laboratory technician

human resources assistant

hospital service technician

executive assistant

truck driver

The Blood Bank Of Hawaii

I started my career at the Blood Bank of Hawaii back in 2022. I had no healthcare experience at the time but knew that it was a growing industry in Hawaii and that I could make an actual difference in the lives of others right here at home. Before joining the blood bank I worked in customer service but didn't really see a future for myself in that field.

The blood bank pays for your full training from Day 1, which is amazing! The trainers were knowledgeable, kind and patient - they really took the time to get to know me and how I prefer to learn. You get to train at an actual Blood Bank of Hawaii facility and the training is a mix of classroom learning and real-world, hands-on experience. And it's not just poking arms because a lot goes into setting up for blood drives, interviewing donors and whatnot. After training I became a Collections Specialist 1 for our mobile drives. I'd meet the bloodmobile at different places, from high schools to businesses and churches. You get to meet a ton of people, which I like because I'm a social person. Another bonus is that blood donors are happy and healthy unlike the sick people you would have to care for in a different healthcare setting. Like, they literally come to make a difference. I even got to go to other islands once a month for blood drives and enjoyed getting to know my teammates and so many different donors. You're on your feet most of the time when you're working but I'm someone who likes being active and moving around so it fits me well.

After a few months I was promoted to Collections Specialist 2 and was given a few days of paid training on automation, which are the machines that let us maximize donations. I like the promotions and the raises that come with them. You really have room to grow here - there's a lot of opportunities.

I had a child and needed a more traditional schedule to keep up with childcare so I shifted over to our Young Street Donor Center in 2024. I was promoted to the Team Lead role where I oversee and support a team of 5-8 phlebotomists during my shifts. The blood bank recently provided raises for all positions and created new ones as well and that's how I got to be in my current position, which is Collections Specialist 3. Now I can use all of our automation equipment and am still supervising and supporting my team each day.

I have to say that the management here is responsive and supportive. They actually care about my goals whether these keep me here or see me leave for other opportunities in the future. I've chosen to stay this long because of the growth opportunities and pay increases. I also love the benefits here because they are fully covered for you - medical, dental and vision. I'd recommend the blood bank to anyone looking for a career in healthcare.


I worked at the Blood Bank of Hawaii in Collections for just over a year. Compensation is not competitive, but it is a non-profit organization which does contribute to the essential blood supply of the state, so you'll feel good about that and give them a pass there. Where you will not be able to overlook is inconsistent scheduling (I recall working 9 straight days in a 2week span /6-day weeks are not uncommon). The higher-ups are terrible, middle-management isn't much better. Lack of communication being the main problem. These people were promoted who really shouldn't be in their position but the org can't find outside candidates. The turnover rate is crazy to point where its really discouraging. You will have great co-workers only to lose them in 1-2 months, at best a year. For a organization which has decided the turnover rate is okay, you'd think the training/on-boarding would be on point. Nope. Training was bare bones, and I did my "orientation" over a month into the job. Still leaving you with lots of unanswered questions about SOPs and org. policies.  Parking, there is none. Find street parking in a seedy part of town (Kalihi) or be threatened to be towed.

The Blood Bank of Hawaii has a just and vital cause. There are a lot of awesome rank-and-file who work there, and the benefits package is acceptable. But the low wage, mismanagement/poor leadership, undesirable scheduling and discouraging turnover rate really does question the choice to work here.

The workplace presents challenges, particularly in management. Favoritism can sometimes be observed, and professional communication could be improved. Feedback is not always delivered constructively, which may impact employee morale. Opportunities for advancement feel limited, as promotion decisions do not always seem based on merit alone.

Compensation does not always align with the level of responsibility. Employees who take on additional tasks, such as learning multiple machines or stepping into leadership roles, may find that pay increases do not fully reflect the added workload. For instance, team leads receive an additional $0.60 per hour, which some may find insufficient given the responsibilities.

While HR promotes an open-door policy, employees may not always feel fully supported when raising concerns. Discussions with supervisors do not always lead to actionable solutions, which can be discouraging.

Monthly meetings, scheduled after long shifts, often include team-building activities that, while well-intended, may not always align with employees’ needs for rest and recovery.

There is a strong focus on meeting production goals, but this sometimes creates a demanding work environment. For example, sitting during shifts is discouraged, which can be physically challenging over long hours.

Leadership has acknowledged areas for improvement, but noticeable changes have yet to be implemented.

During my time working as a phlebotomist at Blood Bank of Hawaii, I was responsible for drawing blood samples from donors for various diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This role required me to work closely with donors, laboratory technicians, and healthcare professionals to ensure accurate blood collection and handling. I really enjoyed the patient-facing aspect of the job. Building rapport and making patients feel at ease was one of the most rewarding parts of my work. I gained a lot of hands-on experience, learning new techniques and improving my skills over time. The training provided by the trainers was excellent and helped me feel confident in my role. The team I worked with was fantastic. We collaborated which made the work environment supportive and efficient. 

