encountered it.


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## Paul Russell (Jan 27, 2007)

Don't Future [magazine publisher in Bath for non-Bath-ites] have any decent jobs, like feature writers, features editors, stuff like that?





			
				cyberfairy said:
			
		

> was happy writing for magazines in office or freelance.


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## heinous seamus (Jan 27, 2007)

I went for an interview at Lidl about 2004, I'm fairly sure the pay was performance related in some way: you COULD earn £7.50 an hour, or it could be £5.50 an hour. 

They also made me do an hours work trial, which I didn't get paid for. 
I still plan to reclaim £7.50 from them with thievery


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## wishface (Jan 27, 2007)

Paul Russell said:
			
		

> Don't Future [magazine publisher in Bath for non-Bath-ites] have any decent jobs, like feature writers, features editors, stuff like that?


i'd like to know that as well; it's something i'd like to get into. DOn;t know how though, whenever i've visited their website i couldn't find anything.


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## cyberfairy (Jan 27, 2007)

Paul Russell said:
			
		

> Don't Future [magazine publisher in Bath for non-Bath-ites] have any decent jobs, like feature writers, features editors, stuff like that?


I am moving from bath to Lancaster... Future publishing often do have jobs advertised but normally for Cross Stitch Monthly or Modified Cars weekly and the like


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## Paul Russell (Jan 27, 2007)

Fair enough.

Cross-Stitch Monthly is a cracking read, BTW.




			
				cyberfairy said:
			
		

> I am moving from bath to Lancaster... Future publishing often do have jobs advertised but normally for Cross Stitch Monthly or Modified Cars weekly and the like


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## fractionMan (Jan 29, 2007)

One of my ex girlfriends was an art editor on one of those cross-stitch magazines.  Future's got several.


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## clairefrilly (Jan 29, 2007)

hi cyberfairy you could try to get work experience or volunteer work in a field more relevant to your degree and career path. this was you can keepyour job and organise to have around 4-5 spare hours to volunteer somewhere. for example if you want to write you could ask a local charity if you could write a piece about their work and send it to a community news letter or something.thats what a friend of mine did for a while and now she works for one of the nationals


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## weepiper (Jan 29, 2007)

I have heard fairly bad things about LIDL as employers - was talking to a sales girl in a clothes shop I'm in pretty regularly who used to work there, they apparently take quite unnecessary interest in their staff's personal lives.


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## Mummydanz (Aug 27, 2014)

cyberfairy said:


> I am leaving my current nursery job to move up North. I am on 6.75 an hour which compared to most nurseries is a lot of money, and have been told by people where I am moving to, that despite my qualifications, brilliant references  and experience will only ever be on minimum wage in that field of work.
> I have an English degree but as yet, seen no jobs suitable in the area I am moving to (Lancaster)
> However, been told that Lidl pay over seven quid an hour for shop assistants and the money rises a lot the higher up the scale you go plus there is a pension scheme.
> There is a Lidl near Lancaster and I am seriously considering applying for a job with them as despite it not being my vocation, reckon I can earn enough money in a few years to do an MA or at least have have a wonderful out of worktime life.
> Anyone else have experience of working for Lidl and is it as good as it sounds?


Yes I do and it's really good the pay is £7.50 hr n it's worth it


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## heinous seamus (Aug 27, 2014)

heinous seamus said:


> I went for an interview at Lidl about 2004, I'm fairly sure the pay was performance related in some way: you COULD earn £7.50 an hour, or it could be £5.50 an hour.
> 
> They also made me do an hours work trial, which I didn't get paid for.
> I still plan to reclaim £7.50 from them with thievery



I had almost forgotten about this injustice. Might pop into Lidl on the way home.


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## TopCat (Aug 27, 2014)

heinous seamus said:


> I had almost forgotten about this injustice. Might pop into Lidl on the way home.


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## lazythursday (Aug 27, 2014)

Not really any advice as such, but I spent a few weeks in Lancaster a couple of years ago and I really, really enjoyed it. There are worse places to be skint. It's one of the only places in the country I'd consider moving to.


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## moose (Aug 27, 2014)

Well she's been there 7 years now, so I guess it must be ok


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## cyberfairy (Aug 27, 2014)

Wow, a blast from the past  Not working in Lidl but as a Teaching assistant so on prob on similar pay but at least have holidays and err, the fruit the kids won't eat.


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## Pingu (Aug 30, 2014)

geminisnake said:


> Ms fairy, have you looked here?
> 
> http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages/c.c.n.sa.index
> 
> ...



just by looking at their url i can tell you that if you have it skills they are desperately in need of them. /geek


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