It's hard to grasp the concept of administration and management knowing what is best for certain aspects of the museum especially when they cannot perform multiple roles and tasks themselves. Both administration and management are guilty of promoting a bait-and-switch work environment where an employee will be enticed with positive incentives to work harder but never receive said benefits. Devaluing individual thought is a common practice here since there is a fabricated cheer of encouragement through insincere documentation of employee input. Everything is great until you refuse to conform, which is not difficult considering their questionable nonprofit status. Ethical and moral duties of a 501(c)3 nonprofit cultural heritage institution are disregarded daily. Employee safety is also not a major concern for administration, which is unacceptable working near Fremont and having employees use a high-crime parking lot. Being escorted to your car does not prevent break-ins and other crime occurring 24/7 when there is minimal surveillance occurring throughout the day. They found it hard to fit updated exterior safety features that would highly benefit staff into their budget yet have the money to invest in elements that do not pertain to the museum's mission, vision, or even general content. Rather, they are trendy additions that continue to perpetuate their not-so-subtle focus on fiscal and monetary values rather than institutional ones. Although they receive the common benefits of a nonprofit, it does not take long for any new employee to quickly realize their 501(c)3 status functions as a protected veil that irresponsibly appropriates the status for their gain rather than as standards and expectations for appropriate behavior from a nonprofit such as themselves. "We are ran like a business and not a nonprofit" -Senior Director of Public Operations and Guest Experience
If you are considering the Educator position, rethink your choices because you're better off working elsewhere or as Guests Services representative. Educators and Guest Services receive the same pay, yet Educators are unquestionably the driving force of visitor engagement putting in an effort that is much greater than Guest Services let alone the inequitable pay. If you are a museum professional and considering the Mob as a steppingstone in your career, then reevaluate or lower your expectations as to what you'll learn and receive from this position because it will not be met.
