office assistant

program specialist

project manager

program supervisor

intern

Multnomah County, OR

Multnomah County is an exemplary model when it comes to supporting its workers. As a dedicated employee within the county, I have experienced firsthand the commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive work environment.

One of the standout features of Multnomah County is its emphasis on employee well-being. The county takes proactive measures to ensure a healthy work-life balance, understanding that the productivity and satisfaction of its workforce are interconnected. From flexible scheduling options to comprehensive wellness programs, Multnomah County demonstrates a genuine concern for the physical and mental health of its employees.

The county's commitment to professional growth and development is truly commendable. Through ongoing training opportunities, workshops, and mentorship programs, employees are empowered to expand their skill sets and advance in their careers. Multnomah County recognizes the value of investing in its workforce, fostering a culture of continuous learning that benefits both individuals and the organization as a whole.

Inclusivity is another strong suit of Multnomah County. The county actively promotes diversity and creates an environment where every employee feels valued and respected. This commitment to inclusivity is evident in policies, practices, and initiatives that aim to eliminate barriers and promote equal opportunities for all.

Moreover, Multnomah County places a high value on transparent communication. Regular updates, open forums, and accessible channels for feedback ensure that employees are well-informed and have avenues to voice their opinions. This transparency fosters a sense of trust and collaboration, making Multnomah County a workplace where everyone feels heard and acknowledged.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Pay and benefits.  The pay is competitive,  and the benefits are top with the county. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Apathy from managment at all levels. They take suggestions from staff, but rarely implement them because they don't have money or approval. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Animal Cate technician 1 is the lowest rank there and they treat you exactly like the lowest person there. It's extremely stressful,  emotionally draining, and physically brutal. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
7am-clean 100 dog kennels by 9am. 
10am-meeting that could of been an email or announcement. 
10:30-5:30, run dogs, clean up after dogs, show dogs to adopters, run errands for everyone in the building,  laundry. Piles of laundry. Tons of dirty litter boxes to scrub and dishes to wash. 
Prepare food for that day and next as well as enrichment toys, run back and forth all over the building with it always being short staffed. End the day at 5:30-6pm exhausted and knowing that it's barely appreciated. You're basically highly replaceable.

There were a few years that were exceptional; there were a few that were pretty rough. Your experience can vary greatly by who your specific supervisor is. Good supervisor = fantastic environment. Poor supervisor = little recourse. Mission-driven; in theory, you and those around you are there to serve the community. I absolutely loved my job for half of the time, and the other half was pretty disillusioning. Depending on what part of the org you're in, there can be a CYA culture; discouraged from raising problems. Squeaky wheels are needed, but may not last. Talks a big game about equity, but not always willing to do things that would make some of the powers-that-be uncomfortable (whether that's managers or the union) - like revisiting how inequitable layoffs are.

With 6,000 employees, experiences will vary widely. I would work there again, but would investigate carefully where I worked/who I worked for/history of scandal/etc.

Constantly changing things to make our job more difficult by adding to what is expected of us in a short appointment time, with no help. Poor management. If you are proficient in a second language you get a KSA title and they get extra pay and can get away with playing on their phone all day instead of working if a client doesn't show. Many scheduling errors made and the providers are expected to "scrub" their schedule ahead of time to catch that someone else made an error and clients have to be rescheduled which makes the clinic look incompetent. The benefits are outstanding and it is rewarding to provide services for people who are so appreciative. Overall the coworkers are outstanding with a few exceptions like most employers. High pressure, high stress job, but love the client population. Management definitely does not, in my opinion, promote diversity and inclusion. I had one dentist ask me to complain about a co-worker because they had a problem with quality of care and didn't want to look biased. I declined and never felt comfortable around them again. 

I was employed as a case manager 2 in I/DD, and Aging and Disability Services. I worked at the downtown, Gresham, and NE Portland branches. For the most part I enjoyed my time with the county. The training in I/DD was excellent, but I was not impressed with the training I got when I switched to Aging and Disability. The case loads were high in both departments with I/DD at 65 clients (more intensive case Management), and Aging & Disability at least 100 clients (more background management of services).  I began to dislike my job during the pandemic. We started working remotely in late March 2020, and by January 2022 we were still mostly working from home. With this type of work it is important to maintain a strict boundary between your work and personal life. Without that you will experience burn out. Remote working does not work for me, and ultimately lead to me leaving my position.

During my time in the Multnomah County Library Summer Reading Project, I found it to be quite an enjoyable time. Having participated in the volunteer process since Elementry school, I feel as if I've helped the community in some small way. A typical day at work would involve signing children and parents up for the Summer Reading game, logging all of the submissions into our database, and helping people understand the workings of the game.
What I learned from this job is people skills, customer service, and overall, an energetic work attitude.
My co-workers typically consisted of either my supervisor or another SR volunteer, as most of us worked several tandem shifts.
The hardest part of the job was the multitudes of people. Often times there would be a line of four or five families, all wishing to be served at once.
The most enjoyable part of the job, however, is increasing the literacy rate of the children in Portland practically tenfold through the SR project.

Generally, you started your day reviewing depreciation statements or reviewing appraisal reports followed up with discussing your findings with taxpayers or management.

What I learn the most was the ability to locate information relating to the project I was currently working on.

Management was great. The were willing to help and assist you and offer advice.

My co-workers were also great to work with. It was enjoyable to see them each day.

The hardest part of the job was telling taxpayers they owed more in taxes. Sometimes, the taxpayers were are very pleased with your findings so you had to be diplomatic in how you presented the findings.

The some enjoyable part of the job was all the diverse industries I was given the opportunity to learn about from making coffee to recycling tires.

Front-line staff are generally fantastic at all locations. Director is a rock star. Management is uneven. Some management is drawn from people who were either front-line staff (and not suited to leadership) or aren't from the library world (and don't fully understand the culture). Some managers are pretty fabulous, however.

This system is doing a great job of adapting to the changing technological world while staying very relevant in the lives of traditional users. Not the place for people who expect you to 'shush' people, however!
Best part of the job: your coworkers and the public.
Toughest part of the job: challenges helping the neediest patrons.

Library is going the right direction with better training, more focus on equity, and increasingly diverse staff.

I left the crisis line call center due to unprofessional behavior and treatment by the supervisor at the time. I regularly had ethical concerns. Shortly after I left, she transferred and I believe the environment has improved significantly. I could say more, but at this point the issue is irrelevant. Be aware though that my poor ratings had a lot to do with that specific issue. The job culture rating is more about the co-workers.

Breaks were consistent and well managed. Co-workers were mostly friendly and happy to see me when I came in. I enjoyed the work itself. 

Oh, and this particular job is in a beautiful setting. On overnight shifts, with a full wall of windows, I could see the sunset and the sunrise. There were regular sightings of rabbits, quail, squirrels, coyotes and more. They also have access to exercise equipment.

I had the opportinituy to work with a few different clinic managers at different sites. Most of them were awful. Not all, but 3/5 were terrible, poorly trained, not supportive, undervalued and disrespected employees, didnt know what they were doing and no accountability. Also there was 2 amazing ones that cared.  On the other hand there was excellent policies and programing. I loved many of the staff I got to workworkwith, I had autonomy, great work hours, decent pay, not great, bit decent. THe best was the patients!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Office assistant 3 salaries reported	$22.51 per hour
Program specialist 1 salary reported	$42.35 per hour
Project manager 3 salaries reported	$100,333 per year
Program supervisor 1 salary reported	$108,614 per year
Intern 3 salaries reported	$23.00 per hour

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