If you've ever wanted to know what it would be like to work for the Trump administration, then definitely come here! It is complete chaos all the time. The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing and there are always too many hands in the pot thanks to the great phone tree. Instead of sticking with just your specific location (Philly, DC, Raleigh) you could get calls from students from all over. 9/10 they had already spoken to someone who had a different answer to their question/concern. This forces students to constantly call back only to get another different answer and they get frustrated. Truthfully, I'd be frustrated too after speaking to so many people but at the same time some SSAs are more knowledgable than others. But it's also not the SSAs fault because the training we received was awful.
The SSAs are overworked and underpaid. They do the work of all the departments.
They do finance, academics, and even a little bit of admissions (some of the admission advisors do unethical things for an enrollment). Seriously, they do all the work and don't get enough credit, instead management wants you to do more. The metrics you are required to meet are downright ridiculous that they force people to cheat the system. For instance, we were required to do at least 16 outreach calls a day, instead I just called phone numbers that weren't in service over and over. It doesn't really matter because management only cares about meeting numbers. Students aren't a priority at all, it's all about numbers.
Speaking of management, what a bunch of incompetents. The people that run this company I wouldn't trust to run the 50 yard dash. They have two settings: bad decision and worse decision. And worse decision always wins. They implement a new system/way of doing things only to change it a week or two later. Or worse, they make a change, know everyone openly hates it and yet continue to keep that same process, which only created more work for everyone. My immediate supervisor was awesome, so was the one above him. However, once you got to upper management it was a alpha male contest everyday. They micromanage everything to the point where I thought they would schedule bathroom breaks. Yeah, it was that bad. Truthfully, I don't think they know how to be any other kind of managers but micromanagers. Overall the management is just awful which makes everyone at that company always looking for a new job.
Also the layoffs are frequent, about every 3-6 months. Your job is never secure which creates a sense of anxiety. And I'm sure people feel even more anxious now with Cogswell College buying the company. When I left everyone was nervous there were going to mass layoffs, which probably will happen. The people that work there, not upper management included, deserve better.
Also no chance for advancement. You're basically stuck where you are. And, the rumor was management purposely manipulate your numbers so they don't have to give you the raise you deserve. This was just a rumor but I don't doubt it happened. Again management was never happy about anything you did...you could always do more.
