I don't know a single person who quit or even got laid off who said they wanted to come back. It’s always the opposite. They’re happier, more full of life, and can’t stop raving about their new jobs. That’s why I never feel bad for the ones who get laid off. It’s the rest of us still stuck here who are sc--wed.
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I left early last year after dealing with horrible leadership and trying to hit goals that couldn't be met. After leaving it was the most stress free time in my life. A friend reached out in November and asked if I'd be interested in a vacancy their boss was looking to fill. After much debate, and salary negotiations, I decided to come back. I can tell you in a years time, nothing has changed. It was one of the worst decisions I've made. I'm currently deciding what my best exit strategy should be. Some bridges are meant to be burned.
“I should have started researching and applying the second I found out in May 2023 and not waiting trying to get my severance and hoped maybe they'd change their minds.”
I have also realized this.
“Count me as one of those folks!”
Happy but still coming back here? I don’t believe you.
Believe it… It’s sad/fascinating to see the clusterf**k occurring around T. I had a full career from SWBT to AT&T. Had them pay for MBA, took additional professional certification courses and stayed connected within the industry. Took about 10 months post-T, but landed on solid ground. Stay still and grow moss. Keep moving and stay fresh. T didn’t care about growth and development. They never really have. New company embraced it. 14 months in, no mention of RTO, layoffs, or any other shenanigans.
Smaller span of control here and amazing leadership. Imagine getting on a call and having your ELT say, “We have millions of dollars worth of salary on this call. We have the talent, trust and knowledge to make a decision in the next :30 minutes and move forward.” Would you ever hear that at T?? Nope! There will be no decisions made below 4th or 5th lines regarding the business. Just get on board and tow the line.
You control your destiny. Take advantage of what T does offer. Get additional education and certifications on their dime. T has nothing left to offer other than vacation days. So what… I went from 28 days vacation to 18 days. Also get to carry over up to 10 days. Benefits are less expensive with MUCH lower deductibles. Salary was a 20% bump as well. Don’t care if you believe me or not. My work life couldn’t be any better.
You can do it… You only have yourself to blame for not getting out there and disconnecting yourself from that T umbilical cord.
I left and had an offer in 37 days could have had even faster if I wanted. AT&T destroys people’s imitative as they depend of T for a job. It’s like a bad marriage that will always be there but just su-ks. Leave. Don’t hesitate don’t delay. Just leave.
Appreciate all of the detail and honest feedback on your struggles finding a good job post T. Indeed, even aside from Telecommunications it seems though the unemployment rate is pretty good/ stable... the hiring "pace" has slowed way down, and it is taking people out of work and actively seeking new full time work significantly longer to find that job.
Your post leaves me wondering about your network of contacts outside of AT&T though. Do you have a strong network? Those are the people that are going to help you land that job. Have you kept in touch with a lot of the people that you worked for/ with over that long career at T? What are they doing now? I make it a point to stay in contact with these people.
I know you're having a tough time, and this forum is a place where all of the defeatists will tell us we'll never work anywhere else again, we have nothing to offer, etc.
But the reality is that over the last couple decades, including the more recent past of 2- 3 years that I know MANY that have gone on to great success elsewhere. I actually don't know of anyone that wanted to continue working that wasn't able to find something eventually, and I don't know of one single person that left over the last 10 years or so that isn't happier elsewhere.
I am hoping for you that the job market heats up and that you land somewhere that you're happy. Keep at it.
“ Ageism is a real thing even though I'm not quite 50.
Being a middle aged white man is a hinderance in today's society”
Spot on.
Not here. I'm 9 months out and still can't find a job. Unemployment ran out and I'm working at a bowling alley now just to make what I was making on unemployment. The only saving grace was the severance, which we used to pay off every bill we had but the mortgage (which is almost done anyway) so outgoing bills are very low. I did have a sizable pension after 23 years and a lot in my 401k which we pulled out of T and put with a financial advisor but we are not desperate enough to touch any of that yet.
I'm not even going to go into what all I've tried and have been doing during the job hunt but these are some key things I've learned that will maybe help others about to go through this process.
- Ageism is a real thing even though I'm not quite 50.
- Being a middle aged white man is a hinderance in today's society
- T has a bad reputation
- Being loyal has hurt me professionally
- What I learned in college and on the job in the last 25 years is VERY different than what kids now are coming out of college with. They have a much broader skillset than I do.
- At least half if not more of the jobs posted online are not even real. You have to really dig in and research them which is very time consuming.
- Recruiters are a joke and are not helpful other than getting your hopes up on a continual basis until you realize what their M.O. is.
- I shouldn't have been so naive thinking "maybe they'll keep me" or "something will change" in the 12 months between being told this was happening and it actually happening. I should have started researching and applying the second I found out in May 2023 and not waiting trying to get my severance and hoped maybe they'd change their minds. I was so stupid but I'm an optimistic person who believes the best in people and that was my downfall.
- Keep a detailed spreadsheet of jobs you apply for, any key details, notes etc...and log what the result is.
- Don't be like me and just sit back and work blindly for a company for 23 years without keeping up on what is going on in your field outside of your company. Keep adding new skills and apply for other jobs just because so you can keep your foot in the door.
This has been a real hard lesson to me and my family. We've had to make some real sacrifices this year and there is no end in site. I'm giving myself a year until May and then I'm going to making some hard decisions on whether I want to stay in this field which is going to require me to go back for more schooling or do I want to try something else which also may or may not require more schooling. Which no one wants to be going back to school at almost 50 years old but I have another 10 years to work to stick with our original retirement plan. Or do I want to permanently join the ranks of those living paycheck to paycheck and not being able to afford vacations which we are doing now and also did do for the first so many years of our marriage.
So, yeah I am not happier and a whole lot more stressed out. I never hated my job at T at all though, in fact I enjoyed it for the most part and the people I worked with. I had also been working from home since probably around 2012 so I did have a really good gig. But the choices I have made over the years have definitely had a profound impact on my marketability at this stage in my life which I am now paying for. If you are miserable at T then definitely explore other options. If you aren't miserable and are holding on for the pay or the severance or for a pension then stay at T but don't do it blindly like I did. Do some research on what you need to be marketable elsewhere and get yourself ready because you obviously know the rug could be pulled out at any time. Also, if you are young - think big picture and make smart financial choices.
Best of luck to everyone, it's rough out here.
I retired at 50 and I am glad I did.
Knowing what I do now.
I should have gone to work for a company that appreciated my talents.
"Welcome to WalMart!"
Again, with this guy.
You know their management pay and benefits are superior, right?
It is not worth it to stay here and be miserable. There is only one life to live. Don’t waste your time here.
“If they would put the medical bridge back in place I would leave now.”
Nope.
"It’s the rest of us still stuck here who are sc--wed."
ummm, you're not stuck here,you can leave any time
I will say that I have set an age of 59.5 to retire, or the next severance opportunity, whichever comes first. It is hard to stay focused knowing that I am leaving this sh-t+y company. If they would put the medical bridge back in place I would leave now.
“Count me as one of those folks!”
Happy but still coming back here? I don’t believe you.
Very happy that I bring my enthusiasm and vigor to my current job, "Welcome to WalMart!" The customers appreciate it.
“I know a lot that retired too soon and ended up broke.”
Sure you do John! What a fckboy you are.
I know a lot that retired too soon and ended up broke.
Count me as one of those folks!