Smithsonian Reviews

The HR employees are helpful and friendly people when you talk to them one-on-one. That said, as an organization, OHR is broken. It is EXTREMELY slow at processing HR actions, it makes a lot of mistakes, and the hiring/promotion process is completely opaque. At this point, it is expected that hiring actions (new hires, converting contractors to employees, promotions) will take MULTIPLE YEARS to go through. This is not an exaggeration - this is my personal experience, and the experience of many of my coworkers. Because OHR is dysfunctional, there is an overreliance on independent contractors - people who are doing the same great work as staff, but with zero benefits and more income tax burden. Independent contractors do often convert to full time employees, but there is absolutely no guarantee of this. Finally, because funding is limited and there is such high demand to work for the Smithsonian, they can and do lowball employees on salary. Many employees are hired at the equivalent of a GS-5 or GS-7 grade. Look at GS salary tables for the Washington DC area and really consider whether you can support yourself on the pay they offer. Additionally, make sure you get grade increases (i.e. promotions) written into your position description, because otherwise you are not eligible for grade increases without going through the (dysfunctional) competitive hiring process.

No appropriate raise according to your hard work. For example (literally) would be getting a raise of 15 cents or less. No family life balance. No respect. Favoritism. Discriminatory with regard to race, maternity and age. Late night shifts. Working company events and staying late shifts until 10pm and getting home at 11pm or later and scheduled and early shift the following day.