If you are over 50 at Cisco, you are the ones most likely to get laid off. They lay off mostly the 50+ that drain the health insurance, then sprinkle a few millennials so it doesn't look like ageism. The only consolation after 12- years of working there was the $94,000 severance. My husband was laid off Sept 2015. His 50 + brother was axed 3-years prior. Believe me, it was devastating at first but once they found better jobs, they were VERY thankful to be out of Cisco. Advice? Work at Cisco only 3-5 years and move on (good on resume). If you have a family that maxes-out health insurance, be careful...remember, the younger you are the less you go to the doctors. How many retirement parties have any of you gone to at Cisco?? Yeah, none.
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Love this line:
"How many retirement parties have any of you gone to at Cisco?? Yeah, none."
so true!!!!!! and sad.......we dont expect Executives to be 100% honest but they certainly should cut the crap on "family values".....
Cisco has ruthlessly laid of 50+ employees for years now. After 14 years at Cisco I was Laid off at age 58. fortunately the Cisco partners in the US are in dire need of the skills the laid off workers have . Actually got decent raise working with partner. Region of country is important too. May have to relocate to find partner work. Good luck to us all if ACA gets republicanized. Ouch.
Got LRed at 56. When they walked us out the door I turned around and it looked like the demographics of people leaving the men's room at a Garth Brooks concert. Grey hair, male pattern baldness and distinctly white.
An interesting read...
https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/ashton-applewhite-ageism
I was LR'd over 50; my advice is not to worry about it. What??? Might sound contradictory. There's nothing you can do about it. Keep your skills sharp and current. Be objective with your own current industry knowledge. If you aren't current, get current! Now! Keep in contact with folks outside Cisco. In the end, it's almost like death. But there is life out there...it's not then end. There's lots of good stuff out there if you keep your wits about you when it happens so save much while you are at Cisco, and use the mind that got you hired in the first place, and try to ignore the rest of this sh!t...
“You can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.”
The 70 number mentioned below is likely true. However, I know several people who are still here whose number would add up to 80 or more. But I do believe if over 50 you are scrutinized much more closely.
I can confirm that 50+ folks are ruthlessly targeted even in profitable BUs even while their performance was adequate (and better than adequate in some cases). In my 18 month stint at Cisco, I saw 5 such people laid off around me (in the name of LR) and each termination came as a surprise (well not really though - I think had I stayed, I could have predicted who would be next).
This is one reason not to consider a long term career at Cisco. I think by now, most workers know which companies treat their older workers this way, and I think these days, young folks realize they will be older some day too. I can also confirm there are companies out there where older workers are respected (working in a company where several 20+ year stint people are working, most of them are smart, productive and are working on cutting edge stuff). it is possible to have old people, pay them well, and use their knowledge and expertise to grow the company. Unfortunately Cisco is not it. They will reap what they sow. i see a Cisco tombstone in Bangalore in near future.
#agediscrimination - just tagging it
If you are over 50 at Cisco, you are the ones most likely to get laid off. They lay off mostly the 50+ that drain the health insurance, then sprinkle a few millennials so it doesn't look like ageism. The only consolation after 12- years of working there was the $94,000 severance. My husband was laid off Sept 2015. His 50 + brother was axed 3-years prior. Believe me, it was devastating at first but once they found better jobs, they were VERY thankful to be out of Cisco. Advice? Work at Cisco only 3-5 years and move on (good on resume). If you have a family that maxes-out health insurance, be careful...remember, the younger you are the less you go to the doctors. How many retirement parties have any of you gone to at Cisco?? Yeah, none.
@ Ciscoex, spot on! especially 'Work at Cisco only 3-5 years and move on..' . I moved out of the toxic environment last Oct after 4 years and life is good every day from then on.....
I have heard that Cisco has a target number, it is 70 combined years at Cisco and age. If you are over that number you will be targeted.
The only option for older, white-collar professionals will be to own a business or freelance. The costs of healthcare and collapsing economy will not be easy for anyone over 30.
Luckily there are ways to use a portion of a 401k or IRA to acquire a business with no early withdrawal penalties.
Same at Dell EMC, HPE. TImes have changed and not getting any better