More Than 8,000 Apply for 550 Jobs at Wegmans; Positions Still Available

The Wegmans grocery store coming to the brand new Hilltop Village Shopping Center has seen 8,100 applications for its 550 job openings, spokeswoman Jo Natale said Thursday. The shopping center, at Beulah Street and Telegraph Road, is located in the Alexandria-Kingstowne section of Fairfax County.

Don’t let that number keep you from applying if you’re interested in working at the popular employer, Natale says. The company is still hiring. You can check Wegmans’ job listings online.

Wegmans is scheduled to open Sunday, June 14 at 7 a.m., but many of the jobs will start before then, Natale pointed out. Although the store doesn’t open until then, new employees will begin to work very soon after they are hired because of the training necessary before the store opens.

Of the 550 jobs, 500 of those will be hired locally and 200 of the jobs will be full-time. Wegmans began recruiting for those positions in October. Available full-time openings include everything from customer service and entry- level management to restaurant and culinary positions.

Three-hundred available part-time positions include everything from culinary professionals to customer service representatives.

“Though the opening is months away, we’re training our team now so that they receive some of the most in-depth culinary, customer service, and product education in the industry,” said store Manager Mike Dempsey. “Come June 14, we’ll open the doors eager to offer incredible customer service to all of Alexandria.”

Applicants may apply online at www.wegmans.com/careers or call 1-877-WEGMANS (934-6267) for more information. Interviews are conducted by appointment only and applications are neither available nor accepted at the construction site.

“Wegmans offers flexible scheduling, competitive pay and benefits, and a fun, family atmosphere,” said Heather Gole, Wegmans Human Resources manager for Virginia. “We’re also proudly celebrating 30 years of the Wegmans Employee Scholarship Program, which has awarded college tuition assistance to more than 30,000 part-time and full-time employees totaling $95 million.”

It’s not surprising the store is seeing a big response. FORTUNE announced recently that Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. this year is once again on the magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, this year ranking #7. For Wegmans, this marks the 18th year in a row that the family-owned supermarket chain has appeared on the FORTUNE list, according to a news release from the company. Wegmans is one of only 12 companies that have been on the list since it began in 1998. They are also the highest ranked retailer.

“Alexandria is a foodie community and we’re eager to build our team with people who love food and have a passion for helping others,” said Dempsey, Alexandria store manager and 20-year veteran with the company.

The Alexandria Wegmans, a 126,000 square-foot supermarket, will be part of Hilltop Village Center, a retail and office complex located at the intersection of Telegraph Road and Beulah Street. In addition to restaurant-quality prepared foods for which Wegmans is known, the Alexandria location will be the first in Virginia to feature The Pub by Wegmans, a full-service restaurant within the store.