Pros
AT&T is a great place to work because of the many departments and different affiliates under the AT&T umbrella. I've worked in engineering, industry relations, state regulatory, rates& tariffs, R&D, and federal regulatory. I've worked in a traditional operating telephone company, at GHQ, at the state capital, at the Labs affiliate and in Washington, DC. The opportunities for career growth are there if you are willing to relocate. The management style probably varies based on your supervisor more than by department or affiliate, although it is true that the operating style and culture in the affiliates is less "Bell-headed" than in the traditional operating telephone companies or GHQ (which is populated primarily with people from operations). I was blessed to have many managers that allowed me the freedom to do my job the way I wanted to do it; I had a few supervisors who were micro-managers, but not many. Also, other than in DC and at GHQ, most departments are casual Friday everyday of the week; some have gone to "jeans-Friday" although I could never bring myself to go quite that far. I would highly recommend AT&T as a great place to work -- the benefits are outstanding. Its not the same company it was thirty years ago, but then, neither is the workforce or the customer base.
Cons
Unlike the old AT&T, Pacific Bell and other affiliates, the mindset of SBC controls with respect to locating downtown, meaning your commute will be long if you live in the suburbs (as most people do). SBC never got on board with corporate gyms or day-care facilities, so don't expect perks like that (although that may change with the relocation of GHQ to Dallas). The formal system for listing internal job openings was a farce, as far as I'm concerned. I was never able to prove it, but I believe most hiring managers know exactly who they want to fill a subordinate opening, and post to the system merely to fill a legal requirement. Only once in my almost 30 years with SWBT / SBC / AT&T did I ever get a job using the official system. Although I submitted on many jobs, I was rejected on almost every one, but only on very rare occasions was I told of the rejection -- otherwise, I was left in limbo to wonder what happened and who finally got the job. AT&T has a great relocation package, if you can get it. My last job change resulted from a downsizing, and AT&T refused to offer me relocation -- I had to sell my house and move my family myself. If you decide to join AT&T, insist on getting their relocation package. The other downside is the constant pressure to meet revenue and expense targets. But I suppose this is a corporate reality everywhere, so perhaps AT&T isn't unique in that regard. My last few years with the company, there was zero budget for training and very little budget for travel (required approval by a VP!).
