guest service agent

concierge

development manager

director

sales associate

American Cancer Society

Job: Not for parents and single parents.  Lots of red flags.  Your job is to call as a TELEMARKETER, nonstop 7.5 hours with only a 30 min unpaid lunch. This is a 37.5 work week. (Strides Against Breast Cancer 2015)

Breaks: If you need to use the bathroom you must punch out.  Even if it's for a second.  (Tip: so set aside 15 min for lunch and 15 min to use for the bathroom/etc.)  Everyone can see how often you check out and you will be talked to if you are not a steady 7.5 nonstop caller or you are not averaging what everyone else is for the total times checked out.  If you expect or are use to two paid 15 minute breaks and were use to being able to get up and get a drink/use the bathroom with out clocking out.  This isn't for you.  If you have a bad back and are use to getting up to just quick walk, this isn't for you.  Your back will be killing by the end of the day.  You have to check out and check in for everything.  Even required meetings you check out because you are not calling.  Your pay is for calling 7.5 hours.

Atmosphere: It's a long day cold calling for states OUTSIDE of our state.  So you will not know the area well where the event will be taking place.  Some places you call will be far from the event area and you need to convince them to go.  This is a HIGH PRESSURE TELEMARKETING job.  You are expected to call quickly and get a lot of yes's. This is really not a "recruiter" job. You will be hung up on and people will be rude to you.  Expect this. You will be rejected most calls.  You are given a random list that others are calling also from.  The experienced and faster callers will know the better leads "category" to call first.  You need to have tough skin.   There are constantly new people being hired to come in and replace others if they are faster.  You will also be constantly hung up on.  You have no job security.  This is for a limited time.  However, some do move on in the organization.  It's very clicky.  It has a very high turnover rate.  Most do not stay or are fired and replaced with someone faster.  Although you are told not to be clicky.  The supervisors are.  Do not expect them to say hi or acknowledge you if you are sitting in the break room.  They have their own table.

Computer Skills:  Know how to use Microsoft office, Instant messaging, Headset to talk, computer phone dialer, and inputting information on the computer screen for call.  You will have no time to write it and then transfer the information in.  You need to know how to code things on two screens.  You need to know how to use the mute button and never turn off the headset, you are being randomly listened to.  You need to know how to use tabs on your computer screen.  You need to be very, very, very fast at multi-tasking.  You have no time to even think about something.

Who will succeed:  If you've never done cold calling or telemarketing you will not be fast enough for their standards.  You cannot sign up friends from local businesses for credit on an account.  You will be calling out of state.  This is very high pressure so it will count against you anytime you're not calling.  Including asking questions, emailing a client, or reading over notes.  You are always being watched to see how fast you are.  The training is HORRIBLE. It will not prepare you if you have no experience cold calling or being very fast calling.  NO tips will be given.   Do not expect help, even if you come in early, you will be ignored.  The trainer will tell you she will help but she won't.  You will be blown off.  No more time will be put into you then the two days of training.  If you don't get it.  You're out of luck.  Don't stand out with asking questions.  Just go in and call, call, call.  Be fast.  Get invites. There are many to replace you.  People that excel are those that have experience telemarketing and are very good at manipulation.  Their calls are also quick.  They double what the expectations are.   The script works better to say you are not fundraising at that time.  These are the telemarketers that excel.  They are personable and don’t sound like they are reading from a script.  Very quick to answer objections.  Although at the event before the walk it will be clear it is for fundraising.  This is where information is given on how to be a team leader, breast cancer awareness, and lots of hype to get everyone motivated to “fundraise”.  If you have a problem with how this is scripted.  This is not for you.

Management: There are many, many, managers and groups.  It's a huge call center.  With many floors.  I had a horrible manager.  In fact, the worst I've ever had in my entire life.  This manager was not approachable, very rude, and very clicky.  Was irritated to answer ANY questions.  Was not motivating at all.  I expected better.  My manager's favorite tactic was to gang up on someone new with another person to intimidate them when they were actually doing well.  He/She would constantly make them feel inadequate.  He/She would invest no time in the person.  He/She would talk loud so others could hear what was being said to someone to intimidate them.  So someone not as quick, or nervous, even on their first day was considered worthless and would be replaced.

