Samer Hamadeh, Mark Oldman, and H.S. Hamadeh have compiled the Job Vault (Vault Reports, $20), which they describe as "your one-stop job search resource". Among the companies profiled are:
American Civil Liberties Union: Nonprofit. "Uppers: Political activism, progressive coworkers, flexible work hours. Downers: disruptive bureaucracy, low pay. High satisfaction, high resume radiance." Offices nationwide. National Headquarters: 132 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036; http://www.aclu.org.
The Body Shop: Consumer goods. "Employees describe The Body Shop as an 'oasis' that encourages levels of 'creativity' and 'individuality' 'unheard of elsewhere in the corporate world'. The Body Shop enjoys industry-wide respect, but it cannot match the advancement opportunities that its larger competitors provide." P.O. Box 1409, Wake Forest, NC 27588; http://www.the-body-shop.com.
Christie's: Auction house. "The high turnover at Christie's creates frequent entry-level openings. Christie's looks carefully at the strength of applicants' academic backgrounds. Low pay, moderate satisfaction, high resume radiance." Locations nationwide. Main U.S. office: 502 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022.
Conde Nast: Magazine publishing. "Uppers: Travel opportunities, high prestige, free cosmetics, free CDs. Downers: long hours, pretentious coworkers. The company culture requires that employees 'be in a certain frame of dress, mind, and attitude. Conde Nast's brutal hiring techniques are legendary." HQ: 350 Madison Avenue 8th floor, New York, NY 10017.
Cox Communications: Telecommunications, television. "Employees enjoy free cable and the 'sterling' reputation that Cox has cultivated through corporate involvement in many of the communities it serves. Low pay, moderate resume radiance. Offices nationwide. Human Resources: 1400 Lake Hearn Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30319; http://www.cox.com.
Ford Foundation: Nonprofit. "Anyone who 'feels culturally at home in a large liberal arts university' should have no trouble fitting in. Moderately high pay, moderately high satisfaction. Offices worldwide. HQ: 320 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017; http://www.fordfound.org.
Gallo Winery: Food/Beverage. "Uppers: wine discounts, gas discounts. Downers: controversial industry. Gallo places 'heavy demands' upon its entry-level employees, but they appreciate the 'stunning' natural beauty of Gallo's headquarters. Moderately low pay, moderately high satisfaction." Regional offices nationwide. HQ: 600 Yosemite Boulevard, Modesto, CA 95353.
J. Walter Thompson: Advertising. "Uppers: high pay, casual dress code, bonuses. Downers: long work days. With low employee turnover, openings...are highly coveted. Offices nationwide and worldwide. HQ: 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017; http://www.jwtworld.com.
The Lucas Companies: Entertainment, multi-media. "Employees call the hiring competition intense [and] George Lucas a 'visionary' and a 'generous' boss who 'has gone to great lengths to create a creative working environment. High satisfaction." P.O. Box 10307, San Rafael, CA 94912; http://www.lucasarts.com.
Mitchell Madison Group: Management consulting. "Career paths at Mitchell Madison are a bit less structured than they are at more established consulting firms. High pay, moderately high satisfaction, moderately low resume radiance." Offices in Boston, MA; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; and worldwide. HQ: 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022; http://www.mmgnet.com.
Time: Magazine publishing. "Uppers: high prestige, free magazines, discounts at amusement parks, travel opportunities. Downers: long work days, limited advancement opportunities. Writers and researchers often see their work being 'mercilessly trashed'...nevertheless, employees throughout the company call the office morale 'uniformly high'." Offices worldwide. HQ: Time & Life Building, 1271 Office of the Americas, New York, NY 10020; http://www.pathfinder.com/corp/time-inc/index.html.
Wired Ventures: Magazine, Internet publishing. "Uppers: Unorthodox corporate culture, generous pay, exposure to latest technology, opportunity to work from home in some positions. Downers: long work days, stiff deadlines. Moderately high satisfaction, high resume radiance." 520 Third Street 4th floor, San Francisco, CA 94107-1815; http://www.wired.com.
WorldCom: Telecommunications. "WorldCom's 'spectacular' growth has given rise to an 'exciting', 'dynamic' corporate culture. The 'entrepreneurial' attitude, however, has bred an atmosphere of 'intense competition'. Moderate pay, moderate satisfaction." Offices nationwide and worldwide. HQ: 515 East Amite Street, Jackson, MS 39201-2702; http://www.wcom.com.