American Cancer Society Reviews

Pros

a good amount of vacation, personal and sick time, Salary is higher than other non profit comparable positions

Cons

You will work evenings and weekends, some goals are unrealistic, and management is not promoted from within. They bring in people from the outside to manage many times-so they have no idea how to lead.

Advice to Senior Management

Promote from within.

Pros

Amazing PTO, Great work life balance for some. Great staff committed to an amazing mission.

Cons

Overly bureaucratic, Very political & slow moving and hugely wasteful of donor dollars. 13 CEOs but org continues to cut frontline staff.

Advice to Senior Management

REDUCE the number of divisions (CEOs and all other duplicate positions) ASAP! Get our of your ivory tower and meet with your staff. Eliminate the RED TAPE and embrace innovation.

Pros

* Lots of paid time off, in the 1st year I started I got 25 paid days off and you get more paid days off for each year you work there.
* Low pressure environment makes it ideal for those needing a work/home balance, I honestly work 30-50 hours a week and I have never worked more than 60 hours in a week
* Brand recognition, looks great on your resume
* You get recognition for good work and likewise to be fair, the dead weight are dealt with pretty quickly
* Generous benefit package you get life insurance, 403(b) plan which matches contributions up to 4%, commuter benefit discounts, vacation/travel discounts. I got really cheap auto insurance thanks to ACS

Cons

* The pay is average and you don't get bonuses but in my opinion it's only fair because the work is not high pressure
* Revolving door system, lots of people come and go, for each year I have been working at ACS there has been a major layoff round every winter, the joke is that we have annual layoffs although the higher ups use euphemisms like "restructuring", "transformation", etc... Not to mention I have been with ACS for 4 years and I have gone through 5 managers and am on my 6th manager. Lord only knows how long my manager is going to last.

Advice to Senior Management

None - I am happy with my work experience at American Cancer Society. When I first started working at ACS it was pretty chaotic but it's for the better in that the dead weight are getting dealt with and now the good performers get recognition.

Pros

benefits are outstanding for a non profit org.

Cons

management style leaves much to be desired. most managers are encouraged to lie
donations could be put to better use .

Advice to Senior Management

practice what you preach

Pros

Proud to know that I am making a difference in getting others involved in the fight against cancer.

Cons

Lack of leadership and direction. Poor management. Lack of recruiting volunteers.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire capable managers.. Pay more for qualified managers to get better results.
Highly advise that all staff, including TEMP Positions and Outreach fill out an anonymous report of managment.

Pros

The PTO allowance is great (but they do have a problem allowing staff to use it). The benefits are decent but not great.

Cons

Leadership is disconnected from field staff
Management is completely incompetent
Long hours (I averaged 68.2 hours per week and at times exceeded 80 hours per week - my supervisor even called to press me on work issues the day my child was born)
The organization is bloated and wastes an incredible amount of money

Advice to Senior Management

Learn to value your field staff. Your middle management needs a complete overhaul. Learn to be more nimble and adapt to change.

Pros

Build great relationships
Work towards a wonderful goal
Great Training from Division
Fast Paced

Cons

un-realisitic work schedule
minimal support from local leadership
work life balance impossible to attain
do not feel valued or appreciated
Stressful

Advice to Senior Management

Please, Please, Please take a moment to show your employees that you value them and all of the sacrifices they make for your organization.

Pros

Create your own schedule
Fantastic co workers and teams and select upper management
Benefits package a plus.
Time off - no hassle.
You will improve the life of others directly, or indirectly no matter what your task - fufilling, but at cost of your own life.

Cons

ACS leads with the dollar in mind and not with the mission.

Should be focused on IMPROVING current programs, practices, and events, instead of adding more to everyone's already overflowing plates.

Volunteers do not appreciate frequent turnover rates of managers - they are what lead the organizations success, yet turn over rate is 1 year - 2 max, so ACS will damage relationships due to the way employees are treated and the improper work load distribution and terrible planning for managers. .
ACS spreads events all over the map with inadequate staffing, man power, and volunteers to fill and create a successful lasting event and experience. Often, employees voice concern, and it is overlooked. 'Strech income goals' are more important than our volunteers, and take priority over established and nurtured relationships that employees work hard to obtain. ACS is bragging about change - and looking forward to the future, without a clear perspective of the present. Actions speak louder than words.

 ACS speaks and preaches work life balance - but does not practice it. AT ALL. Employees, Employers, Management, Leaders, are all stretched beyond thin.
NO work life balance.Did we mention that already?
Prepare to be on call 24 - 7 if you are a manager or RD/AD in the communities.
Boundaries? Training? Specific mentoring and foundation upon arriving on board? Nope.

Advice to Senior Management

Take care of your employees, listen to your volunteers, take a look at the present before you try and CHANGE the future. Improve what you already have, increase it's VALUE, before you add something completely new in hopes to increase your REVENUE. Events are struggling to remain stable, often times high years to low years due to turnover, overloaded managers, management, and trainers. Change is a fantastic thing, we embrace it, but this ACS change is not for the better thus far.

The upper echelon has no idea what it is TRULY like in the field. Hire additional staff to make your events seamless, efficient, effective, lasting, and to add longevity into your name and your reputation. Pathetic events give nothing out - there is simply nothing to miss - no reason to return the following years. No one takes an affirmative action to change the FACT that turnover is so terrible.

Practice what you preach. ALLOW work life balance.

Pros

Ample PTO, flexible work week and schedules, little micromanagement, lots of networking opportunities, culture of compassion for cancer patients, helping make a difference

Cons

No incentives to do job well or drawbacks to doing job poorly, management focus shifts each year to the next great idea that is not followed through with, always looking for money and then thinking about staff and patients, limited funds and resources, company is always slowly removing a perk, underdeveloped and untrained managers just say "do the job" with no real coaching

Advice to Senior Management

find your true strengths and build on them, stop chasing your tail for the next best thing and decide who you are, think about promoting from within and listening to your staff on occasion

Pros

benefits, work/life balance (if you have a supportive spvr.)

Cons

Staff expected to raise money, donate money, volunteer time - above and beyond one's major job responsibilities.