Pros
-Flexible work schedule -Meaningful work -Current technology -Great IT support and Customer Service (the best I've ever experienced) -Good benefits -Great office location (downtown DC)
Cons
The cons are probably everything else that one looks for in a job. Support from management, none. Communication - you'd think everyone speaks a different language the way communication breaks down between managers and staff. Constant institutional and organizational changes make it impossible to determine where you fit in, or even if you are fitting in. HR offers support to upper management but struggles to be the same advocate for staff below the Service Area Manager/Director level. A laborious performance evaluation process is virtually ineffective. In many cases, staff aren't even evaluated by people who they work with on a regular basis, but are still able to weigh in on performance, salary increases and bonuses, which are seemingly distributed to those who know how to "work the system". I've never seen anything like it. All in all, if you're able to find a place in Altarum where you are a fit, go for it. People who actually fit in seem to be happy and do very well. The only problem with this is that you won't know if you fit in until you get into the job because the story you get during the interview process might not be accurate, depending upon the state of business at the time. It's important for you to keep your long term career goals in mind when working here. If it works with your plan, definitely stick it out. But if you begin to feel like you're wasting your time, you probably are, so just move on. `