Easy Organization to Work for but Incredibly Underwhelming - Program Associate Summer Search Employee Review

3.0
28 Sept 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Flexible environment (working from home, flexing hours etc.) - Good benefits - Intelligent, well educated, coworkers that appear to genuinely care about what they're doing and are conscientious human beings - Management open to feedback (as long as it conforms to the organizational culture) - Physically nice offices/working environments - Access to top of the line resources (software, computers, etc.)

Cons

- Incredibly poor infrastructure/disorganization leads to wasted resources - Extremely slow moving organization when it comes to any meaningful change/innovation. Tends towards the extreme of over-caution which stagnates growth potential - No clear pathway for advancement - The program tends to cherry pick high performing youth with very few issues aside from being low-income, in order to maintain it's successful reputation. Many of the students accepted, simply using it as a way to bolster their college applications and get a couple free trips. - Deep culture of self-congratulation (staff seem to be very pleased with themselves despite the job not being terribly difficult, minimally emotionally taxing, and asking very little in terms of time and effort) - Outdated mentoring model. The weekly phone calls feel business like and sterile. Relationships with students feel surface-level for the most part and inorganic.

Explore other reviews about Summer Search

5.0
30 Sept 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

flexiblility is good there yup

Cons

not any to say no

3.0
3 Jul 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The organization's mission is genuinely impactful, and there are many dedicated staff who are passionate about the work. Opportunities exist for those who are highly self-directed and can navigate ambiguous environments.

Cons

My experience reveals an organization grappling with severe systemic issues that profoundly undermine its potential and the morale of its staff. Firstly, there is a critical absence of clear strategic planning and decisive leadership. Decisions often appear reactive rather than part of a cohesive vision, leading to significant organizational drift and a lack of direction for employees. This contributes directly to the current precarious financial outlook, evidenced by substantial budget shortfalls and recent layoffs that reflect deeper, unaddressed structural problems. Compounding these issues is a pervasive culture of favoritism, where advancement and opportunities seem disproportionately influenced by personal relationships rather than merit or performance. The stated commitment to fairness and equity often rings hollow, with observable practices frequently contradicting the espoused values, leading to a sense of hypocrisy that erodes trust. Furthermore, unprofessional practices are unfortunately common, characterized by inconsistent policy application and a noticeable lack of accountability across various levels. This environment contributes to demonstrably low morale among staff, who often feel unheard, undervalued, and uncertain about the organization's future.

2
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All