A friend had a better manager.  I was jealous of all the games they would play and rewards/incentives they would have.  The best part of this managers style was that He/She engaged and encouraged  workers to be better.  He/She did invest time in them personally.  So that groups turnover rate was less.  People that were doing slow in the beginning caught on. Our manager did nothing.  But I couldn't switch areas.  

Each manager has things put in the computer differently, so if you are moved to someone else be careful to find out.  Mine for example would put a code in for a callback, even if the person had complained of getting to many calls.  Only if they said the words take me off the list, would it be done. Customer Service isn't encouraged, since it takes to much time, you will not be giving out a phone number to contact you, everything is always going to different people, so no relationships are being formed.  

So it depends on who you are placed with the experience you will have and how long you will work here or want to work here.  

PAY: 14.00 hour, 105.00 day for 7.5 hours, which is 525.00 a week.  Their is a bonus for a $1.00 for every hour you worked on the project for when it ends.  However you will not get the bonus if you took off more then 5 days through out the project.  Those 5 days must also be preapproved.

Personal Opinion:  I had a friend die of breast cancer and I've had some other friends that have battled this disease.  This is why I was involved.  The pay also seemed good.  However, I personally had a horrible experience and it was the worst job I've ever had.  I can only hope some things are changed.  Also, I hope the bad managers are not coddled anymore, they certainly go through telemarketers like crazy.  Maybe if better managers are put in place, people will stay longer.  The punching out to go to the bathroom quick is ridiculous.  This should be treated and focused more as a customer service positon then the primary focus of high pressure telemarketing.  It’s horrible.  Building relationships brings better donors, they need to encourage that kind of atmosphere, and keep it as local calls.  There should also be consistency with management styles.  Clicks with upper management should be discouraged.  Training needs to be done by someone with more experience that would really prepare everyone.   I'm very, disappointed and expected better.  Note:  If you work here through a temp agency, if you don't like it, don't have them con you in staying.  Nothing will change and you will be let go within a couple of days.  It looks better to have someone fired then someone quit.  But the moment you say you quit, technically you really can’t be welcomed back.  I hope this helps.

I was very excited to work for ACS. Having lost too many family members to cancer the mission was right up my alley. Not long after hire though I started getting concerns. I was promised a lot during my interview that just never happened.

I was told by my manager that people who took their (unpaid) lunch hour were lazy when I went to let her know one day that I was taking my lunch. Senior Division Level Management was not at all concerned about the 90 hour weeks that I was putting in all summer. (I called and talked to someone for an hour before I just got sick of all the rhetoric.)

When I asked my manager for help because I was working 70-90 hours a week and was still not getting everything done expected of me I was told that I 'just needed to work harder.' When I quit this job my volunteers were lied to and told that I Never asked for help. I was otherwise 'high performing'; I had the biggest portfolio in our region and was set to make ACS half a million this summer.

CONS: (this is by no means a complete list)
-Regularly worked 60 hour weeks (3 our of 4 weekends every month) and 70-90 hour weeks all summer (Paid for 35 hours)
- No work life balance -You are expected to live ACS 24/7/365
- Management were not supportive of field staff
-Too many managers and not enough field staff (no one knew what they actually did all day)
-Was told on a regular basis that the people in the office that took their unpaid lunch breaks were "lazy" and it was suggested to me 3 times that lunch was a great time to "relax and answer all of my emails"
- ACS provided free wellness programs to other companies for free but had no wellness programs for employees.
- Low level Management fired well performing field staff to cover up their own poor performance.
- Field Staff is almost always set up for failure.
- No one would tell us how to do something but we would get reamed for doing it incorrectly and when we'd ask how to do something our manager rolled her eyes at us and told us we should already know how to do it. We were an inconvenience I guess.
- Huge turn over: During the 14 months I worked at ACS our office had at least 12 Income Development field staff. Only 3 had been there longer than a year (they had been there almost 10 years). While I was there 3 people were fired for bogus reasons because their managers needed a scape goat and 4 people quit (including one of the girls who had done the job for 8 years).
-Was paid $3,000 less per year than a male coworker who started 6 months after I did and had significantly less training, education and related experience.
-Field Staffs' ideas were ignored, even if they meant saving the organization time and money.
- Volunteers are appreciated and recognized more than staff.
- 6 months into the job I was told I had to do 9 hrs a week of cold calling on top of everything else that I did (which was monitored by management).

