Pros
Cisco Systems is one of the top companies in the industry and hence it's a company where you can develop a successful and stable career. In Cisco you are always challenged to grow and improve, you have plenty of opportunities to develop yourself as well as opportunities to move internally between different positions. And when doing so, you'll normally get the full support of your manager. In cisco everyone is approachable: it is not uncommon that you can take a coffee with one of the executives and hjave an open conversation and share what you think about the company and about your role: they actually like to receive such feedback and information. But also at lower level, your voice is always heard and your feedback taken into consideration. It's also a company you can feel proud of, thanks to all the initiatives the employees and the company work on to give back to the society, and that are supported and encouraged by the executives in the company, starting from the CEO: giving back, corporate social responsibility, fairness and equal treatment, work-life balance, ... Finally, compensation in the company is really good, and there are plenty of benefits you can enjoy that add on top of your salary.
Cons
As mentioned, there are plenty of opportunities to promote in Cisco, but you have to pursue them by yourself: just doing your job will not grant you a promotion to a higher position, and career path is not pre-established...if you want to move to a higher position you have to apply and demonstrate you are the best candidate for it. That can also be a benefit, as there is not a minimum time you have to be in a position to promote. Being a multinational company also means that your manager might not be in your same country, which can make the promotion even harder. Also, your workmates can be spread around the globe too. And sometimes due tom frequent restructuring, your manager can change often. Finally, most position at Cisco are goal-driven, what means that you may end-up working extra hours very easily. Hence, very good time management and organisation skills are needed, as well as the ability to disconnect from work when the day is over, even when working from home.
