Pros
Note: All of these pros and cons depend on which department you work in. Some are way better than others. Try to get a good sense of the dept. when you interview before accepting a position. -Always learning. You will learn something new every day. Just the interactions with extremely intelligent people will make you want to personally and professionally develop yourself. -Encourages wellness.Employees are encouraged to get active and be healthy. Want to go to the gym during lunch? Go! Want to take a Yoga Class during the day? Go! -Resources everywhere. Need to go on short or long-term disability? There's a resource for that. Have a personal problem and need counseling? There's a resource for that too. There is support for most every needs an employee could have. -The name. Let's face it: Stanford University is one of the top universities in the world and the brand/name recognition is instantaneous. When I whip out one my SU business cards, I instantly gain trust and compliments. -Ability to further your career. Once you're here, the possibilities are endless for professional growth. Take a class on project management. Apply for a job in a different department. Once you're in, you're in. -Benefits. Free Caltrain! Love that. Take it up to the city about two to three times a week which saves me about $60 a week. The Health Care is great. Stanford Health Care Alliance allows you to visit top Stanford doctors for a low monthly premium and a not-bad co-pay. -Work/life balance. Management does not want you working overtime or on the weekends. They are very respectable when it comes to your personal time. -Winter Closure. The University shuts down for two weeks in December and employees only have to use four vacation days for two weeks of paid time off. -Well-equipped workstation. I have two 27" monitors and a MacBook Pro which enable me to get my work done in a productive way.
Cons
-Old school environment. Make no mistake, this isn't Google. You won't get lunch or food provided for you and you won't be able to drink alcohol during the work day. This is a good and bad thing. Makes you maintain focus but also makes you jealous of you friend whose office has a keg on tap. -Hierarchy. Things happen top down here. You will need approval from everyone and their mother to implement new ideas or change existing processes. This stifles innovation and growth. There are times when higher ups will make you feel like you are unimportant. -Unequal Pay. Different departments pay different amounts for the same exact position. Yes, the person doing your job in the School of Medicine probably makes $15K more than you. Also, it is true: the pay here does not equate to the Bay Area market rate. Some of my colleagues commute four hours a day in order to afford living costs. -Boring. There is an old-school education vibe here. Some tasks get mundane and a lack of fun environment really is stifling at times. -Low performers. Honestly, there are some really low performing upper managers who are lazy and do not do a good job. Their ill-performance is turned a blind eye due to their seniority and/or connections.