Just joined Cisco out of school. I thought this was a great company to be apart of until I heard of the layoffs and came to this site. Is everything here true or bias?
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Tbh it's an alright company to start at right out of school. Starting pay is decent. Don't plan to stay more than two years here though. Learn everything you can about the field you're working in then dip.
I advise to get out of IT engineering. It is BS. If you want to be an engineer then do automotive, nautical or aeronautic. Or change to medicine, law or construction. The days of IT commanding big $$$ are gone.
If you want to be a politician and practise your skills for Capitol Hill then you are in the right place at Cisco.
You’ll simply be brainwashed at Cisco… get out as soon as possible. Trust me
You’re clearly bright enough to understand that everything on the internet that is social media driven (this site included) is suspect in terms of truth. Discernment is something that you need to develop, and it takes time — there’s little substitute for that.
Watch what people SAY, and then watch what they DO. Then, do the math. You’ll figure this out soon enough.
Anyone that believes that somehow keeping your skills sharp will somehow grant one magical powered in LR protection...
The protection of being highly skilled is being able to get a new and better job fairly quickly. At least at my site US citizens and non-citizens were tossed at proportional rates and everyone from both groups I'm still in touch with are better off now than they would have been at Cisco.
"CISCO Skill" - does this refer to CISCO switch/router specially? I think (but I was never worked close there) there are a lot of proprietary aspects. I am curious on BU like Collab, the executions are poor and the products are losing for sure but for young/early in the career people, the technologies used/learned are pretty up-to-date.
Young Man, except and rejoice that you got a technical job right out of school. The world has changed in regards to how companies view employees. The best advice that I can give you is to have a mind set where you are your own company and ever decision you make should be with you in mind not the company you are working for. Also recognize when you are no longer growing in the upcoming technology then its time to search else where while still employed.
Sure. I was LR'd five months after getting 2nd CCIE. Anyone that believes that somehow keeping your skills sharp will somehow grant one magical powered in LR protection, also probably believes Santa is visiting here in a few months.
The reality is, the longer one stays, and the more cash one makes, and the more one gets promoted, and the more one fits into a generic common ethnicity; the greater your chances increase for being LR'd.
Your chances are further increased if you are an older, more generic common ethnicity, and have a more senior grade; and are reorganized into a group that has a much younger general population, and you end up working for a manager that does not relate to your more senior status or ethnicity.
Do not let anyone give you any baloney that the above is not true. It is.
Definitely a lot of changes but if you’re a new hire then you have what they’re looking for now and in the future. The LR’ed folks, and I can assure you everyone here, is an obsolete dinosaur with outdated skills and lack the willingness and intellectual capacity to better themselves. Complaining is much easier than effort
Post ID: @jsw+1v3PHj4u
Wow you are spot on . That’s exactly what happened to me .Constant re org and eventually ended up under a s—-y manager .Such a toxic environment with no scope to upskill or learn but only watching back constantly due to the politics.
If you can't get a job after working at Cisco maybe the problem isn't the company.
I've worked with some world class hardware people that I'd hire in a heartbeat. I've worked with some of the worst software people and measurably the worst quality software I've ever seen so I don't bother reading a full resume once I see both "Cisco" and "software." Cisco's PSEs are uniquely incompetent in both systems and software.
Work here for 3yrs max. You will not get promoted or significant pay increases.
Go outside to self promote and bag your 30% pay increase. Cisco is known for low pay.
I laugh at the optimism. Always remain a realist.
The most foolish mistake one can make in life is thinking they are safe at this company, for the long term; and then go build a family, buy a home, and live life impervious to their long term reality: getting LRd.
Yes you might live in the sun right now, but give yourself a few promotional raises, and then get parked under a j@ck@ss new manager, who just doesn't like you because your once successful work style does not align with their style or objectives. Then you get LR'd.
To those making the comments correlating that LR'd folks are the equivalent of asking a divorced person about marriage; guess what...either your current or future boss will wh0re you out to the LR pool also. Keep believing all is just fine.
Cisco is a good employer (overall), has good opportunities and (generally) rewards hard-work and results (as long as you can also provide good visibility, like anywhere).
Is it the next NVIDIA, Amazon, Google, or Microsoft?
Clearly not, its missed many key transitions over the last 2 decades...
Still a good company, but I certainly wouldnt make your career focussing purely on out of fashion Cisco skills and certifications anymore..that would be an epic mistake.
Yours LRd but moving on to better things...
#1 place to be!
You own most of your experience at Cisco, meet as many ppl as possible, come to the office if you are close by one, build experience, look for a new role every few years and show growth
dive in. learn everything you can. Make great relationships. look at every activity as a generative skill. "Will this skill be valuable outside of this company?"
Focus on competition. what are they doing right, what are they doing wrong?
Max out your 401K and save an extra 20% of you income. live in a tent if you have to.
Is everything true, like RTP closing every time there is a layoff? No.
Has Cisco had frequent layoffs, sometimes as often as quarterly for the past 23 years? Yes.
From one young person to another, don't stay for more than three-years. Past that it starts to become a net-negative on your CV. It's not the worst place to start a job but you may develop bad habits given how relaxed a work environment Cisco is.
This is a great place to get to know each other. People ask all kind of questions on career advice, financial matters, personal life, retirement etc. Great platform without fear of identity or repercussions. Enjoy your time here, learn and share.
Cisco is a great place to end your career but a lousy place to start it
But this job market su-ks so just stay put for a couple
OP, Just stay a year or two then move on. This is definitely not the place for a young person like you!
What BU did you join?
If you can't get a job after working at Cisco maybe the problem isn't the company. I see ex Cisco folks popping up all over the place. The opportunities are really good
I think it's ok to stay while you search for another job, but I'd advise not to put Cisco on your resume and think of some justification for the gap since school. Maybe tell them you spent time driving Uber or went on a round the world trip or something.
This place is a cesspool. Seriously... It's a site of laid off people. Don't look for daily affirmations here . Like going to a website for divorced people to ask if marriage is a good idea