City of Alexandria Employee Reviews for Detox Counselor

What do you like about working at City of Alexandria?

"The sense that the work is meaningful. The social work aspect I guess you could say."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Look WELL before you leap. And ask around, ask a LOT of people. Not all departments are so bad. But as with any city job I would suspect. Politics reign supreme! Its who you know, and who likes you in the city. Also, get the highest salary you can negotiate on the front end no matter how hard. It is in the City's best interest to low ball everyone (it always is) but particularly because of their cap of an 8.5%maximum pay increace when promoted, no matter how much higher in the organization you may be leaping from your previous position/title."

What don't you like about working at City of Alexandria?

"As mentioned earlier, there is no real level of concern for the well being of the employess, and is especially disporportionate when measured against the level of concern upper management displays for the consumers we serve. There is a vast disconnect between the reality that upper management percieves and the reality that Counselors, Therapists, etc deal with on a day to day basis. Furthermore when the difference in this gap is mentoined, the concerns are largely ignored.Staff that is not hourly (shift) does not appear to have any level of concern for the ways in which woking these erratic shifts affects our ability to maintain any kind of healthy personal life."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Have a much higher level of concern for the employees welfare, and be more understanding of and willing to listen to and consider different philosophies of treatment."