Just wondering when will the headcount be opening up?
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Sad to see where this is all going from now on the customer side and managing multiple enterprises.
Once a competitor's firewall and data center switch, and AWS is in an existing Cisco enterprise, it is only a matter of consecutive renewal cycles until once mainstay Cisco components are swapped out to competitors.
Being Cisco old-timer, sad to see this happening. I try to pitch Cisco for the refresh cycle, but have been shot down 90% of the time since I left Cisco three years ago. Over that time this has been over $7 million between a few medium size networks we run.
The biggest issue it seems is the support. My boss is extremely sharp and is not happy at all with overall support. It is to the point that he doesn't want to talk to our Account Management or TAC.
I do not see this changing sadly from my perspective. Big change has been the support model over past four years. Lots of money for subscriptions for things other vendors to better, for less money, and with more involvement.
Chuck has convinced Wall Street Cisco is a leader in software, cloud, and security. In addition, he moved tons of jobs to India, and is converting FTE to Red Badges. I'd say he is doing a great job as a CEO of a dying company.
Chuck wasn't hired to create new products and services.
I'm still waiting to hear when we're going to fire chuck the reaper.
Could being LR'd be part of strategy? How many days are you typically paid? For example 1 week for every year or is it just two weeks?
It's not that hard to figure out by reading other threads about Cisco. Do your research.
But to spoon feed you, it varies from year to year, generally getting smaller. It also varies by country, depending on each country's laws. Some country's have employment contracts Cisco has to comply with.
But, in general, in the U.S. you are considered an employee for 30 days after your are notified while you make decisions about the options you are offered. You are paid another 30 days in-lieu of notice, so basically that's 60 days pay. You accrue PTO during the first 30 days and I think they include the hours of PTO you would have accrued during the next 30 days of "in-lieu" pay. You also are eligible for any 401(k) matching contributions during those 60 days if you don't stop your 401(k) contributions when you are notified.
You are paid all your accrued, but unused PTO hours.
As to the decision part, at the end of your last 30 days, you have to decide whether or not to sign the agreement not to sue Cisco for anything and in return, you get a severance package. Back in 2011, it was just 5 months pay. In later LR's, they've shortened the 5 months pay to 3 or 4 months, but then they added 1 weeks additional pay for each year of service between 10 - 19 years and 2 weeks additional pay for each year of service starting at year 20.
If you sign the agreement, you also get the grossed up cost of whatever health benefits you were enrolled in for the length of the severance package (3 or 4 months). I'm not sure if that includes the additional weeks for years of service beyond 10 or not because I didn't have 10+ years when I was LR'd.
At least, when Cisco bends you over, you get dinner & a movie first and a kiss afterwards unlike other companies who only give 2 weeks pay, or maybe 2 weeks plus a week for every year of service and they think they're being generous.
There will always be more layoffs. It is pretty much part of the company culture now.
In regards to the second comment posted, I took the severance last November and here are my $0.02. If Cisco ever offers anything like they did late last year (which I don't think will happen anytime soon) TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN. That is always the correct move because you're getting a huge lump sum payment upfront AND the chance to secure employment before your window closes. Losing my job at Cisco was the most lucrative windfall I've ever received.
Some of my ex-colleagues were the ones who always talked a big game but were trying to hold on for dear life when they got offered the package. All hat no cattle as the cowboys say. Deep down they knew they had no future outside Cisco.
If you get a chance to make a big payday off Cisco and you pass it up then you're useless and have no prospects outside the company. These are the people that come to this forum to whine about their problems.
Could being LR'd be part of strategy? How many days are you typically paid? For example 1 week for every year or is it just two weeks?
Is there a reason to be worried?