AT&T is an industry-leading telecommunications company, bringing in the highest annual revenue.
As of 2021, the company employed 203,000 people worldwide.
Moreover, AT&T provides competitive salaries and a full range of relevant benefits and actively supports diversity and inclusion.
Roles include call center positions in Credit and Collections, Customer Service, Customer Retention, Sales, and Technology Support.
Corporate jobs include marketing and finance.
Government support positions include FirstNet, Government Sales, Top Secret Clearance with Polygraph, Top Secret Clearance, Secret Clearance, and No Clearance Required.
Table of Contents
Pros of Working for AT&T
1. Inclusive Culture
From the get-go, AT&T makes it clear that they include everyone.
For example, their career pages show people from every walk of life.
As a result, applicants will see themselves represented at every step of the employment process.
In addition, their “Bring Your (Whole) Self” slogan demonstrates that prospective employees can feel comfortable expressing their authentic selves.
Finally, the training addresses the importance of acknowledging unconscious bias’s toxic effects and eliminating microaggressions.
2. Competitive Salaries
Fifty-four percent of employees at AT&T cite the compensation and benefits they receive as the reason they stay with the company.
Although entry-level salaries can begin as low as $24,000 per year for an entry-level sales consultant, the median for experienced sales staff is $39,217.
The two highest-paying roles include engineering, which pays $100,441 annually, on average, and marketing, where workers earn $87,972.
If you aspire to the C-Suite, you might find the compensation received by AT&T CEO John Stankey interesting.
Receiving $24,820,879, including bonuses and stock options, is pretty generous.
However, past CEO compensation dwarfs that amount when stock options come into play.
In comparison, Hans Vestberg, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer at Verizon Communications Inc., earns $18,095,400.
Mike Sievert, the President and CEO of T-Mobile US Inc., garnered $22,610,659, with bonuses and stock options.
Consequently, shooting for the top slot at AT&T requires the most extensive knowledge, business acumen, and experience.
3. Dallas, Texas
If you love big cities, working at the international headquarters in Dallas has numerous advantages.
As of March 2022, 5900 employees worked at the Dallas HQ.
However, as the ninth-largest US city and Texas’ third-largest municipality, Dallas is also the largest inland city without access to a navigable waterway to the sea.
Ordinarily, Dallas averages 1.3 snow days and one inch of snowfall per year, with typical winter temperatures 37F to 56F and summer temps between 77F and 96F.
The city hosts the Dallas Cowboys (NFL), Arlington Renegades (XFL), Dallas Jackals (rugby), and FC Dallas (MLS). In addition, the Dallas Mavericks (NBA) and the Dallas Wings (WNBA) call Dallas home.
The Texas Rangers (MLB) and the Dallas Stars (NHL) round out the area’s sports scene.
NASCAR and Indy racing, and horse racing satisfy the need for speed.
In addition, the Dallas area features over 200 golf courses for those who love calmer pursuits.
Culture lovers can attend the Dallas Black Dance Theatre performances, the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico, the Dallas Opera, Texas Ballet Theater, and the Dallas Theater Center.
Symphony lovers will adore attending the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony.
In addition, families can visit the Dallas World Aquarium, Dallas Zoo, or the Arboretum and Botanical Garden.
The 106-acre Dallas Zoo, founded in 1888, is the oldest and most sizable in the US.
This 35-year accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) houses over 2,000 animals from more than 400 species.
4. Generous Benefits
As of 2021, AT&T employees qualify for a 50% discount on connected car plans, Internet of Things, wireless home, phone, and some accessories (not including Apple-brand or Beats products.
In addition, employees receive 20 to 30 days of paid time off (PTO) each year.
When asked to rank their benefits, PTO comes second only to AT&T’s employee healthcare plans.
AT&T also provides a fully employer-funded pension plan plus a 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contributions.
Employees may also apply for reimbursement of adoption costs and tuition at qualified work-related programs.
5. Technology Development Program
This 24-to-36-month, the full-time position provides college students with work experience as a software or network engineer, data analyst, or technical business manager.
The annual salary for an entry-level, US-based TDP Data Analyst is $76,205 per year.
However, AT&T pays $101,945, providing an extremely healthy wage for a new hire.
6. B2B Sales Development Program
Students can choose an eight-week internship or a five to seven-month post-graduation position.
As a new hire, a Client Solutions Executive One will earn $98,885 annually.
Entry-level Sales Executives also qualify for the program.
7. Finance Leadership Development Program
AT&T fosters leaders who wish to become Controllers, Corporate Financial Planners, Tax Advisers, Treasury Agents, Investor Relations Specialists, and Forecasters during this two-year program.
Participants will attend two 12-month rotations at corporate headquarters in Dallas.
During these rotations, students receive intense mentoring.
