Is Goodwill a good company to work for as a Retail Associate?

Retail Associate professionals working at Goodwill have rated their employer with 3.6 out of 5 stars in 366 Glassdoor reviews. This is a higher than average score with the overall rating of Goodwill employees being 3.2 out of 5 stars. Search open Retail Associate Jobs at Goodwill now and start preparing for your job interview by browsing frequently asked Retail Associate interview questions at Goodwill .

Does Goodwill pay Retail Associate employees well?

Retail Associate professionals rate their compensation and benefits at Goodwill with 3.1 out of 5 stars based on 366 anonymously submitted employee reviews. This is 10.2% better than the company average rating for salary and benefits. Find out more about Retail Associate salaries at Goodwill.

How happy are Retail Associate professionals working at Goodwill?

63% of Retail Associate employees at Goodwill would recommend their employer to a friend. This rating has increased by 5% in the past 12 months. Retail Associate professionals have also rated Goodwill with a 3.3 rating for work-life-balance, 3.7 rating for diversity and inclusion, 3.5 rating for culture and values and 3.3 rating for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Goodwill?

Sales Associate (545) , Cashier (498) , Sales Associate/Cashier (321) , Retail Sales Associate (300) , Donation Attendant (276) , Assistant Manager (203) , Store Manager (179) , Manager (132) , Processor (93) , Production Associate (88) , Employment Specialist (84) , Retail Associate (79) , Case Manager (74) , Store Associate (74) , Assistant Store Manager (62)

What are the pros of working at Goodwill according to real employee reviews?

"Great people and flexible with work hours" ((in 587 reviews)); "Flexible hours and good if you’re in school" ((in 196 reviews)); "They also were great for the employees" ((in 115 reviews)); "Good work environment to be a part of" ((in 111 reviews)); "flexible schedules are nice when they occur" ((in 111 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Goodwill according to real employee reviews?

"Low pay and you must spend time propping up employees who can’t get the job done" ((in 880 reviews)); "Company keeps bad managers in power while the store can’t keep a staff BECAUSE of the bad management." ((in 265 reviews)); "Upper management does not care if you are trying your best" ((in 198 reviews)); "The staff is usually all special needs with no training." ((in 94 reviews)); "Favoritism runs rampant." ((in 89 reviews))

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Goodwill

Goodwill Retail Associate reviews

3.6

63% would recommend to a friend

(366 total reviews)

Catherine Meloy

60% approve of CEO

41% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.7

Diversity & inclusion

3.5

Culture & values

3.3

Work/Life balance

3.3

Senior management

3.3

Career opportunities

3.1

Compensation and benefits

Retail Associate employees have rated Goodwill with 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 366 company reviews on Glassdoor. This indicates that most Retail Associate professionals have a good working experience there. Goodwill is rated in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) by Retail Associate professionals compared to other employers within the Nonprofit & NGO industry (3.7 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

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Reviews by job title

366 reviews

1.0

Aug 12, 2025

Steer Clear at All Costs

Retail associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

While I didn't like the job, the company's mission is admirable; the customers (at least at my store) were by and large terrific.

Cons

The job is pure dung -- immature/inexperienced management, very poor salaries, mgt micromanagement via store security cams, everything's reactive, no/minimal training, assist mgrs must work 50'ish hrs a week (mgrs 60 +), cliquish employees, inefficient processes, backroom OSHA violations a'plenty, and well over 100% turnover should tell you everything you need to know.

3.0

Jul 21, 2025

Not worth the little pay

Retail sales associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Learned new things and met some great people.

Cons

The pay wasn't enough nor the amount of hrs.

3.0

May 16, 2025

Ok place to work for a student

Retail sales associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Easy work, not a lot of stress.

Cons

Managers change frequently, and you can tell they are very overworked, underpaid, and overstressed.

Viewing 22 - 24 of 366 Reviews

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Goodwill

Goodwill Retail Associate reviews

Ratings by category

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Reviews by job title

Steer Clear at All Costs

Not worth the little pay

Ok place to work for a student

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