Council on Foreign Relations Reviews

Pros

Incredibly smart people, great benefits and place to have a very good work/life balance. Intellectually stimulating work, friendly work environment.

Cons

Opportunities for growth are limited, management could try harder to find and retain better talent.

Advice to Senior Management

Should find a way to better retain talent.

Pros

Brand recognition; opportunities to sit in on not for attribution meetings with high level officials; monthly professional development classes.

Cons

Professionalism not consistent across departments; paid little for long work days; lack of respect for junior employees

Advice to Senior Management

Standardize professionalism across departments and pay Richard Haass less; he makes x28 what the most junior employee makes.

Pros

Very smart people at CFR

Cons

Pay lower than in private sector

Pros

great benefits
fridays off in the summer
lots of time off
casual work attire during the summer
free food during events

Cons

low wages
Hierarchical behavior by memebers and some staffers
no room for growth
division between NY and DC location

Pros

It's a prestigious place to work, and can be a great stepping stone.

Cons

Best to leave after about two years. Not much opportunities for growth, and it's a very bureaucratic, tradition-laden place, so the day to day can be very frustrating.

Advice to Senior Management

It's basically run like a bureaucracy. Some of the leadership hasn't changed for decades, and is very opposed to change.

Pros

Highly competitive, great staff, flexible and reasonable hours, interesting topics, ability to work one on one with fellows and researchers

Cons

Small stipend, assisting and helping out for meetings

Advice to Senior Management

Fellows do a great work, they should interact more with each other

Pros

The work is interesting and stimulating. Surrounding by intelligent people with a fairly laid back atmosphere and hours are not to demanding.

Cons

They do not pay enough and if you ask for more, they will tell you that they don't need to because there is an abundance of people who will work the same job for even less, there is no opportunity for professional growth or advancement.

Advice to Senior Management

Pay more money, create room with the institution for professional growth and for the younger staff to assume more responsibility.

Pros

- Lots of time off
- Some what low expectations
- Lots of Autonomy
- Great Team

Cons

- Incompetent leadership and supervisor
- No overall vision or goals for site
- No official process for anything
- Personal politics and relationships are a very strong driver in decision making
- No room to grow

Advice to Senior Management

- Require Goal Setting for the website
- Mandate upward reviews of superiors and managers
- Instantiate a process for project management

Pros

OK salary, learning experience, growth opportunities, connections

Cons

Very few opportunities to move up within the organization.

Advice to Senior Management

Offer more opportunities for research associates to grow within the organization.

Pros

Intellectual stimulation, people you meet, autonomy of work and work schedule.

Cons

being pulled in many directions at times by many different departments, which means work doesn't always get recognized.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep intellectual enterprise open, but recognize the numerous demands put on the fellows