8. EDGE Internship
The EDGE Internship program is designed to provide 10-week, paid summer work experience in Media and Communications, Business, Finance, Technology, and Sales.
Participants who complete the program get hired directly into management positions.
Interns also work in their communities, building ties with local businesses, community members, and AT&T staff mentors.
Pay equals approximately $19.13 to $28.65 per hour.
Cons of Working for AT&T
1. Low Morale
As of summer 2021, 73 percent of employees considered AT&T a great workplace.
In contrast, 57 percent of similar US companies find their workplaces satisfying.
Although better than average, telecommunications companies such as Cisco far outstrip AT&T in employee satisfaction ratings, coming in at 96 percent.
2. Remote Work
According to 20,318 respondents at Indeed.com, only 56 percent of AT&T staff were permitted to work from home.
Of those, 90 percent did not receive any reimbursement for associated costs, and 49 percent of those who did receive any funds felt the amount was insufficient.
Forty-five percent did not have the necessary equipment and resources to perform tasks effectively while working remotely, and 60 percent did not feel fully supported.
3. Hiring Standards
Although entry-level retail positions only require a high school diploma and attaining the age of 18, most roles require post-secondary degrees and several years of industry experience.
For example, a senior systems engineer must have a degree in computer science and at least five years of experience.
Getting into one of the internship or development programs at AT&T while still in college helps immensely, but these programs are highly competitive, so apply as early as possible.
4. Stress
Thanks to layoffs and a micromanaging leadership style, rank-and-file workers find themselves saddled with the duties of their former coworkers.
Consequently, high performers work even harder without an accompanying increase in compensation.
Employee wellness programs and discounted gym memberships only stave off so much stress.
The company’s dedication to layoffs as a cost-control strategy may eventually bite them.
5. Unrealistic Sales Metrics
Many workers cited the constant pressure to sell customers unwanted or unnecessary equipment and plans.
One example cited the lack of differentiation between expected sales goals for summer and the rest of the year.
In addition, commission-based compensation plans sometimes result in excessive pressure from management to work against customers’ best interests.
6. Cold Calling
Although few salespeople ever claim to love cold calling, several reviews cited it as a drawback of working for AT&T.
Prospective employees should avail themselves of every training opportunity possible.
In particular, study how to overcome typical objections and learn techniques for establishing rapport and gaining trust before applying for call center positions.
7. Bureaucracy
Although any company of its size will have this issue, multiple reviews cited this problem.
For example, many stated that they had difficulty reaching the Human Resources Department when workplace challenges arose.
In addition, the need to navigate the corporate structure when accessing benefits, requesting paid time off, or accessing family leave resulted in an inability to use these perks.
15 Pros and Cons of Working for AT&T – Summary Table
| Pros of Working for AT&T | Cons of Working for AT&T |
|---|---|
| 1. Inclusive Culture | 1. Low Morale |
| 2. Competitive Salaries | 2. Remote Work |
| 3. Dallas, Texas | 3. Hiring Standards |
| 4. Generous Benefits | 4. Stress |
| 5. Technology Development Program | 5. Unrealistic Sales Metrics |
| 6. B2B Sales Development Program | 6. Cold Calling |
| 7. Finance Leadership Development Program | 7. Bureaucracy |
| 8. EDGE Internship |
Should You Work for AT&T?
Overall, the advantages of working for AT&T outweigh the drawbacks.
The “Bring Your (Whole) Self” slogan demonstrates that prospective employees can feel comfortable expressing their authentic selves.
In addition, the training addresses the need to eliminate microaggressions and acknowledge the toxic effects of unconscious bias.
Moreover, fifty-four percent of employees at AT&T stay with the company due to the compensation and benefits they receive.
The worldwide headquarters is located in Dallas, Texas, where typical winter temperatures run 37F to 56F and summer temps reach 77F to 96F.
In addition, the city hosts the Dallas Cowboys (NFL), Arlington Renegades (XFL), Dallas Jackals (rugby), and FC Dallas (MLS). The Dallas Mavericks (NBA) and the Dallas Wings (WNBA) also call Dallas home.
Finally, the Texas Rangers (MLB) and the Dallas Stars (NHL) round out the professional sports scene.
Cultural events include the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico, the Dallas Opera, Texas Ballet Theater, the Dallas Theater Center, and the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony.
Finally, with four development programs, prospective employees have numerous paths to acquiring the necessary work experience to qualify for management positions.
These experiences include the 24-to-36-month, full-time paid Technology Development Program, the eight-week internship or five to seven-month post-graduation B2B Sales Development Program, the two-year Finance Leadership Development Program, and the 10-week EDGE Internship, which provides paid experience in Media and Communications, Business, Finance, Technology, and Sales.
