Vantaggi
Although things have worsened in recent years, Verizon still offers relatively healthy benefits and good compensations compared to many other companies. It paid 100% of my college tuition while I was working there. How great was that! If you have a desire to do well and climb the corporate ladder, there are resources and programs from HR and various departments that can help. E.g. There are talent acquisition programs for new hires; leadership seminars, career development workshops and diversity groups for employees. Some organizations even have a succession planning program to groom potential future leaders. I think Verizon's FiOS fiber deployment has tremendous potential in the marketplace as long as it is executed well.
Svantaggi
As a result of increased market competition, upper management seems to have become less "caring" and more "brutal" in cutting benefits and laying off workers. Every few years, there is a potential for labor unions going on strikes, thus interrupting business and work routines. This affects both management and associates. More and more job functions are being moved to Basking Ridge, NJ. So if you want to advance your career, be prepared to live in an expensive area or commute long hours from nearby areas. Many employees have complained about working long hard hours, feeling burnout and not feeling appreciated or acknowledged as much as they would like. Many IT functions and call centers are off-shore.