Case Study: American Cancer Society achieves stronger hiring and lower turnover with Development Dimensions International

American Cancer Society - Customer Case Study

The American Cancer Society’s Pennsylvania Division faced high turnover in its Community Income Development Specialist (CIDS) roles, with the challenge of hiring recent graduates into demanding, sales-like fundraising positions that required leadership, volunteer management, and strong relationship skills. Feedback showed many new hires were not the right fit and were not receiving enough development support in their first year, leading to a 40% turnover rate.

Development Dimensions International helped the American Cancer Society build a competency-based system using Success Profiles Card Sort, Targeted Selection behavioral interviewing, and structured on-boarding with DDI leadership and workforce development courses. The result was a faster ramp-up for new CIDSs, stronger performance, improved leadership behaviors, and turnover dropping from 40% to 13% within three years, while the division also rose to 18th in Pennsylvania’s Best Place to Work rankings.

American Cancer Society

Michelle Ricks

Director of Employee Performance and Development