Cisco Systems Reviews

Current Employee – been working at Cisco Systems full-time for more than a year

Pros – Growth opportunities, generous salary, ground-breaking projects.

Cons – Hours can be long, though this is dependent on specific role.

Advice to Senior Management – Increase graduate numbers, look at ways to recruit "global graduates" - e.g. those with international experience.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Cisco Systems full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Good benefits. working from home encoraged, good salary, bonuses, car allowance. good products and good Ceo.

Good company to work for.

Cons – The culture is strange, hard working (by most people) but lacking any feeling of empathy, enthusiasm and to some extent fun.

Advice to Senior Management – Don't take it all so serious

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Cisco Systems full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Money work life balance I guess

Cons – Management HR, ethics , treatment of staff as cattle

Advice to Senior Management – Grow up

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Cisco Systems full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Great tech, good offices and home working set up

Cons – Does not pay industry standard level. Static promotion prospects. To much deadwood on all levels

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Cisco Systems full-time for more than a year

Pros – Good name to have on your CV, good career growth if you have a director who will help you - and you arent in a technical support role (TS).

Cons – Career growth is slow, pay rises are tough, and there are a lot of people who are "chaff", who are just riding it out for the pension after joining pre 2000 and enjoying the perks.

Advice to Senior Management – Make people move around, having people in the same job for 15 years makes new blood impossible to attract (and retain).

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Cisco Systems full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Great brand name and experience you can later leverage.

Cons – Easy to get lost and the best performers aren't always noticed. It's not what you know but who you know kid!

Advice to Senior Management – It's simple, people managers should be people that 1) have an interest in managing and leading and 2) are good at it, i.e. they have the requisite people and soft skills to do the job effectively.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Cisco Systems full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Cisco has a good overall package and the rewards scheme such as bonuses is above the industry standard. Being a high-tech company there are a lot of big toys to play with and someone interested in systems would love the work we have.

Cons – However the company is very sales driven. There is a lot of process and communication in place but often it hinder the technological implementation. A lot of emphasis is put on delivery but this means quality suffers and some key elements in process improvement are overlooked as they don't derive immediate cost benefit even though long term they are proven to be key money savers.

Advice to Senior Management – Digest what you are telling us first.
Lets have an fair system of environments globally i.e. allowances, canteen etc.
Try to look further than the one project deliverable.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Cisco Systems full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Excellent salary, benefits and potential to exceed, both financially and personally. Chance to work with some of the brightest, most intelligent people I've ever come across in a 25+ year career. Opportunity, in my particular role, to travel the world and meet/see new people and cultures. Excellent employer in terms of corporate responsibility and "giving back".

Cons – Regrettably, some management are still getting hired into positions because of the old boys/girls network and not on their actual merits.

Advice to Senior Management – Pay close attention to the senior leadership team (director level) and really question what value they are adding and whether they are just figureheads doing nothing whilst the team below them are really the stars of the show. In my experience/opinion Cisco is still "top heavy", especially at a "theater" level.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Cisco Systems full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Great technical specialists.
Lots of people with tons of experience.
In general people are willing to help/work together.
Good/Great technology that moves in more or less right direction.
Flexible work option.
Brand name.

Cons – Mid-management is getting increasingly politicized (at least in sales). No one really knows what they do.
Visibility is valued over capability, in other words you need to beat your drum relentlessly to advance.
As a result, a lot of good people leaving for a change.
Company is getting old, not enough young people.
More and more people that sort of hide in the shades.
For a network industry leader is pretty bad with product/solution demonstration resources.

Advice to Senior Management – Fix the mid-management.
Listen to what individual contributors are saying.
Stop chasing the consumer market.
Marketing is too "corporate". More substance - less water.
Sell through demo, not power-point.
Hire youth.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Cisco Systems full-time for more than a year

Pros – Cisco has tremendous Brand strength and recognition
Cisco has great integrity with Employees, and with Customers
Excellent people here and there among a generally weak

Cons – Leadership weaknesses at mid-level
Excellent people below Management-level paid below market, unless in Sales
Not much commitment to key employees at acquired companies
Some long-term Management has been promoted above their competence level

Advice to Senior Management – Eliminate the weak Managers - regardless of how long they have been employed by the Company.
Make room at senior level for more incoming talent from Cisco acquisitions.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company