Very cliquish. Double standards and micro managing department heads. If you weren't popular in high school, chances are you won't be here either. It feels like stepping back into my high school days of cheerleaders/jocks vs. nerdy smart outcasts. Meetings will be the main thing you'll do no matter what department you are in. These people love meetings. Nothing gets done, but they like to talk about what isn't being done in the meetings. Meetings which are taking up the time you need to get 'said' thing-done!
I have a feeling that the CEO and CFO have no clue what is actually going on and the Foundation that gathers the donor funding for various programs are equally as clueless. It's a hot mess. They do talk a good game though. You'll be SOLD during orientation. You'll feel proud of working there. Slowly you'll see the unraveling of their propaganda machine and become jaded. It has happened to everyone I know who have worked there, myself included.
If you are okay being a drone worker bee and taking orders that make no sense, going to meetings in an echo chamber, then this place is for you. If you like feeling like you belong to a dysfunctional family that love to be inside your brain at all times, then this place is for you.
If you like working around a bunch of country bumpkins who are afraid of Muslims and poor people, then this place is for you. If you want to sit around and talk about your baby and husband instead of doing your job, then this place is definitely for you. If you watch mainstream reality TV shows and think that it matters then apply for the child life department. It's brimming with idiots who have no idea what is happening in the world around them.
The parking garage you will be forced to park in is like playing the game of Risk every morning. There are tons of employee driven events that you can be a part of if you are one of the lucky "cool people" who are invited to participate.
If you are trying to be a child life specialist because you want to help children, that is great and noble of you but you will not find that at Cook Childrens. Some of the specialist are great, but you won't see them because they are doing their job and everyone else's job. If you are male and reading this, then count yourself out of the race right now. You will never be hired at this company for the child life department. It is clearly a female only club, trust me on this.
