Ashoka reviews

So many bad things here makes it difficult to list. But here are some: 1) Severe Founder-ritis by the President. Micro manages every decision within the organization. Completely lacks any empathy for his employees. Has no family of his own so the job has become the focus of his life and does not get how others have lives. Lacks any semblance of a heart. Very imperial in his interactions with employees or people he considers his inferior. Completely incapable of handling conflict of any kind. 2) Low Salaries. To add insult to injury, 10% of your 'salary' is withheld until you complete a full year and undergo a 'performance pay review'. This is not a bonus. It is what you were actually promised and should have been paid. 3) Prominent two tier system of employees. This institution is a showcase for the have and have not's. If you come from what the founder considers an 'elite' school, then you become high paid senior management. If not, then you become a very low paid (see item #2) low level staffer with zero hope of advancement. Insult to injury, even if you have a skill set (computers, language) your skill set is ignored in favor of a member of the upper tier who lacks any of your skills. 4) Weak internal systems. Managerial and financial internal controls are either weak or non existant. A lack of a management chart is not a sign of an entrepreneur. Its is a hallmark of disorganization.

No efficiency, no organization, no understanding of budgets, no concept of analysis, no respect for experts or doers. If you are a dreamer and just like to talk about things, you'll love Ashoka. If you actually like to execute plans, or evaluate programs, or accomplish anything, Ashoka will be your hell. Basic operational procedures are lacking. Want to know how many employees are there? Good luck -- no one actually knows. Want to know what Ashoka actually does? Wow -- if you figure that out you should let the CEO know. I'm still baffled years later. Staff turnover is technically unknown, but hovers around 40% a year. Why? Pay is extremely low, even for nonprofit standards. Employees are not valued -- the mentality exists that everyone wants to work at Ashoka so what's the loss of another person? And when that person leaves, don't expect any knowledge transfer. There is no documentation here. Everyone is an entrepreneur so everyone is encouraged to just do things their own way -- great, but sometimes things actually work and should be kept and spread. Don't expect onboarding -- there isn't any. Day one you'll walk in and not have a desk or a computer, and no one will ever offer training or to explain what you do. Final word of warning: if you actually get hired (and it will take 6 months at least to get through "Process"), review your salary carefully. They will knock 10% off and withhold that until the end of the year to make sure you meet your performance goals. You'll get the money, but let's be honest -- it's a bonus, not your salary.