Cisco was a great company but that changed many years ago (some say 2010 - the precise year does not matter).
Those who joined before 2010 had at least 16 years to look for something better. Why not? Why complain for more than 16 years?
Those who joined after 2010 should have known that Cisco is not a good company to work for (I give the benefit of doubt to those who joined right after 2010). Why did you join and complain?
wtf eye Wok 2 hr in the day not can do that hat orher henployer. Eye luvs the ciscos
@bh you are just the type slotted for August.
I stay because I love working with all the winners who are on this board. Some of the best and brightest in our industry.
43 days off a year, plus weekends, unlimited PTO, holidays and "working" from costco (er from home - which let's be honest is mostly emails and let's meet for no real reason) so you basically don't work at all - approx 138 days in an actual office - assuming you don't "coffee badge" - for a completely absurdly unjustifiable amount of $ = company debt.
Social engagement? Get a real job.
What’s keeping me from leaving Cisco right now are the opportunities to get involved in social causes. I don’t know of any other company that offers 10 paid days off (Time2Give) for social engagement. I find the Benevity portal and Cisco’s matching policy very helpful for raising donations.
In addition to our regular annual leave (which is 30 days in my country), we also get one Day4Me per quarter plus a birthday off.
Out of curiosity, I’ve already conducted a few interviews and haven’t found any company that can offer a comparable package.
@ek still hiring the best in the industry.
I was in meraki
We got acquired
Since the merge last year I can't believe
What about us poor saps who worked for a great company that got acquired by Cisco?
I had a bad feeling the first day at Cisco. The person who greeted me in the lobby and guided me to the orientation room seemed very unhappy. It was like you walked into a house where you knew something was wrong.
I have a marketing diploma, got hired as an EA in 2012 because my family knew someone, and before that my only work experience was at an outdoor wilderness store.
I was promoted to be a PM though. Making 162k
I look at roles at other tech companies asking for CS degrees, actual engineering degrees, years of coding experience and years of technical work, I'm not exactly sure how my background lines up with those requirements.
I could have easily sued Cisco, but I didn't want to sour my 18 year memory. It's up to anyone individually how we handle inevitable disruption. Jobs seems to have a 4 year halftime these days.
I joined back in 2020 and got laid off within a year because they merged departments and duplicated roles. Honestly, I couldn’t have been happier. In less than a year, I could already tell the whole thing was just smoke and mirrors. The only reason Cisco survives is because switching to a competitor is expensive.
I joined in 2000, and was LR'd at the 17 year mark. Started in old TAC, the days of Beer and Cookies. The best job ever. Along the way, the culture definitely changed. When originally hired, you would post your questions on complex issues to an alias, and if you did not work through the recommendations of the technical expert; expect to be openly and mercilessly flamed. It was an incredibly customer and technical focused culture, but not for everyone.
Things changed, after a few years, so went to more of a business team. Still great times. Can 100% say so much of your time at Cisco depends on your Director and VP chain. Get under the wrong Director and VP, good luck.
Left at the 17 year mark. Miss the Cisco from the 2000s. Went back for a few contractor stints after leaving, but left them each after the quarter renewal; could not deal with how much things have changed (this was around the 2020 and 2022 mark).
What I find is the folks I worked with back in the 2000s, especially in TAC; would mostly in no way shape or form be at first tolerated at today's Cisco, due to their mindset of pushing to work through technical issues; and worrying about how people interpret their demeanor.
The tech world has changed, and permanently changed. Glad I was part of the crazy 1990s and 2000s. Some insane characters. Those days are long gone. Most of those insane characters, well we're mostly retired; and mostly multi-millionaires. Right place, right time.
Paid for two kids college, two beach houses, no debt and the stock still climbing. I'm staying.
OP, where should people be working? Cisco is no different than any other tech company. Tech workers have had a great ride. Compensation, benefits, and perks have been declining since the 2010 time frame you mentioned. It is never going back to what it was. People are always going to complain.
I do the needful to get paid
I barely work and make $300k a year. Like wouldnt anyone? I'm not even technical and have no degree. It's true.
I sell. Basically lie. Say the right buzzwords or jargon. Once you learn that nobody cares other than who can exchange these words the most - no joke all of my work is based on the back and forth of this - you have so much time. I am not in the office and if I am its performative like the rest of it
It pays the bills without having to work like a maniac.
What complaints?
I originally joined in 1995 when there were fewer than 5,000 employees worldwide. The late 90s were very exciting at Cisco.