Hard work, but tons of learning and development
Pros
Learning and development: Never have I had more people invested in my professional growth. All of my managers over my time at Achievement First have set up detailed plans for my long-term growth and talked with me about it frequently. I have been challenged, and have developed my skills dramatically. Mission: Achievement First never sways from its focus on kids. It's always clear how every decision made is leading towards a better experience for our students. Reflection and adaptation: This is the most open, honest and reflective group of people I have ever met. They own when we are not meeting our goals, and make smart adjustments to get us back on track. I love the deep thinking that addresses the problems we face and the amount of energy that goes into solving them.
Cons
Growing pains: Achievement First is pushing to grow to scale and that's leading to some difficulties. Our internal communication is not as strong or as efficient as it should be. Messaging can be too complex and it can be difficult to figure out what applies to you or not. I have heard buzz that this problem is being address and am excited to see what solutions are posed. Work-life balance: Many people at Achievement First get incredible amounts of joy from their work, and therefore work all the time. That's great for our students! However, it can be difficult to shut off when you're receiving multiple emails late at night and on the weekends. Here we all have to develop our own balance, and as a younger professional it can be difficult to find models for the appropriate way to balance between work and personal life.