One teenager has shown that, in some very rare instances, you really shouldn’t take no for an answer after refusing to let Aldi turn her down for a job.
Jessica Irving, from Sydney, Australia, was initially rejected by the discount supermarket chain for the position of Retail Assistant, with her local store informing her she had been unsuccessful via email.
However, the determined 18-year-old confidently informed the store she was ‘rejecting their rejection’ – only for them to change their mind and invite her for an interview.
The initial rejection letter read as any other would, thanking Jessica for taking the time to submit her application, before stating: ‘After careful consideration we regret to advise that you have not proceeded to the next stage in this instance.’
Not taking the rejection to heart, the 18-year-old responded:
Although my application was rejected, I have been applying for jobs for over a year now with no success. My skills are on par with your store, with the ability to be exceptionally fast paced to scan items like every ALDI Team Member does.
I pride myself on my impressive sale skills and can describe myself to be very persuasive and show effectiveness. So persuasive in fact, that I would like to confidentially reject your rejection. Thank you for letting me be a part of the team, I won’t let you down.
See you on Monday for my 9-5 shift.
The store initially replied to Jessica telling her not to bother coming into the store as her application had not been successful. However, she later shared to Facebook the news that she had woken up to; that she had been invited to a group interview.
Jessica Irving/Facebook
Jessica Irving/Facebook
Jessica Irving/FacebookSo how did the tables turn? Jessica believes a different manager must have looked at the email and was ‘impressed by [her] approach’.
Jessica told UNILAD that, while she was disheartened to receive the rejection letter, she ‘wasn’t going to let it happen’, which is when she decided to take matters into her own hands.
The 18-year-old explained:
I was just upset by the response given as I carefully checked the job description and my cover letter to make sure everything was perfect and I’d be a strong candidate, so to get rejected after the dedication I had already given was rough.
I was thoroughly surprised to have gotten the group interview after my rejection. Aldi even spoke out to say it’s a one time thing and that they reward my original thinking.
When asked how she’ll impress in her interview, Jessica said she will just ‘have the confidence and determination that got [her] the interview in the first place’. You go girl.
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This story has been reposted and is not contemporary news.
A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).