Southern Company Reviews

Current Employee – been working at Southern Company as a contractor for more than 3 years

Pros – Salary, Coworkers, semi- flexible schedule

Cons – Too many people want to be in charge

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Southern Company

Pros – Very strong culture where if you fit in, you can do well.

Cons – They really, really favor engineers and those are the only ones who will move up in the company. Benefits are good, compensation is just average or below.

Advice to Senior Management – Improve the salary structure. Open up new channels for employees who don't have an engineering degree.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Southern Company full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Professional Enviroment, Fair treatment, Fair Compnesation

Cons – No career path for techinical people. You will sit watch as degreed folks ride the 'career rail' following a predestined path while others drift aimlessly.

Advice to Senior Management – You don't have to give techinical folks management positions, just do not cap their income potential.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Southern Company

Pros – The benefits are great and you get a pension. The pay is ok and the bonus comes in at around 17% yearly. It is a stable company and generally unaffected by fluctuations in the market (no layoffs)

Cons – Southern is great for the long haul IF you have no drive and are ok with losing your skill set to overpaid contractors. There is no career path for technical people. You will get stuck in their level 3-6 matrix. Make sure you come in the door at AT LEAST a level 5 because you will be there for 10+ years. Sr. Management in IT is incompetent and non-technical. This problem is rampant. It takes decades to get promoted (when someone dies or retires after 45 years)

The interview process for internal moves is a joke - they already know who they want to hire, but go through the motions to stay legal. You won't work hard or long hours. It's just not for everybody.

Advice to Senior Management – IT needs to be gutted and totally restructured.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Southern Company

Pros – Pay was good. Could wear blue jeans every day.

Cons – There is NO engineering work to do at the nuclear plants. I was given 100% administrative responsibility that did not require any kind of technical knowledge. They did not listen at all to what group the co-op would like to work in the following term. The majority of the people in engineering support are working there because they couldn't cut it at a real engineering firm.

Current Employee – been working at Southern Company

Pros – Great benefits, average salary made up some with bonus potential. Solid and stable company.

Cons – Lack of career opportunities. Being a utility pay seems not reward those who excel in their job as the focus is around mid-point of job grade. Long-term employees makes it difficult to have other opportunities. Focus too much on developing managers and no career for non-managers.

Advice to Senior Management – Provide growth opportunities for non-managers. Salaries for people who excel top out too quickly. Once top performers go past mid-point you are not rewarded in salary increases.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Southern Company

Pros – Great Pay
Multiple opportunities to move from generation to transmission or plant to corporate
You can learn about the utility business
People rarely get fired

Cons – Confined to the Southeast
Great place to work... if you enjoy working with your family
It's really hard to fit in when you're not from the south

Advice to Senior Management – When you ask people what they want to do, listen to them and try to make that work for them.
Challenge all employees

Current Employee – been working at Southern Company

Pros – Safe, fair, no unnecessary stress in a stressful job.

Cons – You work hard, but it is worth it and rewarding.

Advice to Senior Management – Find hardworking leadership talent early and put them on a fast track for their efforts.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Southern Company

Pros – Great benefits, stable employer, and competitive money.

Cons – A bit too aristocratic, very exclusive club as you climb the ladder.

Advice to Senior Management – Awesome that management is starting to value youth and diversity.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Southern Company

Pros – Quality of people
Good Benefits
Great bonuses

Cons – Living in Augusta GA
Commute to the plant is long

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend