Excellence in Conservation
Pros
I love the people in my department. The benefits for full time staff are excellent. You can't beat working in a beautiful setting. The mission is outstanding and it's clear that all staff play a role in connecting people with wildlife and nature. As far as my department is concerned, staff are encouraged to think outside the box and co-workers are supportive and helpful. I have never worked anywhere where I have felt as comfortable in my own skin as I feel at the zoo. I love my job and to this day I don't say "I'm heading to work now" but say "I'm going to the zoo now!" The zoo is my happy place and I'm proud to be a part of CZS.
Cons
Front line staff leave much to be desired as far as good customer service goes. Departments can be competitive amongst each other and not in a supportive or positive way. Everybody has their own agenda and politics, but in my experience that is everywhere. The HR department is awful. Every year the zoo needs to hire hundreds of seasonal staff and you would think they would have it down to a science but instead departments and teams are left short-handed year after year because the hiring process can take months. MONTHS.