store clerk

assistant store manager

retail assistant manager

production worker

coach

Goodwill of Central Iowa

If the store I worked at was its own entity and was left in the hands of the management that worked there, it would have been really great. Unfortunately, Goodwill of Central Iowa is incredibly top-heavy and too much time and money is wasted at the corporate level by micro-managing the retail stores and generating non-lucrative ideas in an attempt to defend their unnecessary jobs.

1. The head of retail has multiple screens of the live feed from the store cameras sitting on their office desk and they watch it all day. District managers would complain about it on their visits to the retail stores. The job title should be changed to “store security” and the pay should be cut in half.
2. Wages at the retail stores are kept low by offering monthly bonuses. Standards to meet the bonus continually change making the bonus increasingly unattainable. This causes helplessness amongst store employees which can deplete the store morale.
3. Instead of implementing Hazard pay during the COVID-19 pandemic, Goodwill of Central Iowa decided in May to freeze all upcoming pay increases and the previous increase that was supposed to go into effect for all store employees at the beginning of this year. They never got around to it when they should have, and by the time they did, they couldn't afford it.
4. The shopgoodwill team at corporate wastes time and money by sending back valuable items and taking away mid-grade items from the store shelves so they can post them online, only for those items to sit with zero bids.
5. All stores (even stores that are overflowing with donations) are required to sell “new goods.” These are items that Goodwill buys with the revenue made from their donated items to be sold next to other donated items. They think they are doing the community a service by selling cheap dollar store items for triple the cost next to their donated items. These new goods must be inventoried at the end of each month. Corporate doesn't take the time to enter them correctly on their end, even though they expect you to take the time to stay late and count it correctly and for those numbers to magically match.

Imagine how many people could have been helped through the Goodwill mission if Goodwill of Central Iowa knew how to manage its revenue.

My time at Goodwill of Central Iowa has been the most rewarding, encouraging, and positive experience that I could have ever asked for. It helped me discover the career path that I wanted to pursue in college and provided me with knowledge that I will carry forever. I started my internship through my school and was fortunate to continue through the summer. 
Everyday you are surrounded with people who are so passionate about the work they do and the mission they support. The mission- Make purposeful employment possible for all- is seen throughout all the departments in different ways. It has truly been an honor to support this mission by the work I was doing in the HR department. 
Some of the work I was doing included recruiting, which was the coolest part for me. It's so cool to see how you, the job seekers, move throughout our system and get hired. I got to communicate with the candidates, conduct phone screens, and schedule interviews for the hiring managers. In addition to recruiting, I also supported with onboarding new hires, conducting audits for our Payroll admin, creating content for our recruiting pages, and so much more. No day was the same! I was trusted and supported every step of the way and it was a privilege to help out my coworkers in everyway I could.
My supervisor was so kind and supportive. During my interview, I had told her all the things I had wanted to learn and get out of my experience. Throughout my entire internship, she remembered it all and actively made sure that I was learning all the things that I wanted to. I could ask questions and when I needed or asked for something like assistance or to learn more things, she made it happen. I was always told how appreciated I was and how much she valued the work I was doing. 
I will be forever grateful for this experience and all the knowledge, relationships, and skills that I gained. There was never a day where I wasn't looking forward to coming into work. I encourage everyone to apply and be part of a mission driven team. 



The job is not too difficult and fairly straight forward. The only downside is that Goodwill gets the best but also the worst of customers. From regulars you love meeting every day to those who make you feel like your brain is going to explode.

My coworkers are amazing. Have made friends I hang out with now, and everyone is very accepting and friendly. There is very much a "get through it together" attitude where there is always support and always a will to help. Even the keyholders and assistant managers are really chill and cool people!

As for the manager however (and those above), my only negative but it's a strong negative. Management feels so detached to reality and completely ignores both customers and employees. It feels like the company operates more like a retail store rather than a thrift store. Told to look for quality and forget quantity, then get asked why is your quantity is so low. Want to make the store look nice and not a mess? Nope back to production.

