Yes, the pay and the benefits are good, and yes the travel is great, and generally all the other positives that others on this site have expressed are true. But they are only minor considerations, or at least should be. The best thing about AFI is that it is a unique organization, uniquely fast paced, quickly evolving, and always challenging, both professionally and intellectually on a personal level. The majority of the people who work at AFI are passionate about what they do, and believe in the organization’s objectives. And so, they work hard. Perhaps harder than most. They need to. Working at AFI is not easy. But it is never boring. And with this in mind, AFI is not for everyone. AFI is not for those who want a stable, even-paced work environment, a strictly 9-to-5 work day, predictability, and social niceties in their extreme. This is evident in some of the other comments on this page from a handful of former employees who have left, for whatever reason, in a state of disappointment.
I want to offer a different perspective. I have been at AFI for more than 2 years now. I am not part of the executive team or HR, and I am not trying to kiss anyone's behind with this post, nor am I trying to dismiss anyone's view.
My past work history includes well-known organizations which are considered prestigious and highly sought after places of employment by many. And in spite of the attractive salary and benefits at AFI, I made more money in these other organizations, and had better benefits. Yet I have stayed at AFI willingly, gladly, and enthusiastically because it offers something that no other organization where I have worked does. It offers employees with a positive, optimistic and creative mindset the opportunity to shine and to advance professionally faster than in any other organization, based purely on their hard work and their ideas. I have seen this in many instances here, and this is truly rare elsewhere. AFI also has a relatively flat organizational structure. You benefit from working closely and engaging regularly with all levels of employee, including the senior management and the CEO. Personally, I have found that the door of the senior management is always open, and never felt discouraged to express my views, even if they differed with the CEO’s. These differences have actually added to a dynamic and positive dialogue, and I have seen the same thing with fellow colleagues. At AFI everyone has a voice, and everyone is encouraged to voice their opinions. In fact, at AFI we are spoiled in this regard, and perhaps some of the frustration from others on this site comes from this spoiled, and somewhat less than mature mentality. The CEO who founded this company provides excellent leadership, and serves as an inspiration to employees. His ideas have created something uniquely valuable in this world, and the staff who continue to work at AFI -- most of them at least – have also helped to shape this organization through their own creativity and hard work, regardless of where they are in the hierarchy of this organization. I’ve been at very good companies before, and I’ve been at bad ones. In comparison, AFI is a better place to hone your skills and develop professionally. And to top it off, you benefit from unbelievable (unheard of in other organizations) exposure to senior thinkers and decision makers among AFI’s hugely diverse network of policymakers and partners. This is true not only for senior management, but for everyone in the organization, should they seek it, myself including.
The negative comments about AFI’s CEO and senior leadership are in my opinion entirely unjustified. They work as hard as anyone. They treat their employees better than in most organizations out there. They are flexible in their approach, and they are accomplished. They lead by example, and theirs is an example that any well-adjusted professional should aspire to.
