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Youth for Understanding

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YFU, where your career goes to die - Field Director Youth for Understanding Employee Review

1.0
9 Jan 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

None. I really have tried to think of any pros to add to this review and cannot think of one positive thing to add.

Cons

This place is truly where careers go to die. The atmosphere can frankly get toxic and turns good employees into mindless grinders. As noted by some others, the management is, by and large, incompetent and clueless to what we actually do and tend to get to where they are by kissing butt and stepping on/calling out people. Many of the managers are simply hold-overs from when the company was failing miserably and they just happened to default into their position by simply being the only guy around willing to take the job. Two of my collegues have been waiting FOUR MONTHS for their Field Director salaries to adjust. Management LOWERED their temp salaries WITHOUT TELLING THEM, while still expecting them to fulfill FD responsibilities. Expecting you to do the work, but not properly compensating employees is the norm at YFU. The structure is not skill based and is the root cause of many of the other issues. They do not develop talent or reward hard work. There is no incentive or need to be proactive because these things are never considered in the advancement process --- it's a cycle of self preservation. Also, they fully assume and expect that you will work overtime every single day. It's such an expectation that getting out "on time" is considered early. They purposely under-staff field staff because they know that employees have no choice but to stay and cover up for their incompetence. They refuse to adequately staff and refuse to give the necessary tools for success yet the placement teams have the largest single impact on the daily success of the company---odd strategy. The company has traditionally been a high-turnover company and though they claim to have all these new strategies and programs for retention, they still operate with the undertone that everyone is easily replaceable and thus individual ideas/concerns are meaningless and job security has no meaning. HR only circles the wagons when employees need a realistic buffer when issues arise. They have tried to revamp their image in recent years by pretending to be a great place to work but the internal reality is that this really is where careers go to die.

Explore other reviews about Youth for Understanding

5.0
31 Dec 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This exchange student program is a wonderful place to work. Calling host family applicants’ references was uplifting because they always said glowing things about their friends.

Cons

Not applicable. It was a good place to work.

3.0
28 Feb 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If you have a passion for the study abroad industry its a great way to get involved and make a small amount of money doing something you are passionate about.

Cons

Payments are a bit late so don't rely on them, it's a bit disorganized and there is high turn over when you are a full time employee (lcs like myself are not full time we are w9 contractors)

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