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      Smithsonian

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      Smithsonian reviews

      4.1

      66% would recommend to a friend

      (508 total reviews)
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      Dr. David J. Skorton

      75% approve of CEO

      64% positive business outlook

      Ratings by demographic groups

      Smithsonian has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 508 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Smithsonian employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Nonprofit & NGO industry (3.7 stars).

      Reviews by job title

      508 reviews
      3.0
      Sep 8, 2016

      Too much work; too little money

      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      The Smithsonian Institution's mission is very important and it is a very interesting place to work. I was honored to be hired.

      Cons

      No work life balance. Job required 60 to 70 hours per week with minimal salary increases and no room for advancement.

      3.0
      Sep 7, 2016

      Administrative Coordinator

      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Excellent Institution and very interesting to work at. Opportunities to meet some of the brightest researchers in the world. Behind the Scenes events make living in DC possible on a shoe string. Good people.

      Cons

      Working at the Institution is highly sought after so wages are not particularity good. If your not on the federal side of the employment structure your job security is not as robust, even if your are a top performer. Movement upwards can be frustratingly slow and the internal administrative systems are average so if feels like a large bureaucracy.

      2.0
      May 29, 2016

      Great experience only for people under 28 years old

      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      This is a review for the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. In particular for the temporary jobs that usually open for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The Festival is amazing and to be part of the experience is rewarding. You get to do your job and to learn about the cultures that at showcased at the Festival.

      Cons

      Most of people that work on the Festival are contractors and very young (23-28). They do not know how to cooperate as a team because each one has a specific task and they work individually. This is very young and competitive people, and not a collaborative culture. The Director doesn't cooperate, she changes her mind and lacks of leadership. Too bad such a great experience is filled with chaos and lack of cooperation.

      Viewing 61 - 63 of 508 Reviews
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      ReviewsSmithsonian reviews

      Glassdoor has 797 Smithsonian reviews submitted anonymously by Smithsonian employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Smithsonian is right for you.