Goodwill reviews

3.2

46% would recommend to a friend

(9,232 total reviews)

Catherine Meloy

50% approve of CEO

39% positive business outlook

Goodwill has an employee rating of 3.2 out of 5 stars, based on 9,232 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Goodwill employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the ONG y Organizaciones sin fines de lucro industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

9K reviews
2.0
Aug 29, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Nice people, including management. Store manager treats you like a human being. Understanding scheduling. Money goes towards good causes. Less rigid or strict than regular retail in some ways. The assistant managers help with the day-to-day grind just as much as anyone else.

Cons

Never quite enough space to move things through. Had to throw away food if donated, even when it was 100% unopened. A huge problem if you have dust allergies. The stuff people donate is gross at times, and when it involves cigarette smoke-covered and dust-filled boxes, it's practically hazardous if you do have allergies. Low Pay (though this isn't surprising for an entry-level nonprofit) Becoming a little less centered on the happiness of the employees as a company. Didn't get any benefits, but they do offer various forms of support for your life if you take advantage of it.

2.0
Aug 14, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Most customers & co-workers were pleasant & easy to work with.

Cons

High prices for 100% donated merchandise is not reflected in the wages for the employees who do all the hard work & the benefits that employees have to pay for are nothing to brag about. One of my co-worker who'd been there a number of years lost everything in a house-fire & Goodwill wouldn't even give them a blanket.

1.0
Aug 12, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You see a lot of familiar faces, including store regulars and people you might know from elsewhere. Some of the regulars are shoplifters (who shoplift regularly enough that you'll know them), but the majority are retired folks or ebay resellers who buy items to flip online. Talking to these people keeps you sane and gives you a chance to smile and make connections. If you spend time sorting in the back or on the floor, you see a lot of interesting stuff, and if it's still out there after the mandatory wait period, you can buy it for yourself. Most of the stores have free coffee and they didn't have a problem with the employees drinking it.

Cons

Goodwill is run like a business, but is masquerading as a charity complete with non-profit status and everything. They DO have some good programs, but the thrift store part of it is separate and is run in a typical cutthroat retail fashion in order to fund the programs. Don't expect the "goodwill" to reach your pocket or your working environment. Having said that, your experience may come down to the people, I had a boss who was a narcissistic gaslighter. Other employees were totally neutral and unmemorable, and one or two who were decent people who I would be thrilled to see again. Goodwill throws out TONS of good stuff. Remember, the ultimate goal is to make money. The other half of Goodwill will use that to provide some programs, but if we have to chuck 100 lbs of perfectly usable good stuff to make way for some great stuff that we can sell for more, it's time to fire up the trash compactor and crush some stuff!

Viewing 316 - 318 of 9,232 Reviews

Glassdoor has 9,733 Goodwill reviews submitted anonymously by Goodwill employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Goodwill is right for you.