I feel pretty devastated when I look back and think about it. I have been here for more than 15 years and now nothing can be fixed. It is my fault that I allowed this company to ruin my career. I’m sure I could have made a much better career at another company. Anyone else feels the same?
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I have been here 25+ years, have made a lot of money. I'll retire very comfortably when the time comes. It stopped being a "fun" place to work a long time ago (probably 15 years or so) but I got over that...though the transition was rough for a couple years. I don't look for anything else from the employer besides that paycheck. ..and they ARE starting to mess with that now with the new bands that I am at the top end of. I did get 1.1% this year, but am sure next year will be 0. Anyway you slice it , I figure to have only a couple years left. It will have been a good ride. They don't owe me anything.
yeah I now how you feel att is waste of ones life.
I think it all comes down to how you define a career success. If you define it as power, position, title, or accomplishment then T was never for you to begin with. On the other hand, if you define success as providing a steady income for your family then T was not bad.
Was in your shoes back in the 90’s there are still similarities between then and now but there were differences. Everyone working at T with five years or more service was vested and entitled to a defined benefit pension and excellent medical with very little out of pocket costs, and the 401K which made deciding to leave more difficult. I knew the layoffs would never cease to end not but I am surprised (not shocked though) to see slashing of the benefits and the pensions over the years to employees and future retirees to compensate for poor decision making.
You’ve been with the company for 15 years and have been paid the entire time?? How has your career been ruined??
Good, you finally figured out T is toxic.
Immediately get off your @ss and get your resume out there and get otta here!
NOW!
I guess if you were looking for a real career you could have put more thought and effort into what you were doing with your life and time. You're probably young enough to be able to move in another direction if you so choose. Me, I was just looking for a job that paid me enough to have a reasonably comfortable existence, pretty pedestrian ambitions I know, but it works for me. My original vocational goal was to be an educator. For various reasons I abandoned that and ended up joining the army and getting a basic background in electronics (Weapons Support Radar Artillery, MOS26B20, lol.) After I finished my enlistment obligation I got a job as a computer systems tech and went to school on nights and weekends to get the BSEET. Eventually got hired at Ameritech working as a telecommunications specialist. I had a good twenty years of great pay and good benefits, no desire to get into management. Went through a couple of surpluses and ended up with the reconstituted AT&T in an extremely undemanding position at lower pay, but still good benefits plus a 401K and pension. Now I am getting what I can out of the soulless corporation until I am ready to "hang up my tools." If my goal was to be rich I would've gone in a different direction (MBA, options trading, whatever.) I got a degree in electronics engineering technology because I thought it would it provide me with the background to get a reliable 20th century job. I have some complaints but no regrets, I don't think things would have been substantially different at any other large tech company.
I feel you, I stayed for stability. Many of the people who started with me saw the writing on the wall years ago and left for better companies. Trying to make a career at T was the worst mistake I made in my career. Best advice I could give anyone just starting here is learn as much as you can and move on.
Did you get paid? Any benefits? Save any money? Develop any skills?