I wish I could honestly say that there were saving graces of this job. There just weren't. I just don't want anyone else to go through what I did. I have worked for many non-profits in a couple different states before and have never experienced these issues before. I suppose if you do not want to have any sort of life outside of work and you don't mind not being appreciated this could be the job for you. I was told by the head HR in our division that 'some people thrive on 90 hour weeks'. More power to them I guess.

You can find a better job than this where you will be appreciated and not taken advantage of.

A typical day at work in the PRS role includes fulfilling service requests for patient programs & providing information on services such as transportation, lodging, support services. You're assigned a certain amount of new cases per day but still have ongoing cases that can span for days or months for patients whose needs cannot be met in one phone call, such as transportation for ongoing medical appointments. The work load & volume of requests can be challenging at times, meeting the needs of patients with ongoing requests while fulfilling new requests for service.  Nevertheless, my co-workers are some of the most helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, innovative people I've had the privilege to work with, & they truly do make working there a great experience. Management is also great, they're very supportive & always have your back, but at times (like most companies, I'd think) the ones making certain decisions aren't the ones doing the ground level work & sometimes aren't aware of how the front end employees may be affected. The hardest part of the job is dealing with a high work load/volume of requests as & still being expected to capture certain information or data, as well as the type of requests; part of the PRS function is to help uninsured patients obtain access to care/recommended cancer treatments, which can be difficult & time consuming, not to mention the limited training given for such a complex need & that that type of work should warrant more pay/compensation. Another challenge is the structure of the organization; many of the local offices & patients are having problems accepting the fact that the national call center is now handling certain functions that were previously handled locally, & at times there are a cross in functions (local & national office handling the same need) which can confuse the patients & frustrate employees. The restructuring is in its final stages, so things are continuing to change, which is another challenge. I've learned how to interact with chronically ill patients & have strengthened my skills in social services & assisting patients with their needs. Even if we do not have a program or referral to offer for a specific need, part of being a PRS means being innovative & sharing options with the patient that they never thought to explore. The most enjoyable part of the job is hearing from a patient that you've helped them or alleviated a bit of stress

This, by far, is one of the worst organizations to work for. The managers they hire lack communication and delegation skills. They also are incompetent when it comes to training. The onboarding program is wonderful but it is not followed up on when you start working. There's very little direction as to how you do your job though you are expected to know and many of the volunteers you work with are no help. They have high expectations and you are expected in return to fill any request they have, even if it is last minute, which it usually is.
Management is very good at making you think of people that you have lost to cancer and they use their deaths to get you to do more than expected. They do a good job hiding behind their cause and the volunteers are so emotionally invested that they often forget things yet expect you to instinctively know what they need, though you were never told. An employee might get good at this mind reading after years of working Relays, but certainly not the first time.
I'm surprised that I was not diagnosed with cancer after working at American Cancer Society. The level of stress that employees go through is obscene and there is very little wellness or work-life balance that you would expect from an organization that is supposedly trying to save lives.
Management may tell you that you will be hired for a 35 hour workweek and that in the winter you will be able to use your vacation because your volunteers will not need you. These are lies. The only way you get to take any time off is if you are ahead of your income goal and that doesn't occur until after the Relays.
My recommendation is that you avoid this organization at all costs. I spent many times trying to defend American Cancer Society from people that would come up to me at banks when I made a Relay deposit. They'd notice my shirt and tell me what a corrupt organization I worked for.
After being there, I was told that ACS does so much for people with cancer other than research to benefit drug companies. But then a friend was diagnosed and she received very little help, though they did show her how to put on makeup. But that was the total support she got from them. And now, instead of checking in on her and seeing how she is doing, she gets solicited to donate to ACS. Just all around horrible.

