AT&T Reviews in Saint Louis, MO

Pros

I have had a variety of different jobs during my career which has provided an opportunity for me to expand my skills. During this time, I have worked on several assignments which have made a difference to AT&T's future.

Cons

Career opportunities are quite limited unless you are willing to relocate several times.
There is virtually no training -- you need to make the effort to teach yourself any new skill.
Job security is largely nonexistent. AT&T has frequently off-shored or sold various work functions.

Advice to Senior Management

I wish senior management would make more of an effort to increase job opportunities for employees. I think many of the newer employees will eventually leave since the chance to change jobs (or even get promoted) is quite limited. In addition, it seems many jobs are only available in Dallas even though they could be performed quite well from another location.

Pros

Pay and benefits, large company with many opportunities to do and learn a wide variety of business skills. The culture is relatively conservation but there is an opportunity to work across multiple regions, complex projects/initiatives and explore international business if this is part of your career goals.

Cons

There is an expectation that the job always come first and with some managers, having a life is a sign of low work ethic. For the past several years, annual downsizing has become a holiday tradition bringing stress and lack of focus to daily activities.

Advice to Senior Management

Learn all that you can and focus on your reputation for being trustworthy and a hard worker.

Pros

benefits, nice salary, other than that office job

Cons

management were ignorant, slow work, threats of lay off all them time, lack of advancement if your not a suck up, or know someone who can help you get ahead

Advice to Senior Management

Quit

Pros

AT&T provides decent wages and benefits.

Cons

AT&T is outsourcing a lot of IT work. There is not much opportunity for growth, promotions are rare. IT is not a collaborative culture. Direction is decided above and pushed down. Not a fun place to work.

Pros

Excellent pay
Excellent benefits
Some telecommuting available

Cons

Long hours
Poor communication on projects

Advice to Senior Management

Too many controls put in result in poor quality releases.

Pros

AT&T has good salary and benefits. The people I worked with are open, honest, and helpful. I loved telecommuting.

Cons

IT Operations is implementing a 'follow the sun' methodology. That means that at least two-thirds of the American jobs are going abroad (Eastern Europe and India). That means there is no future for two-thirds of the current system administrators and database administrators.

Advice to Senior Management

While management books state that 'follow the sun' is wonderful, what does it do to provide a sense of loyalty to your existing employees from your side? Why should they be loyal? Why should they stay? Additionally, you are having those employees who 'follow the sun' pick trouble tickets out of an automated system. That means that there is already a problem identified. Who is it that works on your information systems to avoid problems and trouble? In your new methodology, that's gone...

Pros

Lots of overtime, if you want it.

Cons

People get fired for almost anything, metrics are hard to meet, management really doesn't help or care about techs.

Advice to Senior Management

Learn more about tech job responsibilities so you can better help them.

Pros

Solid company that has been around forever. There is plenty of work and they give you all the tools to succeed.

Cons

There is too much turnover and negativity. I hope that if good performance will get one promoted and better pay.

Advice to Senior Management

I have a good manager. Weed out the people that are negative and those that are unprofessional. We need an undercover boss.

Pros

They are good with working with you about schedules for life events/dr. appointments. Pay and benefits are ok.

Cons

Having Corporate kool-aid poured down your throat 24/7 (aka net neutrally is bad, the t-mobile merger is good and will create jobs)

Advice to Senior Management

Less politics, I can think for myself. Also work on streamline policies, because the promotion process makes no sense at all.

Pros

Pay and Benefits are great.

Cons

Miserable job. Cons too numerous to list. There is absolutely zero leadership from the top. They need to start by firing Stephenson and work their way down. The company ran much better with Whitacre.

Advice to Senior Management

They are clueless. I don't know what to say to solve the multiple problems this company has. I'm surprised they are still in business.