That is, who is currently actively looking for a new job and at what point did you decide to do so?
I’m a little worried about making a mistake, but I definitely decided to go and I already have 2 very solid offers.
My reason for leaving is very personal, but I think that even if it hadn’t happened, I would have left anyway because it became very boring to work at Cisco. Total stagnation. I wonder how many more people will be leaving here soon.
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After being told I would get a promotion or a raise and then for a year being told “next focal cycle”
After I was told next focal cycle, then I was told “it’s not in the budget this cycle”
So I did the minimum amount of work and just looked for another job.
No regrets.
If you even have the thought about leaving, leave.
I "decided" to leave when I received my package in November. Cisco was the best gig I ever had, nothing will ever come close.
It was the perfect storm of a) being underpaid b) being a minimalist c) zero accountability and oversight in my role. I never spent more than five or six hours in the office each day while doing nothing and maxing out 401k, ESPP, HSA, Roth. Always maxed out on PTO yet some days I wouldn't bother showing up to the office at all.
Being a minimalist in the valley is already a cheat code in life. At Cisco it was like sh00ting fish in a barrel.
One more thing.
I doubled my salary, after the Cisco layoff.
So embrace your future and count your blessings and don't feel bad.
Others have been where you are, and it ends better than you expected.
Seemed like a great company to start my career, but the manager would not pay for business classes, while others got tuition reimbursement.
After getting higher salary, out you go, as they find H1B and cheaper labor to replace you.
Go there and when you get laid off, count your blessings. You will certainly find something better.
Regarding "... base salary to be in the 70s as grade 6... "
If you are good TAC performer, yes that is way under the curve.
I hired on in 2000 TAC at $89,000 base.
Irritates me how some people are way under the curve and many others are way way way over the curve.
Times are changing. I left three years ago and highest grossing year was $172,000. I felt I earned that money, but the last few years at that level realized that level of income put a LR target on my back.
Two very good ex-Director and ex-Senior Director family friends. One admitted to brought in $265,000 last time we were heavily drinking at a BBQ a few years back. We called BS but then he pulled up a paystub.
Guess what? We all three were LR'd over the last 36 months. None of us were surprised. RTP.
Another friend years ago, great engineer, left as blue G8, came back as contractor, did a year as contractor, then converted back as a G11. Significant skills so most couldn't pull that off.
Think those big $$ dollar days are over. Or if one is a member of the big $$ dollar club, their time will come if not connected.
On the way out. Feel underpaid and over stressed in the TAC. Promotion that I’m hearing others get is abysmal compared to how we work.
Wanted to take a training somewhat unrelated to my role as I may want to move into new things at Cisco and manger told me “don’t you think you should just stick to technical trainings?” .... guess I could have fought harder and explained my reasoning for wanting to take the business training.
Also an employee shared his salary with me, I shared mine—-was making a very SMALL amount more annually than they were before they got promoted. They apparently went and asked the management what’s up with that since they were hired before me and we were the same grade (understandable I guess) then I get the veiled threats from management when discussing salary is federally protected. Guess they didn’t learn from the recent pay disparity settlement not to mess around with that stuff.
Benefits are good or great 401k match and vest is also great so wondering if there’s better out there but feel there is money wise. Management basically called me an entitled millennial for asking what I need to do for my base salary to be in the 70s as grade 6... lol
Leave while you can unless you are happily cruising or expecting a big layoff package soon that would be worth waiting for
Yeah, I’m working on something at the moment for my own goals (which I cannot outline or it would allow others to figure out my name) and after that, I’m gone. Just stagnating here.
Complete career stagnation. No promos, no career growth, no hope for our products, zero vision for the company outside of social justice from woke nut job "leaders".
If you're not from your managers village, you won't get promoted.
I decided to leave when I could no longer trust the words of management and our products were no longer able to keep up with our customers expectations. I figured it was time to lookout for me, number one...seeing as the management was making sure they were taking care of themselves.
The worst were the management that held direct reports back; but were able to secure upward mobility for themselves.