There is life after Cisco

I was at Cisco for around 10 years and left of my own accord several years ago (not part of a LR/ER.). I was an IC at Cisco, but I’m now a manager and spend a lot of time evaluating candidates (and talking to other managers about their candidates.)

I just have a few observations for my former colleagues:

1) There is life after Cisco, and it can be really good. While there are certainly people out there that don’t want ex-Cisco employees to join their company, in my experience they are in the minority.

2) Nobody likes a naysayer. There is always a lot of bitterness in these forums, which is understandable, but check it at the door. I always tell people I enjoyed my time at Cisco, worked with some great people, and don’t have anything bad to say about the place and just leave it at that. 9.5 times out of 10 they don’t ask for any detail beyond that.

3) Focus on the good aspects of Cisco’s culture (even if it was in the distant past) when you reflect on what value you can add to a new employer... Customer focus, hard work/entrepreneurial mindset, teamwork and winning together. That’s the stuff people care about.

4) Once you get your next job, forget about Cisco. Don’t think about and don’t talk about it. A lot of ex-Cisco people seem to focus a lot on Cisco, place an outsize sense of important on its activities and politics/what they heard from their buddies on LinkedIn. A) Nobody cares and it’s boring and b) it is a total waste of your mental effort. This one may sound a little strange, but I’ve seen it over and over again, like people are brainwashed or something.

If this stuff sounds obvious, well, I guess it is, but I see it over and over again...

Anyway, keep your chin up — I know you can do great things with the right attitude. Lot’s of ex-Cisco people are out there living the dream, making the same or better money, with 1/10th of the politics and stress.

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7 replies (most recent on top)

You obviously do not know the new norm. Many companies that do have postings for positions are simply for research. Those ever so required fields for compensation. They like to see what they can get for people in current roles. They use that to lower the pay range for given roles within a company. Throw in a desperate group of people looking for jobs now, you can fill roles at 60% the going rate a year ago.

You are correct in that you should never talk bad about a previous employer. When asked in an interview, highlight the positives of working there, accomplishments you had, and if necessary explain that your position was eliminate due to restructuring and leave it at that. They are not going to contact your previous employer and your previous employer cannot say anything that would prevent you from being hired. All businesses know companies do this and it is not looked on as negatively as before. For all of those now looking for a job, you are going to have to swallow some pride and seriously consider offers for less money. The pool of candidates is much bigger due to staff reductions and the remote work has opened an entirely new number of people available to fill positions. You might have made $120k at Cisco, but the going rate now is $80k. My manager that was laid off with me at another company is still out of work 15 months later. She insists she is worth $150k. The market, her skills, and background do not warrant it. They can fill the position with someone for half that price. As long as she demands that much the longer she will be out of work.

"+1 to this: "Companies will also give unemployed candidates lowball offers. The OP has no idea what it's like."

SO took an almost 40% pay cut, but is thankful to have a job with health insurance. There are a lot of engineers looking right now.

The OP is correct that there should be nothing but "sunshine" about a former employer. No one wants to hire someone that bad mouth's their former employer - no matter how warranted.

Some companies do not interview unemployed applicants. As someone that left on your own, you have absolutely no idea what it's like being impacted by a layoff.

Companies will also give unemployed candidates lowball offers. The OP has no idea what it's like.

The last reply is dead on. Getting laid off, especially if you were a hard working, well respected contributor at Cisco, hurts alot.....and generates anger due to the complete lack of explanation by Cisco on why you were LR'd. Sorry....I don't forgive or forget that behavior.

But your other comments are right, and I presented myself at my new employer with no communication about Cisco other than positive information. I did have many good times at Cisco, but those times were split by LR stress rounds every year except maybe one (and I was at Cisco 10+ years).

The key is you left Cisco on your own. People impacted by a layoff are thrown into a cutthroat job market. There's a HUGE difference between quitting with a job lined up and being laid off/unemployed.

Very well put

Thanks for this.

Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

There is life after Cisco

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