Getting a job at Coles, Woolworths or Aldi as an international student felt impossible when I first started applying. I printed 30 resumes, walked into shopping centres across Melbourne, filled out online applications until my eyes crossed, and heard nothing back for weeks.
Twenty-three applications later, I finally got a callback from Coles for a nightfill position in Footscray. The interview lasted 15 minutes, they hired me on the spot, and I started the following week. Looking back, I was doing almost everything wrong in my first 20 applications.
The frustrating part is that supermarkets are actually one of the easier places for international students to get hired. They need staff constantly, turnover is high, and they don’t require previous Australian experience. But you need to know exactly how these companies hire and what they’re actually looking for.
I’ve since worked at Coles for eight months, helped three classmates get jobs at Woolworths, and watched dozens of students struggle with applications that could have been fixed with basic tweaks. Here’s everything that actually works for landing a job at Coles, Woolworths or Aldi.
Why Supermarkets Are Your Best First Job Option
Before I get into the how-to, let me explain why I’m focusing on these three specifically. When you’re an international student with no Australian work experience, your job options are limited. Most professional roles want local experience. Most hospitality jobs want RSA certificates and previous serving experience. Most warehouse jobs are filled through labour hire agencies that prefer people with transport.
Supermarkets are different. They hire massive numbers of casual staff year-round. They have structured training programs that don’t assume prior knowledge. They need coverage across weird hours that suit student schedules. And most importantly, they’re used to hiring international students and understand visa work restrictions.
In my first month in Melbourne, I applied to cafes, retail stores, admin roles, and tutoring positions. Nothing worked. The moment I switched focus to supermarkets, I had three interviews within two weeks. The conversion rate is just fundamentally better.
I’ve written about finding your first job in Australia more broadly, but if you want the fastest path to employment with no local experience, supermarkets are it. Not glamorous, but reliable.
Understanding Your Work Rights First
This sounds basic, but you’d be surprised how many students don’t check this properly. Your student visa allows you to work 48 hours per fortnight during semester and unlimited hours during official university breaks. That fortnight restriction means you can’t just work six days one week and none the next, you need to track your hours across the two-week period.
Some students doing higher research degrees have different conditions, but for most coursework students, it’s the 48-hour rule. Breaking this can affect your visa, and it’s tracked more carefully than people think.
When I applied to Coles, they asked about my work availability during my first phone screening before they even looked at my resume. They wanted to know if I understood the restrictions and could work legally. This isn’t them being difficult, it’s them covering themselves legally and making sure you won’t have problems later.
I’ve covered the full details of work rights for international students in another guide, but the key point for supermarket applications is to be upfront and clear about your availability. Don’t try to hide your restrictions or hope they won’t notice.
The Roles You Should Actually Apply For
Not all supermarket jobs are equally easy to get. Some positions are filled internally or require experience. Others are constantly hiring because they’re hard to fill. Understanding which roles to target dramatically improves your chances.
The easiest entry points at Coles:
- Nightfill team member (this is what I got)
- General store team member (grocery replenishment)
- Online team member (picking and packing online orders)
- Service team member (checkouts, customer service desk)
The easiest entry points at Woolworths:
- Store team member (their catch-all entry role)
- Nightfill
- Online personal shopper
- Fresh food team member
The easiest entry point at Aldi:
- Store assistant (this is basically their only entry role, but it’s broader)
Nightfill was perfect for my schedule because it runs evening shifts (usually 6pm-midnight or later) that don’t clash with daytime classes. The work is straightforward, you’re mostly stocking shelves and tidying, and there’s less customer interaction if you’re still building confidence with Australian English.
The online picking roles have become huge since COVID. Every Coles and Woolworths needs people to walk around the store with trolleys picking items for online orders. It’s physical but simple, and they hire constantly because it’s boring work that lots of people quit.
Avoid applying for roles that explicitly say “experience required” like department managers, butchers, or specialty roles. Stick to the volume hiring positions where they expect to train you from scratch.
Availability Is More Important Than Your Resume
This took me way too long to understand. I kept refining my resume, adding skills, adjusting formatting, thinking that was the problem. It wasn’t. The problem was my availability.
Supermarkets need coverage during specific high-demand times:
- Friday evenings
- Saturday and Sunday (all day)
- Public holidays
- Early mornings (5am-9am)
- Late nights (8pm-midnight)
If you can only work Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, you’re competing with 50 other students who have the same availability. If you can work Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning, you’re suddenly valuable because most students want those times free for social life.
When I changed my application to show I was available Friday evenings, both weekend days, and late weeknight shifts, my response rate jumped immediately. I wasn’t more qualified. I was just more useful to their scheduling needs.
