housekeeper

groundskeeper

park ranger

instructor

electrician

Zoo Knoxville

When i first came to work at Zoo Knoxville i was so proud and excited and loved everyone but then suddenly when the new management took over everything changed i noticed so much confusion going of with the staff they are not trained at all they are stuck where ever they do not have the correct information for guests that ask questions.  The staff in the ticket office gossip and talk about every person that comes up to the window and buys a ticket.  The staff in the office talks about the people that call in and make fun of them and treat them like trash. The staff in the office in the ticket booth pick up and hang up on people when they do not want to deal. The animal staff are exceptional but the regular staff have become so lazy and do not care to do anything no even clean the area they work in.  The staff are very rude to the guests and have their head down eyes peeled on their cell phones all day.  The staff appearance is not clean.  It felt like high school its all who you are and who your last name is if they decide they do not like you they get rid of you with no warning and no reason.  I do not think they should let family work together i noticed several family members that could do anything they wanted and no one said a word that is not right!.  They have training classes were everyone is treated equal that is so not true only the special people get treated equal.  They need to do some major changes oh how they treat employees and how they train and how they look over some terrible employees!!!!!!!!They keep the bad and get rid of the good that makes a messed up work place just total confusion with no leadership skills or organization. Gossip and immature behavior should not be tolerated. My experience was very sad and misleading and very confusing that such behavior would be aloud. They actually want you to stand in the pouring rain to operate the carousel not ask the guest to wait until it stops raining in the freezing cold with no shelter.



What is the best part of working at the company?
If you're having a bad day you can go walk around and look at the animals. If you want an encounter with the animals, just ask the keepers and they are usually willing to share and let you get behind the scenes.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
There is a serious lack of training. Managers don't come out to help, they just leave it up to their "supervisors" (use that term loosely) who have a title and hold that over you. There is no support from managers. If you have a problem, and you express it to them, they don't do anything about it and let you continue to stress. Then they wonder why they can't keep anybody.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It's not what you know, it's who you know. If you are not in that circle, you are treated very differently. The work environment is toxic and unhealthy. If you work here you better either have very thick skin, work just for the money, or have a good therapist.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Depends on the position. Most days are boring. Unless you're in the animal department and have a routine schedule for the animals.

I love the job itself. I love my animals. I love most of my coworkers. But there are some seriously bad apples that spoil the bunch. Management is very poor. They make financial decisions that make no sense, sometimes seeming to prioritize random experimental ideas over the animals and their care. Management refuses to discipline consistently toxic people, and yet will fire people they just don't like for no reason and with no warning. There's a big discrepancy between the lofty goals and "cutting-edge" aspects of the zoo, and basic essential elements that get ignored (like the care of certain animals, old and poor-quality infrastructure, very low staff pay, etc.). It's incredibly frustrating, because there are certain aspects of this job and the zoo that I absolutely love, but other aspects are just embarrassingly poorly handled. If you like your department and your coworkers, it's a good place to work, but there are some fundamental problems that really need to be addressed.

I have been with Zoo Knoxville for going on 8 years. During that time I have been seasonal, part time, and now fulltime. My work environment is fun, fast paced, and always rewarding. The hardest part about my job is that at times it can be stressful. The most enjoyable is of course how many places do you have access to see a tiger or lion on your lunch break? but also having co workers like family and a management team that supports you and makes you feel valued. I love knowing that my job has a different meaning than just a paycheck. Truly a wonderful place to work, especially if its your first job.

The keepers under whom I worked were very kind and helpful when I first arrived, and were always very friendly in every interaction! The animals were happy and well treated, and visiting customers were in good spirits from their positive interactions as well. The days went by quickly because everyone and everything about the job was genuinely pleasant and enjoyable. I learned a lot about how to take care of the animals, appropriately and efficiently communicate with guests, especially young children, and ensure safe interactions between people and petting zoo animals.

The job itself is great and I would accept it all over again. However, pay is horrible and was less than what I was verbally told it would be and when I confronted them about it they said I was wrong even though at least 4 other people were told the same thing I was and then were also wrongly paid. The staff to staff interactions felt clinical and impersonal but the job itself was so amazing to teach the kids and be in the zoo every day. I wouldn’t change a thing honestly. No regrets.

I first started working at Zoo Knoxville in 2014. With all the new exhibits they have built the guests and employees have more opportunities to learn about the animals and to see them up close. The staff and management are amazing to work with and very helpful in all that has to do with the Zoo. I highly recommend a trip to the Zoo to see all that we have to offer and learn as you enjoy the beautiful exhibits and the wildly fun animals who call Zoo Knoxville home.  

My experience at Zoo Knoxville was super fun. Everything and everyone were all working for the same goal I would volunteer for special events or just rove. The hardest part of my job was explaining rules and regulations to parents of small children, my favorite part was knowing everything going on behind the scenes.

There are a lot of pros, the people are great and very friendly, the worker's comp is good, the work is rewarding, the local ticket/attraction exchange is awesome, etc.  The cons in my department particularly are that things are often disorganized and chaotic and employees who lack experience coupled with a lack of "real-life" training makes the learning curve harsh. Overall Zoo Knoxville is a great employer and the community is a bonus.

When I started working for this company, I loved my job and the work environment. Most of the people were very friendly and helpful. It felt like a family. Over the years, the work environment has changed drastically and not for the better. The work environment is pretty toxic and damaging to mental health with no support from leadership. It is sad to see a company that I used to love and would do anything for change in such a negative way.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Housekeeper 3 salaries reported	$15.00 per hour
Groundskeeper 4 salaries reported	$15.00 per hour
Park ranger 4 salaries reported	$15.00 per hour
Instructor 1 salary reported	$14.00 per hour
Electrician 2 salaries reported	$51,500 per year

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