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International Center for Journalists

Is this your company?

A fascinating field but ICFJ has not yet defined what it or its employees can contribute to this space - Anonymous employee International Center for Journalists Employee Review

3.0
Feb 5, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

This is a smallish organization in a very interesting industry that is open about improving its operations. Just by nature of the individuals and topics you will work on, you will learn a tremendous amount about media development. The work is, as I said, interesting, and it is possible to maintain a work-life balance working at ICFJ.

Cons

I moved to DC for this job and I left early to move away from DC so both the timing and my decision to leave have external influences. I think many people are seduced by the idea of working in media development or a media-related outfit, given the ubiquity of digital media "innovations" on a daily basis. But working on an interesting topic and supporting people who are doing that work directly are two very different things. I have not been in DC long enough to say certainly, but I feel the experience at ICFJ represents partly the work culture in DC and partly to an organization that isn't clear what value it adds to its participants. As a result, there is a lot of meetings, data-entry tasks, admin work, but not a sense employees are using their full skill set or empowered to take on significant projects.

Explore other reviews about International Center for Journalists

5.0
Sep 22, 2025
Anonymous intern
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good office culture, meaningful work.

Cons

None, had a great experience.

2.0
Apr 4, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

One significant takeaway was learning the importance of negotiating for fair compensation and speaking up. Enduring an overwhelming workload, and managing 14 programs simultaneously, made me realize the importance of setting boundaries and advocating for a manageable workload. This experience catalyzed the development of assertiveness and self-advocacy skills. It taught me to recognize my worth and demand fair treatment in the workplace.

Cons

My time at ICFJ was marked by intense workdays of 10-12 hours. Since our programs were global, we had many late-night calls at 1 am or 4 am. After doing this for over a year, I requested a modest $1000 raise which was met with dismissal, citing budget constraints. What truly shocked and dismayed me was discovering that the same Vice President who denied my raise had received a staggering $45,000 Christmas bonus the very next week, on top of their already substantial six-figure salary. This blatant display of inequality and disregard for the hard work of employees speaks volumes about the company's values and priorities. Unfortunately, my experience is not unique at ICFJ. The turnover rate among program associates and officers is alarmingly high, and for good reason. The company expects an accelerated rate of nonstop work, pushing employees to their limits without proper recognition or compensation.

3
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