A typical day…
•	Community Outreach
•	Program and Patient services development and implementation
•	State Coalition administration
•	Monitor Scope of Work and Program Objectives and Goals for three grants
•	Supervise staff and volunteers
•	Monitoring budget
•	Recruit and train volunteers
•	Worked on cancer advocacy issues

When I took this position their prevention, early detection education programs were ranked 50th out of 50 American Cancer Society Division offices.  Within two years, the Nevada Division was ranked in the top 10 percent for prevention, early detection education programs.  I revitalized the existing volunteer core.  I reached out the community partners (State, County, and City) to bring awareness to cancer issues.  I worked with the State of Nevada Health Division by mobilizing the community partners allowing them to apply and receive CDC Tobacco Control funding, Breast and Cervical Cancer funding.  I worked with the State of Nevada Attorney General on the tobacco master settlement agreement and Synar amendment.   I played a background role in communicating with the Governor on designating tobacco master settlement agreement dollars for tobacco control in the State of Nevada.  Through my efforts working with Las Vegas Metro Police Department and organizing strings operations demonstrating retails selling tobacco products to minors the State of Nevada Attorney General Office hired an attorney to monitor Synar compliance.  I organized the dermatologists in Clark County to bring early detection skin cancer awareness statewide.  Dermatologists donated their professional time and financial resources to educate and offer free skin screenings statewide.

This position offered me the opportunity to develop meaningful health education programs at a state level but also at a national level.  The hardest part of the job, was never knowing, what kind of threats to my personal and professional life may occur because of the work I did in tobacco advocacy. 

The most enjoyable part of the job is the staff and the family atmosphere I help to create.  They all work so well together, they truly understand the team concept.



Working as a Cancer Information Specialist at the American Cancer Society was meaningful work emotionally and mission-wise, but the internal culture made it difficult to see a long-term future there.

The best part of the role was helping people understand their options during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. You truly have the opportunity to provide comfort, education, emotional support, and practical resources to patients and caregivers who are overwhelmed. If you care about people and can communicate with empathy, the work itself can feel very rewarding.

The training program was thorough and prepared specialists well for handling sensitive conversations. Metrics were reasonable and achievable if you stayed organized and emotionally regulated. The flexibility and benefits were also decent compared to some nonprofit environments.

However, the emotional workload is heavier than leadership sometimes acknowledges. Taking back-to-back cancer-related calls daily can become mentally exhausting over time, especially while balancing productivity expectations and constant organizational changes. There is also significant change fatigue within NCIC.

The biggest downside was the culture within leadership. There was a noticeable lack of career mobility, favoritism, and a clique-like environment that often felt more personal than professional. Employees who contributed heavily across teams, mentoring, training support, communications, and special projects still struggled to see meaningful advancement opportunities. Leadership at the NCIC level often felt disconnected from the day-to-day emotional realities specialists were managing.

Overall, this is a role for someone passionate about helping others and willing to do emotionally intensive work for relatively modest pay. The mission is real, and the callers absolutely matter. But long-term sustainability and professional growth within the department can be challenging.

The American Cancer Society is a poor place to put your trust into. I have been a loyal and hard working employee for four years and never received a bad performance review until the day I returned from my maternity leave. It was obvious that they were pushing me out as they already had my replacement and after four years of loyal service would not even try and work with me. I was not the first woman to be run off after her maternity leave, in fact I watched our management do the same to a woman when I was hired. Though I resigned, I don't believe she had the same opportunity.

At the American Cancer Society, you are expendable. They do not care how well you've done in the past, or how loyal you have been to the organization. They only care about the now, and will not help you to succeed. You are on your own!! I was only there 4 years, but I was the longest income development employee to work in our 11 person office. Only two other employees have stuck around; however, they were not part of the fundraising team. I have watched four different Executive Directors come in and out of our office in the last four years. And upon return from my maternity leave, the entire office had turned over.

