Pros
Great workplace culture with a truly diverse staff. People are open about their identities and cultural backgrounds and are ready and capable of being challenged when problematic/offensive behavior arises. It's very common for canvassers to form lasting bonds and friendships. Great opportunities for professional and personal growth. Standing outside all day raising money from strangers is a test of mental and physical endurance. Thanks to my time with Amnesty, I gained immeasurably important skills that include (and aren't limited to) social entrepreneurship, communication, mental fortitude, management, leadership, and nonprofit development. I'm taking these skills with me wherever I go. Solid, consistent pay with great benefits. In the canvassing department specifically, the turnaround time to get hired is quick and the barriers to entry are low. Strong investment in training and leadership development. Immense opportunities for growth and advancement if you put in the work needed.
Cons
Upper management is sometimes out of touch with the lived realities and everyday experience of canvassers. Their top-down approach has led to some controversial policy changes that I fear, in the long run, will be ineffective and disempowering. Some coworkers are whiney brats that think themselves better than ground-work. These are the young students that took a human rights course in school, decided they want to change the world, but aren't willing to sacrifice their energy at the grassroots level. They fantasize about visiting war zones and refugee camps, are well-versed in historical events, and can write a 30 page thesis about issues. But put them on a sidewalk to mobilize people to action, and they cave under rejection in less than 30 minutes. If you are a canvasser of color, differently-abled, and/or from other disenfranchised groups, this work has an added layer of hardship, and unfortunately, there's no mechanism in the quota system to account for this. Some office-based Amnesty employees are known to be dismissive of (and sometimes hostile to) the ground-based staff.