Not a good place to start your career - Anonymous employee Acumen Employee Review

1.0
Sep 8, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

* Intelligent, nice people * Lagoon for midday walks * (Some) interesting projects * Free fruit/snacks/lunch every so often * If you are passionate about health policy, you'll probably enjoy it

Cons

* Terrible pay * Luck of the draw for the project you get assigned to (both in terms of management and client). Some grant autonomy, some do not * Work tends to be monotonous * Very little career development opportunities. The skills you pick up here help you succeed at Acumen, but are (mostly) not transferrable to other jobs * Lots of turnover. Many people choose to leave without anything lined up * Commuter shuttle is a sickening experience * Almost entirely new grads. Others have pointed out that this results in inexperienced managers, but I'd argue that that in itself is not a major problem (there are managers that truly care). The main problem that this creates is a lack of diverse experiences from which to draw from. * A lot of knowledge silos * Not a lot of nearby lunch options

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Acumen Response
9y
Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We take all comments serious and use them for improvements.

Explore other reviews about Acumen

5.0
Apr 18, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- The work is intellectually engaging and gave me many chances to grow technically. - I learned a lot from talented coworkers and appreciated being part of projects with real-world relevance. - There was also good exposure to translating technical work into clear, usable takeaways.

Cons

- The work can be intense and detail-heavy, and deadlines can sometimes feel demanding. - Priorities may shift quickly, which can make it hard to plan ahead. - At times, the volume of revisions and fast pace can be stressful.

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Acumen Response
2mo
We've heard that this type of feedback is helpful to new graduates and prospective applicants, particularly your perspective on the pros and cons of working here. Please continue to share your experiences during your career journey with us. We wish you the best!
2.0
Jul 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You will work with some really nice and lovely people. That is the only pro I can say about this chaotic and disorganized company (this is the most professional way I can describe this company, but know I would like to use much harsher language).

Cons

- Management is disorganized and ineffective. You would think that after 30 years, they would have established systems to avoid negative financial situations. - The C-suite doesn't care about employees; their main focus is on ensuring they and their friends make money. - There are practically no incentives to work here. You will never receive a pay raise, you won't get a meaningful promotion, and you will constantly find yourself doing the work of entry-level employees. - Following two major layoffs within two years, the company made minimal changes to improve its poor financial status. They continue to employ some of the least effective and most costly employees, simply hoping that things will improve. That's not how business operates, but it seems to be the mentality since they predominantly hire their friends.

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Acumen Response
1d
Thank you for sharing your perspective from your time employed at Acumen. We regret that your experience did not meet your expectations, and we acknowledge that the recent layoffs have been difficult for everyone. Your feedback is taken seriously and will be shared with our leadership team as we continue evaluating where processes can be strengthened. We appreciate your input and wish you the very best in your future endeavors.
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