One of my classmates who desperately needed work kept saying she could only do Monday-Thursday daytime. She applied to 30+ places and got nowhere. The moment she accepted that she’d need to sacrifice her weekend social life for six months, she had three job offers within two weeks.
Be strategic about when you balance work and study, but understand that flexibility is your biggest asset when you have no local experience.
How to Build a Supermarket-Ready Resume
Your resume for professional jobs and your resume for supermarket jobs should be different documents. I made the mistake of using the same two-page detailed resume I’d use for IT roles when applying to Coles. Nobody cared about my database management skills or university projects.
Supermarkets want a one-page resume that shows:
- Reliability and punctuality
- Customer service ability
- Physical stamina
- Teamwork
- Following instructions and safety rules
At the top, include a three-line summary that positions you as a retail worker, not a student dabbling in casual work. Something like:
Reliable and physically fit team member with strong customer service skills and availability across weekends and evenings. Fast learner comfortable with stock replenishment, customer assistance, and working in busy environments. Looking for consistent casual hours to balance with university studies.
Then list any work experience you have, even if it’s from your home country. Restaurant work, retail, customer service, even tutoring or campus jobs all count. Frame everything using retail-relevant skills:
- Handled cash and POS systems
- Restocked inventory during peak periods
- Assisted customers with product queries
- Maintained clean and organised work areas
- Worked effectively in team environments
If you have zero work experience, lean into volunteer work, university society involvement, or even sports teams. Supermarkets care about showing up reliably and working hard, not impressive credentials.
I’ve written a detailed guide on writing an Australian-style resume that covers formatting specifics, but for supermarkets specifically, simpler is better. One page, clear sections, relevant skills, and obvious availability.
The Application Process for Each Company
Each supermarket has a slightly different approach, and understanding their system helps you avoid wasting time on applications that go nowhere.
Coles uses an online application portal where you apply for specific store openings. They’ll ask behavioural questions as part of the application (usually 3-5 short answer questions about teamwork, customer service, and handling pressure). These answers matter more than your resume. I spent 30 minutes crafting mine and kept them to 4-5 sentences each using specific examples.
After applying, if they’re interested, you’ll get a phone screening within 1-2 weeks. This is just availability checks and basic questions. If you pass that, they bring you in for a 15-20 minute in-person or video interview with a department manager. For my nightfill role, they asked maybe six questions total and hired me at the end of the interview.
Woolworths is similar but they often start with a video interview using HireVue or a similar platform. You record yourself answering pre-set questions. This felt awkward at first, but the advantage is you can re-record answers if you mess up. They’re looking for enthusiasm and clear communication more than perfect answers.
Their in-person interviews are typically with a store manager or department manager. They use behavioural questions heavily (tell me about a time when…). If you prepare 5-6 solid examples from any work or life experience, you’ll be fine.
Aldi has a reputation for being slightly more selective, but they also pay better. Their process usually goes: online application, phone screening, then an in-person interview. The interview is more structured than Coles or Woolworths, they specifically test whether you can handle their faster pace and culture of multi-tasking.
Aldi employees do everything from stocking to checkouts to cleaning, so they want people who can switch tasks quickly without complaining. In the interview, emphasise adaptability and work ethic over specific skills.
The common interview questions for retail jobs guide I wrote covers the exact questions you’ll face, but here’s the short version: prepare examples about teamwork, difficult customers, learning quickly, and staying calm under pressure. That covers 80% of what they’ll ask.
What These Companies Actually Care About
Having worked at Coles and talked to hiring managers at Woolworths and Aldi, I can tell you what they’re really screening for. It’s not what most students think.
They don’t care if you went to a prestigious university. They don’t care about your GPA. They barely care about your previous job titles. What they care about is:
Will you show up for your shifts?
Student no-shows and last-minute cancellations are the biggest headache for supermarket managers. If you can demonstrate reliability (through references, your application answers, or your interview), you’re already ahead of 30% of applicants.
Can you work at pace during busy periods?
Supermarkets run on tight schedules. Nightfill teams have to finish stocking before the store opens. Online pickers have strict time targets per order. Checkout operators need to process customers quickly during peak times. They need people who don’t slow down when it gets busy.
Are you okay with physical work?
Stocking shelves, lifting boxes, standing for entire shifts, walking 10-15km per shift for picking roles. If you mention in an interview that you “prefer desk work” or seem physically weak, that’s a red flag for them.
Will you fit the team culture?
This is the hardest one to fake. Supermarket work is boring and repetitive. The people who last are the ones who chat with teammates, don’t complain constantly, and find ways to make the work bearable. In interviews, be friendly, positive (without being fake), and show you understand it’s not glamorous work but you’re there to do it well.
