Harvard University Reviews

I worked at Harvard University full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Fantastic benefits and perks, free courses, paid time off on all major US holidays (depending on your job responsibility, excellent training, enormous resources available to all such as the libraries, athletic facilities, museums. The students and staff are amazing. There are so many fulfilling opportunities for anyone regardless of their rank or affiliation. It's all there, whether you're a Dean. a staff assistant, or custodial staff.

Cons – Politics. Complaints or about higher level managers tend to fall on dead ears. While it may seem that your voice is heard, very little if anything changes. This is not necessarily always true, of course, but there does seem to be some level of immunity at the exempt level. An institution like Harvard can be set in its ways to the extent that it's more comfortable to let things be rather than rock the boat.

Harvard needs to provide its employees with better merit based rewards. The Union increases are ok, but they don't recognize excellence since everyone gets them. Merit based raises and job reclassification do exist, however it seems that most managers are hesitant to initiate the process for all sorts of reasons.

Pay could be better, but when you factor in all the PTO, insurance options, and everything else, it's hard to complain.

Advice to Senior Management – Listen to your staff. They work hard and make your jobs possible, often times taking little or no credit for t. Take the time to really understand what their jobs entail and offer flexibility. The REALITY and your EXPECTATIONS of what an employee does usually differs from their job description, more often than not warranting reclassification/change of title (not necessarily with a raise); reclassification of a staff position is not a bad thing. It can only reflect on you in a positive way, and I guarantee you would get even better performance as a result.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at Harvard University part-time for more than a year

Pros – There are bright, accomplished scholars to work for, Cambridge is a lovely town, and the work-life balance is great.

Cons – Brilliant scholars not always accessible, not a clear path for advancement, not enough to live well on in expensive Cambridge.

Advice to Senior Management – More professional development opportunities for Research Assistants.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Harvard University full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Provide good resource, good place to learn new techniques, good research scientists around, plenty hospital around

Cons – Stressful, researchers are busy in general, hard to find a time to talk with, high rental to live nearby the school,

Advice to Senior Management – NA

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Harvard University full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Sharing of research information at the university is one of the goals that allows folks to learn and grow in their respective fields and outside of them as well.

Cons – Nothing negative to say about Harvard

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Harvard University full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Great benefits, great community of people

Cons – Lower salary, but not much else to complain about

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I worked at Harvard University full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Smart, hard-working colleagues. Great exposure to the latest in business thinking. Flexible and great work/life balance. Benefits are awesome (pension + retirement account - former vests after 3 years), discounted courses at some schools ($40 for any extension school class - can even go toward degree).

Cons – Generally, students are entitled but there are some gems - same goes with faculty. Pay is not competitive with market rate.

Advice to Senior Management – Review how research work is done at HBS and consider how valuable the staff is (in addition to the faculty). Mandate that the faculty can and do utilize the Christensen center if they teach. They cannot rest on their laurels.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at Harvard University full-time for more than a year

Pros – Reputation world famous top school

Cons – Low pay, exploitation, cut throat competition

Advice to Senior Management – More pay

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at Harvard University part-time for more than a year

Pros – i am a student there

Cons – good co-workers, good working environment and good management

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I worked at Harvard University

Pros – Good for academic research and excellent facilities

Cons – I think there are not significant disadvantages for working

I worked at Harvard University as an intern for less than a year

Pros – They have fantastic lab equipment and a new clean room to itself which is really convenient to use for anybody doing fab.

Cons – Many people there are very intense and busy with their own work, so it can be a little difficult to start a conversation with them in the beginning. This can be a little intimidating.