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Keep looking over your shoulder

Software Engineer
Former Employee
Worked at AT&T for 20 years
February 11, 2020
Bothell, Washington
2.0
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDoesn't Approve of CEO
Pros

Flexible work environment and schedules, including generous telecommuting and flexible hours. Some offices have fitness centers and showers, which made commuting by bike practical. Pretty good discounts on wireless services, TV (DirecTV or AT&T TV Now, or U-Verse), and Internet (if you're in an area where AT&T provides service). 401k match. Decent, but not great, medical benefits with HSA. Tuition reimbursement.

Cons

AT&T is a bit like the Titanic. Its technology stack is aging, and it's very slowly turning toward modern technologies.

Also, just like the Titanic after it hit the iceberg, AT&T is a slowly sinking ship.

Layoffs are a constant way of life and have been for over a decade. Most recently, they've been laying off in a very shady way – laying you off but forcing you to accept a contract position with an external vendor who will then lay you off in a year. This allows AT&T to effectively lay off staff without paying expensive severance packages.

Advice to Management

AT&T is not moving in a good direction. Randall has been making poor decisions for quite some time, between the failed T-Mobile acquisition and the expensive DirecTV acquisition. Had I cost the company 1% of the losses incurred by these deals, I would have been fired immediately.

Investors and staff have no confidence in the executive leadership team. Reboot the company with a new leadership team (bring back Ralph de la Vega!) and stop hemorrhaging money and talent. Most of all, you have some very smart people working for you. Make them feel valued instead of as the "necessary inconvenience" message you've been sending. Stop laying off en masse, and the company might just have a future.

At the very least, get rid of Randall already and bring someone in fresh with a vision for the company. Otherwise, personally, I don't expect to see AT&T around (at least not in its current state) ten years from now.

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