My nightfill manager told me later that he hired me because I was honest about needing money for rent, showed I understood the work was physical and late-night, and didn’t oversell myself as someone using this as a “stepping stone” to better things. He wanted someone who’d actually stay for a year, not quit after six weeks.
Your Seven-Day Action Plan
Stop reading forums and start taking specific steps. Here’s exactly what to do this week to maximise your chances of landing a job at Coles, Woolworths or Aldi.
Day 1: Create your one-page supermarket resume and write draft answers to these questions:
- Tell me about a time you worked in a team
- Describe a situation where you helped a difficult customer
- How do you handle pressure or busy periods?
- Why do you want to work at [Coles/Woolworths/Aldi]?
- What does good customer service mean to you?
Day 2: Apply to 8-10 Coles positions within your commute range. Target stores that aren’t in the CBD (less competition) but are accessible by public transport. Read the supermarket job application tips for specific tactics that work.
Day 3: Apply to 8-10 Woolworths positions. Hit their website early in the morning because new roles post overnight.
Day 4: Apply to Aldi store assistant roles. They have fewer stores so fewer openings, but the pay is better if you can get in.
Day 5: Check your emails and phone obsessively. Respond to any calls or messages within 2-3 hours maximum. Supermarkets move fast, if you don’t respond quickly they’ll just call the next person.
Day 6-7: Apply to 5-10 more positions at any of the three companies. Don’t wait for responses from previous applications. Volume matters when conversion rates are low.
Set up job alerts on their websites so you’re notified immediately when new positions post. The first 20-30 applicants have a massive advantage over people who apply three days later when there are already 100+ applications.
What to Do When You Get the Interview
You will get interviews if you follow the steps above. The question is whether you’ll convert them into actual jobs. Here’s how to prepare.
Practice your answers out loud, not just in your head. I stood in front of my bathroom mirror and did mock interviews with myself. It felt ridiculous but it worked. You need to hear your own voice saying the words so you’re not fumbling in the actual interview.
Prepare 5-6 specific examples from any part of your life. They don’t have to be work examples. I used examples from group assignments at uni, volunteering, helping family members, even organising events with friends. The structure matters more than the content: situation, what you did, what the result was.
Dress presentably but not formally. I wore dark jeans and a neat button-up shirt. You don’t need a suit for a nightfill interview, but you also can’t show up in gym clothes and thongs like you’re going to Coles as a customer.
Bring a printed copy of your resume even if they already have it. Bring a list of your availability written down clearly. Bring a pen and notepad. These small things signal that you’re organised and serious.
Ask 2-3 questions at the end. I asked about training procedures, typical team sizes, and how shifts were allocated. This shows you’re thinking practically about the job, not just desperate for anything.
And here’s the thing nobody tells you: supermarket interviews are short. Mine was 15 minutes including the manager explaining the role. Don’t expect an hour-long formal process. They’re making quick judgments about whether you’ll show up and work hard. Present yourself well for 15 minutes and you’re likely in.
The Three Companies Compared
After working at Coles and hearing from friends at Woolworths and Aldi, here’s my honest comparison if you’re trying to decide where to focus your applications.
Coles is the easiest to get hired. They have the most stores, highest turnover, and most volume hiring. Pay is standard award rates (around $25-30/hour for casual roles depending on day/time). Management quality varies wildly by store. Some managers are great, others are disorganised and frustrating. But as a first Australian job, it’s reliable.
Woolworths is roughly similar to Coles in most ways. Slightly better organised systems in my experience talking to people who work there. The online picking roles seem to have better tech and processes. Pay is essentially identical. Equally easy to get hired, just depends which stores are near you.
Aldi pays better (roughly $27-32/hour casual). The work is more intense because you’re expected to do everything, not specialise in one department. They hire fewer people but treat staff better from what I’ve heard. If you can get in, it’s probably the best option. But they’re more selective and have fewer stores, so your chances are lower.
For your first application round, apply to all three. See which responds. Don’t overthink the choice until you actually have multiple offers, which honestly most students don’t.
The minimum wage and pay rates guide I wrote explains how casual loading works, but basically you’re getting 25% extra on top of permanent rates, which is why casual supermarket jobs pay better than they look.
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Application
I see students make the same errors repeatedly. Avoid these and you’re already ahead:
Mistake 1: Generic applications
You can’t use identical answers for every store. Customize at least the “why do you want to work here” question for each application. Mention the specific store location if possible.
Mistake 2: Overqualified language
Don’t talk about your master’s degree achievements or how you’re using this to build towards a professional career. They don’t want to train someone who’ll quit in three months for a better job. Frame yourself as someone who needs consistent work and will commit for at least 6-12 months.
Mistake 3: Limited availability
I keep repeating this because it’s the #1 killer. If you’re only available Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, you won’t get hired. Expand your availability or accept you’ll struggle.
Mistake 4: Not following up
If you don’t hear back within two weeks, call the store and ask to speak to the department manager. Politely ask about your application status. Half the time your application got lost or they forgot to call people back. A follow-up call can push you back into consideration.
Mistake 5: Poor phone manner
When they call you for screening, sound engaged and enthusiastic even if they catch you at a random time. I’ve seen people lose opportunities because they sounded annoyed or dismissive on the phone screening. They’re judging your communication immediately.
Mistake 6: Ignoring red flags
If a store manager seems disorganised or rude in the interview, the job will probably be frustrating. You can say no if something feels wrong. But if you need money urgently, sometimes you take what you can get and look for better later.
I made most of these mistakes in my first applications. The moment I fixed them, everything changed. These aren’t complicated fixes, they’re just details most international students don’t know to pay attention to.
What Happens After You Get Hired
They’ll send you a contract (usually casual employment agreement). Read it carefully. Understand your hourly rate, how rosters work, and the notice period for shifts. Sign it and return it quickly.
You’ll need to do onboarding paperwork: TFN declaration, superannuation choice form, bank details, emergency contacts. Have all this information ready. Set up your TFN before you start if you haven’t already.
First shifts are usually training. At Coles, I shadowed another team member for two shifts learning the stock systems and where everything goes. They paid me for this time. Training is basic, don’t stress about it.
The first month is the hardest physically. Stocking shelves for four hours straight uses muscles you didn’t know you had. My legs and back were sore constantly for the first three weeks. It gets easier as your body adjusts.
Managers will test your reliability in the first few weeks. Show up 10 minutes early, never call in sick unless genuinely ill, and offer to cover shifts when asked. This builds goodwill that pays off later when you need schedule flexibility.
After 2-3 months, you’ll know if the store and role suit you. If not, you can always transfer to another store, switch to a different department, or use this experience to apply for better jobs. Having even three months of Australian work experience on your resume opens up significantly more opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get hired at Coles, Woolworths or Aldi?
From application to job offer can take anywhere from one week to two months. I applied on a Monday, got a phone call Wednesday, interviewed Friday, and started the following Tuesday. But I’ve seen classmates wait 6-8 weeks before getting callbacks. Apply volume to multiple stores and don’t wait for responses before applying to more.
Can I work at multiple supermarkets at the same time?
Technically yes, but it’s complicated with the 48-hour fortnight restriction and managing multiple rosters. Most students stick to one employer until they’re sure they have consistent hours. If your first job only gives you 10-15 hours per fortnight, then it might make sense to add a second. But check your contract for any exclusivity clauses first.
Do I need any certifications or qualifications?
No. You don’t need RSA, food safety certificates, or any formal training. They provide everything required on the job. However, if you’re applying to departments that handle alcohol (like liquor departments), having RSA can help. But for general store assistant or nightfill roles, you need nothing except work rights.
What if I don’t have any work experience at all?
That’s fine. Focus your application answers on university group projects, volunteering, sports teams, or even helping organise family events. Supermarkets care more about reliability and work ethic than previous experience. They expect to train entry-level staff from scratch.
Should I mention I’m studying a Master’s degree?
Keep it brief. Say you’re an international student studying at [university] and need flexible work around your classes. Don’t elaborate extensively about your degree or career goals. They want to know you understand this is a casual job and you’re committed to it while you’re studying.
What happens if I can’t work my scheduled shifts due to exams?
Tell your manager as soon as possible, ideally 2-3 weeks before exams. Most supermarkets are used to student staff and can accommodate exam periods if you communicate early. But you can’t just not show up. That’ll get you fired immediately. I’ve written about balancing work and study with practical tips for managing busy periods.
Final Thoughts
Getting a job at Coles, Woolworths or Aldi as an international student isn’t complicated once you understand what these companies actually want. They need reliable people who can work unsociable hours and don’t mind repetitive physical work. If you can offer that and demonstrate it clearly in your application, you’ll get hired.
I spent weeks overcomplicating this before I figured out the simple formula: clear availability, one-page retail-focused resume, specific examples in your application answers, and volume applications to multiple stores. That’s it.
The work itself isn’t exciting. Nightfill is boring. Online picking is repetitive. Checkout shifts drag. But it pays your rent, gives you Australian work experience, and teaches you how employment actually works here. Every professional job I’ve applied for since has been easier because I could point to consistent Australian work history.
If you’re still figuring out your job search strategy, check out my guides on finding casual retail jobs and retail resume examples. Getting a job at Coles, Woolworths or Aldi is usually the fastest path to employment, even if it’s not the most glamorous one.
Apply this week. Apply to multiple stores. Keep your availability wide. You’ll get there.