Be aware, you are only a $ sign to this organization and they will let you know it. However, where the money goes, no one seems to know. Hopefully it is doing some good in the national abyss that is hidden within the mission. They say the money goes to research, education, advocacy and patient services. However, nothing stays local, and you are lucky to get some of it back towards your own community if you are not a major metropolitan city.

I can say that I have met some incredible volunteers and will always hold those relationships close to my heart. The Relay For Life events can truly give community members a reason to fight. However, if you would like to work for ACS, get in, get the experience, but get out quickly. This is not a place to stay forever. Your good name is tarnished too quickly and too easily.

Provide clerical/secretarial support to Senior Vice President of Development and Senior Operations Vice President, Development.
Handle travel arrangements for Senior Vice President of Development and Senior Operations Vice President, Development.
Organize/arrange meetings/retreats that involve Senior Vice President of Development and Senior Operations Vice President and others he oversees.
Organize flight, hotel, registration and billing arrangements for NE staff attending National meetings and conferences and other income development trainings.
Provide logistical support for ID Staff Leadership Team and IDVP/Area Directors meetings.
Collect and compile information for Communities Health Charities of CT application and other worksite campaigns (e.g. Combined Federal Campaigns) and support Community Health Charities where appropriate (i.e. Board meetings in Meriden).
Compile information and prepare national fund raising reports prior to their due date.  Prepare monthly New England Income Report.
Maintain accurate record of the budget; ensure invoices are submitted for payment in a timely manner.
Order special office supplies for centralized income development staff in the Meriden office from Hartford Office Supply.
Provide support to donor data, planned giving, and major gifts as needed.
Personally recruit assigned number of team captains for Relay For Life, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer or selected endurance events each year, and attain fundraising goal in accordance with Fight Back Team Challenge guidelines.
Other duties as may be assigned from time to time


Don't get me wrong, the cause of the American Cancer Society is very good and upheld in every aspect and very honest. The downfall is that the quality of life for staff is not ideal and has a strange ebb and flow. There is very little flexibility with how to manage time, and a LOT of time is dedicated to your job with managers stretched so thin that you will have many frustrations. Also many managers do not have a current understanding of what the field is like, and many times management is an external candidate managing people who have years more experience and were overlooked as potential managers because of where the new staff person previously worked. It feels like a glass ceiling where you can be very successful in your work for years, but never see it go anywhere as more and more people go through the swinging doors in positions above yours and your own responsibilities grow because of the disorganization. When someone is promoted it's genuinely surprising.

Another problem is that the organization is going through a massize nation-wide change right now that started nearly two years ago and does not have a determined end date, just promises of more opportunity (ie: positions filled from external people).

The learning curve with the organization is very steep and long, it's a great place to get some experience, but the average staff only last about 2-4 years after just being tired of so many frustrations. So if you are just seeking experience or come from a hospital system and are willing to share all of your contacts, it's just not worth the pressure and stress you will have here. It's far too disorganized and the politics not worth the effort. Proceed with caution.

I have been working at this job for about 5 yrs in Oct. this job was great when we started there. There was a real sense of togetherness and everybody believed in the mission and employee appreciation . Now management is a joke and they are scared stick up for their employees. You get in trouble if you so much as talk to the person next to you but its only select people they pick on usually.... it an HR nightmare. They even took the managers out of their offices and sat them in the cubical with us to basically micromanage and watch our every move but only in the data capture department which is about to shut down so they have all these rules to make sure you hang yourself. procedures change everyday. They also pay our department too much...so they are trying to let go 60% of the department but haven't officially admitted it. just to make sure our year end stuff gets done. The department is basically ran by 2 people that determine your career advancement if they like you or not. My own personal manager has been working there for 15 yrs and can't seem to get anywhere but the man over our department started working there 5 yrs ago and is running the whole  thing... upper management very sneeky. If  you have credentials to do more than you job doesn't matter there is no advancement for you. In fact I would just really go ahead and say if you are a person of color. yes I went there.in the age groups of 25-50 you will never advance here. work life balance is great and so is time off. I

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