If you are from the Midwest, it is likely you have stepped foot into a Meijer at one point in time. The super chain store has locations scattered across the Midwest, with more than half of their stores based in Michigan. With so many store locations, there is a great need for employees. There are more than 70,000 team members across six states. With such a great need for employees, does Meijer hire felons?
Keep reading to find out!
Meijer
During the Great Depression, a local barber in Greenville, Michigan saw an opportunity and took a leap. Hendrik Meijer purchased $338 worth of merchandise on credit in attempt to take care of his customers. Hendrik and his 14-year-old son, Fred, opened Meijer’s Grocery in order to help their customers make it through the struggling times.
Today, Meijer remains a prominent household name across the Midwest. Meijer combines grocery shopping and department store shopping one single store! Some Meijer stores also have a gas station and small convenience store on site. More than half of the company’s stores are located in Michigan. The headquarters for the supercenter are in Walker, Michigan. The other half of the store locations can be found in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and in Wisconsin. In 2015, Meijer was deemed as the 26th largest retailer in the United States based on revenue.
The supercenter stands by the motto that “Meijer is not a brand name, it is a family name.” From its humble beginnings as a father and son grocery store, it has since remained a family-owned company. Every team member is treated like family so that they can grow and as successful in the environment as possible.
Let’s take a look at some of the positions that Meijer has to offer.
Positions
When it comes to the available positions through Meijer, there are various fields in which may interest you. There are positions in store, in warehouse, as well as at a corporate level.
In store positions and warehouse work are great jobs to apply to when you are just entering back into the workforce.
Some examples of in store positions are as follows:
- Overnight grocery stocking
- Cashier
- Gas station clerk
- Greeter
These positions previously mentioned are just a few examples of jobs available.
You can find job opportunities near you simply by looking on the Meijer website. The company makes it very simple to find jobs near you by creating a map at which you can click on various locations to see the open positions.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Meijer is an equal opportunity employer. The policy of the company is to not discriminate against any applicant or team member. This is in regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, physical or mental disability, military status, or any other lawfully-protected classification under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act. This is a positive fact about the company. They strive to welcome all walks of life.
Ban the Box Movement is an act that was specially made in order to help felons get back into the workplace. Companies that are a part of the movement remove any questions regarding your criminal history on their application. Meijer is not a part of the Ban the Box movement. This does not mean that they will automatically disqualify your application for having a felony.
The company has not directly stated whether or not they would hire someone with a criminal history. Though Meijer is not a part of the Ban the Box Movement, it is a positive fact that they are an equal opportunity employer.
Though it cannot be certain that Meijer will hire you with a criminal history, there are ways that an applicant can better their chances at a position.
Increasing Your Chances
Meijer is one of the largest supermarkets in North America. Being a supermarket that is so large scale, they need many employees to run their business. Most of which will be out on the floor with customers. They typically look for people with customer service experience. Any instances where you have dealt with customers or have shown excellent personal skills should be highlighted if you happen upon an interview.
Speaking about any experience you do have in the workplace can be beneficial whether it is was customer based on not. It mainly depends on the position you are applying for. For instance, if you have ever worked in a kitchen, you should mention it! Though it is not a position where you are working directly with customers, it is a position in which you are handling food. This could increase your chances in positions such as deli counter worker, or baker.
Another instance of a past position that could be beneficial is any warehouse work. Being a warehouse worker is another position in which you would not need to interact with customers directly.
Besides just highlighting your job experience you should also highlight your skill sets. If you are physically active and able you should express this! This can show that you will be able to lift and stock items efficiently. It can also prove that you will be able to work long hour shifts!
Those are just a few instances of ways that an applicant can increase their chance at getting a position. Overall, it is important to be positive. If your application is denied by Meijer there are many other opportunities in the workforce for those with a criminal history.
Conclusion
During the Great Depression Hendrik Meijer and his 14-year-old son, Fred, opened Meijer’s Grocery in order to help their customers make it through the struggling times. Now, Meijer is one of the largest supercenter in the United States. Meijer combines grocery shopping and department store shopping one single store! Some Meijer stores also have a gas station and small convenience store on site.
The company has not directly stated whether or not they would hire someone with a criminal history. Meijer is not a part of the Ban the Box Movement, but they have stated to be an equal opportunity employer.