University of Southern California Reviews in Los Angeles, CA Area

Pros

a very good collage, master degree very good

Cons

software design computer science master

Pros

Good Salary and benefits,
Looks good on the resume,
Unlimited tea/ coffee/ hot chocolate and soda available
Amazing Location to Work (10th Floor of Citibank Plaza with a great view).

Cons

Travel time was a lot,
no interaction between employees,
Very basic tasks given where there was no employee input involved at all.

Advice to Senior Management

make the workplace more interactive,
promote a learning environment,
give a chance to employees to show their skills and talents.

Pros

Great management support and direction for career advancement.

Cons

It's sometimes a slow work environment with not a lot of work to do.

Pros

Smart people, new ideas presented

Cons

Politics and bureaucracy at universities are always a bit of a slow down in trying to get things done on time. This university is no acception.

Advice to Senior Management

Network, network, network

Pros

Very smart and talented people who are also very nice in most groups.
In most group your Project leader or Division director will shield you from top level politics.
A variety of projects.
Good collaboration between groups.
Flexible work hours, co-operative supervisors.

Cons

Lots of overhead for tech support, facilities and university's cut.
Top level management seems to be wasting money in trying to find new sources of funding. Hired many expensive people who have done little to justify their salaries.
Top level management bureaucratic, erratic, money-minded while almost all the people who do the actual work are there to do research.
Top level management recently attempted to change the culture of the place through an iron fist. It backfired spectacularly, made lots of very talented people unhappy and now they seem to be in damage control mode.
Complaints reached the School of Engineering (parent of ISI), they seem to be interested in soothing the researchers but not really interested in making the top level management change their policies.
It will be interesting to see how ISI emerges out of this identity crisis.

Advice to Senior Management

Acknowledge that your researchers priorities are about doing good research. Don't try to control everything, don't try to micro-manage. Put your egos aside. If you want to change the culture of the place then do it through a collaborative process. Don't forget that people are here to be a part of a University. Work on reducing the overhead.

Pros

Nice environment, working on the UPC campus; some great people; there is the opportunity to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and the benefits package is generous.

Cons

When a new president comes in, major changes are made, often without consideration of university employees; the staff are often seen as an overhead rather than a strong support of the academic side.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more considerate of your employees as they are a valuable contribution to USC performance; cutting budgets and staff to the extent you are doing now is not fair.

Pros

Many motivated students. Salary okay. Good reputation. Professors well-educated and competent. Nice campus.

Cons

Expensive area to live, unless you live in the dangerous neighborhoods. Some students feel entitled, so don't do work and complain a lot. Too much work for the 20 hours, but doable even while studying for a graduate degree.

Pros

Good benefits, competitve salary, great working environment. Flexible PTO, Dental, vision and health insurance. Friendly staff. Beautiful campus location in downtown.

Cons

Can be stressful from time to time. Must meet dealines and be on your feet at all times. Located in downtown LA.

Advice to Senior Management

Thank you for making such an amazing university with a great working environment and friendly managers and supervisors. Great flexibility.

Pros

high quality of research and helpful environment

Cons

very competitive and tough enivornment

Advice to Senior Management

diversify your intake

Pros

good benefit, more holidays, relatively flexible working time

Cons

less competitive salary, slower of personal growing, limited opportunity of promotion

Advice to Senior Management

non