Hello from the other side :-)

I was once a Cisco employee who carried out quite a few redundancies. Eventually, I left because of this cold, uncaring approach to loyal employees.

The process of reading a script to a loyal employee is incredibly degrading for both parties. Maybe some of the senior management should sit in on all of these conversations…

One of the things I found particularly distasteful as a people manager was the fact that I knew about the people in my team and other teams that I was to let go months in advance. However, I had to lie to them through my teeth when they were asking me if they were going to be affected.

The good news is most of the smart people leave Cisco! Also, you will find being away from the: constant worrying about stack ranking/review scores, job grades and changing leadership every five seconds is very refreshing.

Personally, I found the environment at Cisco destructive and corrosive. Being away from it has allowed me to be once again happy albeit working for Cisco damaged me.

If you are unlucky enough to be affected:

Firstly, accept your fate. Don’t listen to the find another job in Cisco line. All of the requisitions are usually cancelled. Hit the road immediately and start prospecting for a new job outside of Cisco.

Negotiate your package don’t just accept the first offer

Take legal advice before signing any waiver. Fight for your rights.

Drag the process out as long as you can

In the end yes, it might seem like it is raining now but the sun will come out again very soon. This is just a bump in the road.

Of all the companies I have worked for Cisco was the worst. There aren’t many people who are sincerely saying they love working for this company…

Comment! It's anonymous!

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I got hit in the last RIF in 2012 and found a new job in three months before my cash payouts ran out. I got a 25% raise and moved from a CNE back to an FSE for a privately held tech leader. No more quintile management bullshit and having my performance degraded so the group manager can reward his cronies.

There is life after Cisco. Except middle managers and VPs. You sad excuses are screwed. Nobody wants to hire ex-Cisco managers because their attitude toward line employees is toxic. Good luck.

What types of things can you negotiate before signing the waiver? What do people have most success with? Thank you for the heads up!

You don't negotiate a package when you're being let go. You either sign the agreement and get an extra month of severance, or you don't sign it and get a month less.

"Negotiate your package don’t just accept the first offer" they will ask you to sign a waiver. Don't sign the waiver until you have negotiated.

"Negotiate your package don’t just accept the first offer" -- didn't know that was an option!

What are they going to do if you don't come to terms? Keep you?

I worked for this POS for over a decade. It was nothing but constant pain to see the layoffs every year. My foot about not having the skills in a Software Defined world and them letting people go. They are letting go of people who have been there long time. The management in cisco is clueless top to bottom. When my entire

team was cut a couple years ago, a big part of me wanted to get out, but the fact that I had spent a decade made me still scramble to look inside. In the end, I found a better opportunity outside that paid way more than what Cisco did. I realized that I was rotting over the years at Cisco. My humble request to you all is to forget about the comfort factor and start looking outside. You cannot live your life out of fear and on shaky ground for the sake of your families and your mental peace. Get out and get a good stable life. Not all companies do this sort of layoff without impunity every year.

Btw, the outplacement service that they offer when you are laid off is useless as well. Don't count on getting another job through their connections. You will need to reconnect with your contacts on linkedIn and start asking to meet people to discuss about the firms they work in without really asking for a job, so you know where and how to land. The more the people that know you are looking, the word will get out and someone will help you.

To those taking new jobs at cisco, ask for way way more salary and stock(worthless dead wood). If they don't budge, walk away or better yet run.

#wearecisco #neverbetter #family

Great advice. Did you negotiate a package? How did you go about it?

Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

Hello from the other side :-)

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