Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

RIP

AT&T workers have a low learning curve ? vs. high learning curve? I say yes, Because no one is a job hoppers, i do not know anyone that have changed jobs in the past 5 years, in reality someone that is constantly placed outside of their comfort zones, get bette, they have to learn fast, make great impressions, and improve the bottom line, all within a couple of years before moving on to their next conquest. As a result, they’re usually overachievers and learn a lot in a short span of time.

"In terms of managing your own career, if you don’t change jobs every three years, you don’t develop the skills of getting a job quickly, so then you don’t have any career stability," Trunk tells Fast Company. "You’re just completely dependent on the place that you work and that is a bad thing, if you work for AT&T

I read a lot of research about what makes a good employee . . . and people used to think that the longer you kept an employee, the more worth they are to you, because you train them and they get used to their job and then they do it. But, in fact, an employee who stays on the job and isn’t learning at a really high rate is not as engaged, so they’re not doing as good work. So it turns out, the employee who stays longest, you get the least work out of, and the employees that job hunt are the most receptive of becoming extremely useful, very fast.

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| 1801 views | | 12 replies (last December 2, 2016) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+KB3F07J

12 replies (most recent on top)

Changing jobs is not easy. What usually happens is management reorgs and you get a new supervisor. Instead of job hopping, what is important is getting on a good project. Also with constant layoffs, job hopping can be risky, it makes no sense to job hop and have the organization surplussed. I used to job hop to many systems, but in the end it didn't matter, I still got surplussed.

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Post ID: @3nvj+KB3F07J

Most people work because they have to, not many people would put up with this work environment because they enjoy it.

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Post ID: @2tsy+KB3F07J

There are some mean spirited comments on this site and it says a lot about their character-awful! Folks with a lot of service donor have to explain or justify why we are still in the workforce. We work because we want to.

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Post ID: @2wdu+KB3F07J

Time to leave this toxic culture

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Post ID: @1gdj+KB3F07J

People. Always .ca choose where they want to work

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Post ID: @1jnw+KB3F07J

A lot of educated, smart and key contributing employees were held back by upper management so movement was restricted even when employees wanted change.

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Post ID: @1gqs+KB3F07J

I have to speak up on the more exp. worker that's been there a long time. I can do things or trouble shoot the issues so much faster than a newer less exp. worker! It's not even close!....skill and work exp. still count for something! And I do still try to learn new things every day! Plus at the T there isn't a job to move to every 3-5 years in the field side....I'm at the top most paying job now. Plus throwing things at you too fast and trying to take in to much in isn't always the best way to learn for everyone! ....I see new workers get overloaded and start spinning their wheels all the time.

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Post ID: @1mdw+KB3F07J

Having worked both for AT&T and other companies, it's sad to think back on how slow and not skilled AT&T employees are. I remember working 60-70 hour weeks regularly and almost all of it was paperwork and procedures. We outsourced all the actual engineering to vendors. Now I do real engineering work again and it is amazing!

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Post ID: @1toh+KB3F07J

I largely agree with your post. But working for AT&T is different. I have had many jobs, and have worked for other fortune 500 companies. AT&T culture is sick. It is management by spreadsheet and intimidation. Threats of discipline for not making your numbers, and they are legion. The words "customer satisfaction" are bandied about with no real meaning behind them. I guaraneffingtee you, customer service is NOT a priority. IT IS NUMBERS, FOOL!! I once stated to my area manager that it is possible to sit all day and make your numbers, and accomplish absolutely NOTHING!! He agreed. Managers manage the minutia, insignificant little procedures, the latest buzzwords or phrases to say to the customer EVERY TIME, whether it is appropriate in the context of the conversation, or not. I plan to save my soul. I am leaving as soon as I make my magic number. Want a real job.

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Post ID: @1ftf+KB3F07J

Fact is the company does not want people to excel at their work, they want to dumb down all the jobs as much as possible so people can be replaced like pegs on a board.

Mediocrity is the goal not excellence.

T blocks creative out-of-the-box thinking, does not provide the tools to do good work and in general makes it almost impossible to be productive.

If there is one word that describes the work environment, at least in IT, it is Paralysis.

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Post ID: @xwr+KB3F07J

QJL is right this makes sense in the right culture. But what about when the broader culture is sick, stymied and ran by a spreadsheet numbers guy who thrives with slick talk and no innovation.

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Post ID: @rvh+KB3F07J

One factor is the lack of real opportunity for advancement. Since pay rate is regional and a new job does not necessarily mean a pay increase, extreme caution is called for.

I agree in general but T is not a dot com environment regardless of the empty slogans they spout. Fear and stress are the real watchwords in our company and that does not encourage risk taking.

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Post ID: @qjl+KB3F07J

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