There have been yelling matches between employee and manager, I've been told we get smaller raises compared to years before and retention is a huge issue they try to fix by hiring more and not you know, actually fixing it. 

As for the ability to get promotions, as long as you are a good worker and fairly reliable it is fairly easy to become key holder (if a spot is open) and same for assistant manager after key holder.


A typical day of work feels like working with friends for a good cause.  I've learned about how the nonprofit assists individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities overcome barriers to employment through person-centered care and community integration.  The management has been promoting from within the nonprofit, which brings great opportunities for job growth but will need to invest in leadership training.  Management often tries different strategies for job titles to fit the needs of the nonprofit, and it feels good to see that they consider things carefully.  The workplace culture embodies the values of love, kindness, and respect.  The values create an inclusive work experience that encourages everyone to feel welcome.  The hardest part of the job is the compensation limitations and the newly promoted leaders that need refining.  The most enjoyable part of the job is the feeling of satisfaction to help others and the joy in seeing people succeed with the assistance of the nonprofit.

A typical day at Goodwill of Central Iowa involves working with participants in job training—teaching transferable skills that empower them toward meaningful employment. I've learned that everyone deserves a chance to succeed, and that with support, growth is always possible. Management has been incredibly supportive—I feel heard, respected, and encouraged in my career development. The workplace culture is compassionate and mission-driven, with coworkers who truly believe in what they do. The hardest part is supporting participants with complex needs, but it's also what makes the job so impactful. Helping someone build confidence and independence has been deeply fulfilling.





Goodwill of Central Iowa cares about its employees and over last 3years that I have been here, continue to make improvements in their culture and communication. I was given the opportunity to move up quickly in this company through hard work and now I work tireless to try and give those same opportunities and chances to those under me. After serving in the United States Military, I had done a few different jobs not lasting more than a year or so until I started at Goodwill of Central Iowa. They believe in me and what I bring to the organization and for that I am grateful. 

I absolutely LOVE working at Goodwill of Central Iowa. It’s the first job I’ve had that truly aligns with my personal values. We lead with love, kindness, and respect—not just in words, but in our everyday actions. Here, the work feels meaningful. You can lay your head down at night knowing you’ve contributed to something bigger than yourself.
Whether it’s providing purposeful employment opportunities, supporting sustainability efforts, or helping our community thrive, what we do here matters. I’m proud to be part of a mission-driven organization that puts people first.

Working at Goodwill of Central Iowa was a different experience than jobs I've had in the past. The work culture is beyond different. Everyday you're working next to people that not only have a common goal, but a common mission. " Making Purposeful employment possible for all". This is seen is all aspects of the company. My typical day as an intern depended on the week at hand. Often my bosses challenged me with diverse tasks.  Often my bosses advocated my work, and myself as a person. Goodwill of Central Iowa is definitely somewhere I would recommend working! 

Goodwill of Central Iowa is a great place to work.  The company is in a growth mode, which means there are a lot of opportunities to learn and expand your potential within the company.  The work is challenging, and expectations are high, but that makes for a positive experience.  The culture is friendly and inviting.  Upper management is just down the hall, so it is easy to connect with them on a daily basis.  If you want to work for a non-profit whose mission is to help both people and the community, you can't go wrong with Goodwill of Central Iowa.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Love kind and respect. Working at Goodwill  is a  much easier and all my co workers  and managers  are very nice. They are my 2nd family.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
It's not stressful  to work at Goodwill  ,in fact it is interesting to learn more everyday. That is if you want to learn more and willing to be coach. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Good environment and workers are came from different  kind of culture which  is very interesting

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Store clerk 21 salaries reported	$15.36 per hour
Assistant store manager 5 salaries reported	$19.95 per hour
Retail assistant manager 8 salaries reported	$16.38 per hour
Production worker 11 salaries reported	$13.34 per hour
Coach 1 salary reported	$17.90 per hour

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