I had become complacent at Cisco. I wasn’t looking for another job, even though I knew full well the axe could fall at any moment - because that’s just how Cisco operates. I got cut last round. At first, I felt awful. Then came the panic. But honestly, that panic gave me the push I hadn’t had in a long time. Scrambling to find work made me sharpen my focus. With a mix of dedication and luck, I landed a great job. It’s a smaller company with less stress, no layoffs in sight, and a team that’s genuinely supportive. The pay is comparable, some of the benefits are even better, and overall, it just feels like a much healthier environment. I’m hoping this isn’t just the honeymoon phase, but even if it is, it’s already a massive improvement. There really are better places to work out there. Getting cut from Cisco might just end up being the best thing that ever happens to you.
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Seriously. Fu--ing leave.
I am completely retired. Later 50s.
Folks you can retire early too.
- Pay off mortgage.
- Use Cisco 401k BrokerageLink to invest.
- Sell ESPP and RSUs as shares mature, and max out your Roth IRAs.
- Try to max out your 401k.
- Once you are over 55, you can start pulling from your current employer's 401k (for any reason, including you leaving the job on your own.
- You can get health insurance through open market (cheaper than RMAP).
- Plenty of jobs out there that pay $20 an hour, say 30 hours a week, and offer health insurance if you need it.
You can do the same with planning.
that it is time to officially call it quits
Good for you. Many others will be joining you, mostly involuntarily.
For a variety of reasons, the number of people looking for tech work now is in vast excess of the number of positions available. Life will be miserable for lots of tech workers until this supply/demand imbalance works out. There are some easy exits: people who moved to the backwoods to work remote...people who have outdated resumes....people who expect senior-level comp for work that doesn't actually require senior-level talent etc etc.
Lots of people are working their last tech job. For older devs...they just retire. Junior devs can retrain for something else. Mid-career people are toast. They have bills to pay and are too young to retire, too old to retrain.
Lots of us will be joining you soon.
@j2 are you done completely or shifted careers? If so, where to?
Left several years ago (LR), since then have moved through three jobs.
Personally believe now the overall career field of technology work is so finally non-navigational; that it is time to officially call it quits. Which is what I recently did.
To those staying in the stew; good luck, and remember to take those meds.
The disfunction is not you; once getting away from the drama, the work politics, the inept managers who somehow keep in power...there is yes somewhat of a normal world out there.
Life is not worth chasing extra money for crud we truly do not need. I should have moved out of the career field long ago.
@fc amalgamating. small offices to close to save in operational debt
What's going on at the latrine known as Cisco Kanata?
@c9 Cisco lives by it, Cisco is dying by it.
Trying to leave right now, I’m glad that you were able to get out in any situation.
Change is the only constant.
tons of stories like yours. i have learned yiu either move up or leave after 3 years in a role. its that simple.