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Stanford University

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Job didn't meet Stanford's reputation for innovation or excellence - Anonymous employee Stanford University Employee Review

1.0
2 Jun 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Beautiful campus with good benefits and lots of training opportunities. Great campus to walk and bike in just watch out for all the new construction!

Cons

Worked in the Dept. of Environmental Health and Safety and it was a joke. Team managers showed very little professional respect to each other and would stab each other in the backs on a regular basis. Managers were resistant to new ideas and department teams stuck to their own little silos. To survive, staff members basically kept their mouths shut and heads down in fear of being targeted. Very bureaucratic and controlling culture with archaic office procedures that showcased how little management trusted or respected its employees. An example was the sign-in board that was constantly monitored by HR to track comings and goings of staff. Really? Found it to be a generally mean and unfriendly environment. Lots of sad people in this department just waiting to retire or survive until they can use the college benefit for their kids.

Explore other reviews about Stanford University

5.0
2 Jul 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The Hume Center is the best on campus job! The people are amazing and you get to help students.

Cons

Some students might be uninterested when they come for their session.

4.0
19 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Overall, Stanford is an amazing place to work. The environment and benefits can't be beat. You can go for a swim on your lunch break or a walk around the lake. The recreational classes and opportunities are usually great. Eating at the dining hall, although pricy, is a real treat.

Cons

If you're not senior management, faculty, development, etc., Stanford's pay has not kept up with the cost of living in the area. If you come for a job from outside of California, be prepared for a real shock when you see the kinds of rentals and the prices. Beauty has a price. You will not be able to live near campus as the average employee. Unless you're really familiar with the traffic in California, don't look at places that you think are an hour away, because they'll be two hours away by car. And you'll have to pay to park on campus, so not driving at all is your best option. Many administrative jobs are held by partners of people working in tech or faculty, because that's the only way you can afford to live there. If you don't have a partner making $200K+, you'll be taking the train or bus for an hour. If you're thinking about buying a house and you don't have a suitcase of cash, that sound you're hearing is my laughter. It's also important to realize that the working conditions across campus vary by unit. Working at the Graduate School of Business will seem more like a corporate job; working in Medicine could be brutal; and the treatment you will get can vary by department.

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