Meijer growth accelerates, hiring push begins

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer is preparing to bring in more than 9,000 new hires in response to the company’s move to expand with several store openings and ahead of the fall and holiday selling seasons.

Since its founding in the early sixties, Meijer has grown at a relatively slow pace compared to retailers like Walmart, Target and Kmart, which were opening their first discount stores at around the same time — the Midwest retailer has 203 stores. But things are picking up, and fast.

"Meijer has already opened five of the six new stores planned for this year, with another nine opening next year," said Janet Emerson, EVP of operations for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer. "Our continued growth, along with the upcoming holiday selling season, make it imperative that we increase our staffing properly to operate our stores and deliver on the Meijer promise of providing exceptional customer service."

Meijer stores are open 24 hours, and only close on Christmas Day. While staffing needs vary from store to store, all Meijer stores have positions available. The retailer is planning to hire 4,400 people in Michigan, 1,600 people in Ohio, 1,800 people in Indiana, 900 people in Illinois and 500 people in Kentucky.

The company has a dedicated landing page on its site where interested candidates can complete an online application and indicate their store preference. Candidates may also complete an online application at the employment kiosks located at the front of most Meijer stores. Local store management will then follow up with qualified candidates.

"While many of these opportunities are part-time, these jobs can provide a gateway to a full-time career at Meijer," said Kevin Wiederhold, VP of human resources for retail operations. "As we continue to grow, we are frequently looking to fill our on-going part-time and full-time needs. These positions provide a great opportunity to get your foot in the door and demonstrate success within a growing company."

Most new Meijer stores require 200-250 team members. While traditional retail positions, such as stockers and cashiers are needed, there are also opportunities in more specialized roles such as meat cutters and cake decorators, which often lead to future leadership opportunities.