Level 3 Communications Reviews in Denver, CO Area

Pros

They paid more or less industry standard, benefits are decent, still a small 401k match, better than ditch digging in the rain when you get down to it. There are worse things than a steady paying job these days.

Cons

Political doesn't begin to describe it. It's all who you know, and who they know, that counts. Every company has ass-kissing to a degree but at Level 3 it's a high art form. In 20 years I have never been at a place quite like it - it's every Dilbert nightmare brought to life. That, and you can be laid off at the drop of a hat (but don't worry, they'll probably hire you back at some point, whenever the quarterly numbers look worse than usual the first reaction at this place is to shed payroll, regardless of performance).

Be prepared to work in an environment where teams and departments are constantly at war with one another, paranoia runs rampant, and any given day you could walk in the door and find your job eliminated. Good luck!

Advice to Senior Management

My advice to management is....I have no advice. The culture there is so poisoned, so ingraned, that I can't possibly see how it could be changed. The best thing that could happen to Level 3 is for it to finally go bankrupt and it's valuable assets divided up among better companies so they can be put to good use. It does have a world-class fiber network, after all - they took on stupid levels of debt to build it, but it's out there. Someone will want it.

Pros

You have the opportunity to work with some talented people
Compensation is good, but bonus structure seemed arbitrary
nice offices
good benefits

Cons

The most political place I've ever worked
Very much the old boys network
performance is judged by how much your bosses like you and not what you actually accomplish
Can be a grueling work environment
Everyone is at least a director

Advice to Senior Management

Time to shake things up at the highest levels in the company. Some guys seem to have been there since the beginning...new blood required

Pros

Health Benefits were good, Offices were fairly Nice, Broomfield Campus has Breakfast & Lunch available but kinda pricey. Campus is appealing in appearance, Location is good.

Cons

As a Manager with 15 years experience my 2 years at Level 3 were by far the worst of my career. As a Manager I was forced to give 20% of my team BAD Performance reviews when I felt that they were all performing at or above expectations. Also as an employee you cannot disagree with your Performance Review and engaging HR was a trigger to get fired or Lay-ed Off. The Performance Review Process has been this way for years now and every department in my group was forced to punish good workers. I have personally experienced teams taking turn as to who needed to have the bad review this time. The whole process breeds a lack of moral and miserable work environment. The politics at L3 were much like high school. My VP just didn't like some of the staff and would slam them without prior notice on Performance Reviews. The ones he did "Like" were often promoted into jobs that they could not technically support or perform from my experience. I was also very disappointed with the overall skill set of the Technical Support Members with the exception of the Networking Team. Poor decisions are made weekly and not in the best interest of the company. On a last word, I was RIF'ed and my position was back-filled just months after I left. Not sure how L3 can legally do this, but has for years.

Advice to Senior Management

L3 Needs to have a big change in Executive Management. Jim needs to step down and someone needs to investigate the performance of Each Business unit as a whole. I.T. is very outdated and money is spent on things not in the best interest of the Company. Limping along old Applications, Systems and processes are costing more to support than the cost of a consolidation or upgrade.
Millions of Dollars have been wasted in my opinion.

Pros

Network engineering seemed at least competent. Fiber network is an asset. Salary was OK; not great, and not "market leading," but OK.

Cons

Management, MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT!! Have less of a clue about leadership than anywhere else I've worked.

Layers of management seem to be isolated from each other. No downwards, or upwards, communications -- sad given that word, the C word, is in the company name!

Internal infighting is simply UNBELIEVABLE -- each group seems to think if they win, then that is what matters -- have ZERO clue if all you do is fight each other, then EVERYBODY looses, and the competition wins!

Performance management system based on forced distribution -- certain percentage of employees have to be ranked as bad performers. Utterly demotivating!

Level 3 think Content is about carrying HD video broadcasts. They think they compete against Akamai, but are completely clueless about any of what makes Akamai successful.

In general don't seem to have a friggin clue what business they are in. WAY too much telecom mentality, but they are not a carrier!

Imagine the Titanic with one end out of the water, at about a 15 degree angle --- you know what comes next!

Advice to Senior Management

Sell the fiber network to somebody, and fold up the tent entirely! The current upper management is incapable; they ought to retire and be done with it.

Pros

Hey, it's a job. Can't argue with getting paid. Broomfield location is nice, with a nice exercise facility and food service

Cons

There is a tremendous sink or swim environment. It's hard to get information, documentation about what you are working on. Lack of leadership, direction, and process.

Advice to Senior Management

Some in-house training would be good. A more formalized work process with clear understanding of goals and steps to take to get there would make employees feel more part of a team rather than a free-for-all

Pros

Opportunities to take on responsibilities and tasks quickly

Cons

Totaly disrepectful, abusive management style - extreme workaholic culture combined with extreme reactions from management for the slightest mistake or anything not going as planned. Responsibilities are given without adequate training or support. I'd say the company treats its employees like garbage, but garbage would be a step up.

Advice to Senior Management

Resign

Pros

Great people, great technologies, cutting edge

Cons

No respect for individuals free-time or outside commitments. Continuously laying people off which doesn't make for a good environment. If Level 3 ever turns the corner, it could be a great place to work (potentially).

Many executives are very short-sighted and lack the ability to think and plan strategically, resulting in changes in direction ever months

Advice to Senior Management

Plan better--more strategically and further out. Value the people that work for the company

Pros

pay is good
exposure to technology is good

Cons

no certainty of a job based on either personal or company performance. Its a meat grinder environment where people can get burned out then cut loose.

Advice to Senior Management

The next time you think you should start another company, ask yourself if lightning ever strikes twice in the same place.

Pros

Above grade pay. Good benefits. Great location.

Cons

Top heavy with mountains of upwardly mobile manager/vp wannabe's. Lots of management with too few architects and engineers. Now outsourcing to india. This leading to eroding technical competency.

Many vertical fiefdoms have arisen, leading to pillars of incompetence with no where to turn for problem resolution. In some cases teams were taken en mass from acquired companies.

Technical criticism, regardless of merit, leads to employee's not being 'team players' , and thus fodder for the next round of layoffs.

Advice to Senior Management

Less project managers and Directors, VP's, more end to end architects who understand the products and technical challenges the company faces. Your powerpoint presentation isn't getting work done.

Pros

Location and campus, benefits were pretty good and opportunities for training.

Cons

Very political, incompetent managers promoting and protecting themselves while laying off the good hard workers if they don't kiss up to them.

Advice to Senior Management

Complete overhaul from the top.