Working as a phlebotomist at BBH was a fulfilling experience. It was a role that required both technical proficiency and strong interpersonal skills. While there were challenges, the ability to make a difference in patients’ lives by providing essential services was incredibly rewarding. I would recommend this job to anyone looking for a hands-on role in the healthcare field, as long as they are prepared for the physical and emotional demands it can entail.

I worked here for almost a year and two months, during which time I had good and bad experiences. It is very fast paced and constantly on your feet. Even if you work a 12 hour shift you are only given two 15 min breaks and one 30 min lunch but these are not guaranteed. I worked while pregnant and struggled just to get a bathroom break and 2 water breaks. So while I was employed there I experienced a very high turn over rate at one point half the staff left and we were so under-staffed employees did not get lunch or 15 min breaks and that went on for over a month. I personally felt I gave my all to this company and ended up having my car towed off the lot due to poor communication to employees regarding a policy that was put into place. I had to pay to get it out and was never reimbursed. There are managers that are so fixed on everything being about themselves that they treat employees like they are nothing and do things in their power to call them out in front of donors to correct and embarrass them on purpose. Overall there are some amazing people that work here but unfortunately it does not outweigh the poor management and lack of management.

Working at BBH was both stressful and rewarding. Stressful because it was hard to reach the people that were willing to donate. But rewarding because we filled a vital role in saving lives that otherwise could have been lost. I learned a lot about how hard the Blood Bank system worked and how interconnected it all was. The hardest part of the job was meeting the goals. But my immediate supervisor and the team I worked with was the highlight of my career with BBH. My supervisor was ALWAYS encouraging us and helping us to succeed. She was always there whenever we needed her and never got annoyed if we asked the same questions multiple times. My team was also amazing as we got along and found ways to turn even the most boring and slow days fun. We often shared snacks, stories and complaints about life with each other.  BBH will occasionally host potlucks for the employees to help with build bonds between departments and to allow the people at the top to spend time with and better get to know their employees. Birthdays and Work Anniversaries were always celebrated as important mile stones, instead of ignored or brushed aside.

Fairly easy job to learn and go into with no experience, though that is because they are always looking for new staff because the turnover rate is so high. The staff are some of the greatest people I've met and was the only thing that pushed me to continue working, management is where the problem is at. They will push and expect you to work in situations where you haven't even been trained properly to do so and will put you down with hurtful words. You can't even ask management for help because they will just push you aside and ignore your call for help leaving you stuck draining you mentally and emotionally. Favoritism is unbelievable in the lab, you will notice how management treats all staff very differently. Scheduling is also very inconsistent with changes often being made with no notice, they expect you to work with the changes no matter the circumstances. This leaves you to rarely having time for your outside life and risking losing time with family or loved ones. Sometimes you'll be scheduled 10 days in a row with only 1 day off. The negatives of this company very much outweigh the positives. 

BBH does not care about its employees. They work us as slaves without proper compensation, nor reward for all the hard work we do. They do not listen to their employees as to what they need to do their jobs. They did not announce our covid case to staff nor donors, nor do we get temp checked at work. They hoarded masks at the beginning of covid and distributed 2 cloth masks to each staff, later implementing the use of face shields. You will work a lot, and have no social life. Hard to request off and to make plans do to scheduling. BBH is a great place to get your skills and leave to a better company as most ex-employees have done. If they just cared and gave us better compensation they would have a lower turn over rate.

I have worked in the blood banking industry for several years and my few years spent at the Blood Bank of Hawaii was by far the most rewarding.  I felt like my job made a real difference in the community because I worked directly with all of the hospitals in my state as well as hospitals/blood centers in the mainland US.  It was also one of the most challenging jobs that I have ever had because there was never a shortage of projects and process improvement tasks but that's another reason it was so great.  Everyone who works there is incredibly passionate about the work they do and that made it worthwhile to get up and go to work every single day.

It was a great opportunity for me to work and give back to the community at the same time. This small non-profit organization in Honolulu has a big impact on its neighborhood by saving lives daily.

Everybody gets a lot of support from co-workers and receives the recognition they deserve. Management worked hard to keep their employees and subordinates appreciate their Management. 

They could've kept more capable and great employees from leaving if their promised salary increase was provided. Although, they were on top of explaining to the employees why it may take some time.

Overall, it was a nurturing workplace and I couldn't be happier and more proud of having the chance to work with them.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Laboratory technician 4 salaries reported	$18.28 per hour
Human resources assistant 1 salary reported	$19.50 per hour
Hospital service technician 3 salaries reported	$20.07 per hour
Executive assistant 1 salary reported	$52,500 per year
Truck driver 1 salary reported	$22.11 per hour

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