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Stanford University

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Suddenly Going Dumb or I have worked my butt off for over 20 years to be treated like a sub human! - Senior Administrative Assistant Stanford University Employee Review

1.0
2 July 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The ombudsman was good when you had a complaint. Working with the professors was an easy task when you learned their quirks. The worker students were nice and some..some people would at least wait a month until they stuck the knife in. Get professors to write recommendations just incase. Looks good on your resume!

Cons

The management - Petty, picky, incompetent and if you didn't side with them then your career was dead! When the supervisor and manager are best buds and they only give one day training and then expect you to run the office while they go out and have playmates with the students..Good Luck! They make your 20 years of hard work as an admin suddenly seem like you should apply for disability. Some managers on campus even make you write a report on a daily basis to tell them how many transactions you have completed, how many are still on your plate and what your goals will be the following day. Remember to cross your "t's" and dot your "i's" because you will be written up if you don't or just wait until you are fired and notice that your termination letter is filled with misspellings!

Explore other reviews about Stanford University

5.0
22 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good healthcare benefits, cost covered by departments

Cons

Very high COL for the stipends - many students spend >60% of salary on rent.

4.0
19 June 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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