shift leader

retail assistant manager

customer service manager

department manager

assistant store manager

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee

From 2003-2009, the company was very client oriented (people that were there to learn how to function in the workplace)--the training programs for them were good and the people at the corporate level were behind the programs.  After the economy went down in 2008, it began to change--in 2009, the training programs were no longer the focus of the company--it became like every other corporate entity--all about the money.
We were instructed that if a client (who may have some mental, emotional or physical disadvantage) could not  perform the task like someone without the disadvantage we were to "start the process"--begin the documentations, write ups and termination.  These are the people that Goodwill is supposed to help, whether by hiring them or helping to find work and keep it.
A normal day was basically putting out fires so to speak, this person didn't like that person, that person didn't work on that day why should I, you may be on the register, processing goods, putting out clothes, recovering the floor, training someone, trying to make out a schedule or do a performance review, your scheduled shift is usually 9,5 hours, but you are normally there closer to 11 a day.  Most of the time, you only receive negative feedback, occasionally you will hear something good--but not often.

The upper management (at the corporate level) are more concerned with saving face than doing the right thing.  The Human Resources department is now just a club that upper management tries to use to beat anyone who questions them into submission.
There is a pervasive atmosphere of bullying above the store management level and sometimes in the hourly employees (who now know that the consequences to them are virtually nil.  
There is also a noticeable display of favoritism--but beware, you may the favorite today, tomorrow that person may turn on you like a rabid animal.
Some of the upper management like to play a little game of divide and conquer--they will go to one employee and tell them that another employee is a terrible worker, not a nice person, etc.
They also try to create unhealthy rivalries between store managers.

The worst part of the job was being told to do one thing and five minutes later, being reamed for doing it.  It was also very difficult taking directions from someone who had no idea what they were doing and was getting information from someone else who didn't know what they were doing.
The atmosphere in the company is emotionally  toxic.

The best part of the job was working with someone who was having difficulties and watching the pride on their face when it clicked and they got it.  I miss that part, but the reality is, we have not been allowed to work with someone to that extent for a long time.

The mission statement of Goodwill is to take the sales of donated goods to help train people to find and keep jobs who might not otherwise be able to.find and keep a job.

The mission is a great one, one that I believed in and still believe in, it saddens me that this company has chosen to no longer follow its own  stated purpose.

The store manager position is the most dangerous position to be in, you have almost no recourse and certainly no protection.

Working at this company gives a real sense of purpose. It’s rewarding to know that your work is contributing to society by helping others, especially those who may face barriers to employment—whether they’ve been incarcerated, are homeless, or have other challenges that keep them out of the workforce. Being part of a team that provides training and education to help people advance in their careers is truly fulfilling.


However, in my current role, I don’t often get to see the direct impact of this work, as I’m behind the scenes. While I’m proud of the work I do, it can sometimes feel like just another task in a fast-paced environment where deadlines are tight and expectations are high. It’s hard to see the difference you make when you don’t have the opportunity to interact with the individuals you’re helping directly.


The hybrid work schedule is a definite perk, allowing for flexibility in working from home a few days each week. However, there is limited flexibility around office days, which could be improved. While I recognize that some companies offer even less flexibility, it would be ideal to have more control over my schedule without needing to ask for permission or worry about the consequences of adjusting my office days.


On the job, there are times when communication is a challenge. It can be stressful when the information you need to complete tasks is unavailable or when requests are made last minute, making it difficult to meet deadlines. Additionally, the expectation to complete your work is clear, but there is a lack of accountability for others on the team. This means I often have to chase others for their part of the work to finish my tasks.

There are some great people working here. However, the communication is nearly non-existent. Each member of management you encounter will either tell you something different than the one before, or have no idea about whatever the others have said. And sometimes if they don't agree, they'll just have you do basically the opposite of what the others have said. 
Everything is about pieces processed and sales instead of quality of the pieces and the employees having the tools necessary to meet these goals. 
HR type materials are not readily available for employees to browse at their "leisure" (lunch or breaks).
Instead of training, you just sign a piece of paper stating that you watched certain videos and participated in certain trainings. 
It's always too hot or too cold. Fans aren't allowed. 
Dust everywhere, and the brooms provided do absolutely nothing for it. Everyone keeps constant sinus issues. 
If employees are required to know and separate designer items, then management should know the designers. Better yet, there should be a regularly updated list of these designers for employees to reference.
Employees should have their own restrooms. 
The general consensus seems to be "They don't care about us, only about the money." Equipment, when available, is about half-functional. Ordering more goes against the budget, which goes against the numbers. 

This job is perfect if you like toxic work environments. 

All that matters here is production numbers. All you hear about is numbers. How many items did you process, list, sort, ship...And rather than worry about quality of the product, it's only more numbers. More listings equals more money, prime example of the well-earned "Greedwill" name.  They're severely understaffed and new employees are constantly being cycled through and quit after being dropped in to this dumpster fire. There's no chance for promotion, they don't pay you a whole lot but they'll sure tell you they appreciate you and do a "special" monthly lunch because that makes up for it all. They've even fired people while they were out with serious illness. In short, they don't care about you.

Management doesn't communicate properly or effectively anything other then list more or work faster then fast. 

Coworkers are nice enough, probably because they're all in the suck too. The only real enjoyment everyone gets here is clocking out for the day. Morale is that low.

Best advice, don't work here unless you're desperate.

A typical day starts at 8:30 am, with setting up computer screen by opening files and soft phone necessary for properly answering questions from incoming and outgoing phone calls. Calls are sorted between Intakes (new clients), Retail (questions about stores), Donations (questions about where to donate and what can be donated), and Call Center (general info) until lunchtime (30 minutes). The afternoon is spent doing the same as the morning until clocking out at 4:30pm.
I learned the proper way to manage unruly and difficult people while on the phone in a fast-paced environment. The management and co-workers were helpful, offering aid as needed.
The hardest part of the job was remembering where, in the vast network of information provided, is the answers to major questions of the customers.
The most enjoyable part of the job was the sense of family and friendship -- comfortable-- where making a mistake is not a failure only a stubbling block toward learning the next step...they willing help with that next step!

A typical day at work is answering a high volume of calls of series of questions about Goodwill Industries. Connect calls to associates within the company, paging team members in the warehouse facility. Experienced in using office equipment such as computers, fax machines, copy machines and printers. Being able to multi-task through a number of screens, to answer a number of questions for example Explaining policies, and handling complaints. Most of all, I learned from my experiences, how to interact with clients. I have the ability to work with frustrated customers, listen to them and sympathize with them and provide a excellent customer service to all customer or client I come in contact with. I love working with my team members they were very assisting and helpful. The hardest part of the job was keeping the irate customers calm. The most enjoyable part was being apart of Goodwill Industries, coming in contact with many different clients and given the opportunity to help them.

Due to continuous staffing shortages working for Goodwill Industries was an extremely stressful and most days exhausting experience. Additionally, this ongoing issue lead to regular changes in the management and all of the different job position. Which lead to having to constantly be training new staff while already not having enough employees to meet daily, weekly, and monthly production and sales goals. So being part of the management team was very stressful most of the time, and meant trying to figure out how to accomplish the responsibilities of my position while also doing the work of 2 or 3 other positions that we didn't have staff to fill those positions. For the amount of work expected the pay is not even close to being appropriate, and you may accumulate time off but actually being able to take time off without it being a issue well that's not going to happen. 

I was looking for a job where I really felt like I made a difference in people's lives. This is the job I was looking for! Every day, you can impact people from so many walks of life, whether it's someone's first job, while still in school, someone who has limited or no job skills, and needs a chance, or someone who has experienced personal life challenges and needs a chance. Goodwill gives people the chance they need, including job skills' training. 

Goodwill's benefits are the best I've ever had in any job, especially the medical benefits!

Each Goodwill store feels like a unified family. Everyone works extra hard to put amazing goods on the sales floor for our amazing customers!

If you're looking for a job where you feel fulfilled every day, Goodwill is for you!

I worked at one of the trailers for this company, taking in donations. I often came across rather neat people with whom I thoroughly provided customer service to. I learned a lot about the values the company talks about a lot, such as integrity, courage and hard work. My co-workers were often very helpful. The hardest part of the job was some of the busy days I had to work through myself. But, working with the public to provide excellent customer service and keeping the repeat customers perfectly satisfied with the services we provided them with outdid my experiences in the difficult times I'm positive other employees experience at any time or day (having a bad day). All in all, I really enjoyed this job because of the people I came across and working with them. In short, I honestly thought that the time and effort I put into this job was definitely worth the challenges and rewards it brought to me.

I had a shocking and terrible experience working for Goodwill Industries of Middle TN. Despite their reputation as a charitable organization, the corporate greed was palpable and there was no accountability for any of the upper management. The low wages and constant overworking of employees was evidence of this greed, as they seemed more concerned with their profits than the well-being and fair treatment of their workers. Additionally, I was shocked to discover that much of the donated items that were supposed to be helping those in need were actually being sold to international buyers for a profit, rather than being distributed to those in the local community as they claimed. I would not recommend working for this company to anyone, as they do not value their employees and only care about their own profits.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Shift leader 427 salaries reported	$14.93 per hour
Retail assistant manager 11 salaries reported	$18.85 per hour
Customer service manager 65 salaries reported	$14.91 per hour
Department manager 54 salaries reported	$14.91 per hour
Assistant store manager 49 salaries reported	$51,977 per year

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