Name: Jeson V Chelleth
Nationality: Indian
University attended: University of Plymouth
Degree obtained: MSc Information Systems Security
Job title: Customer Support Engineer
Programme: TAC
Date joined Cisco: 18th September 2006

General

Why did you decide to join Cisco?
Cisco is a company that innovates and leads from the front. There exists a great work culture at Cisco, and I also wanted to work with cutting edge technology, which only a market leader could provide.

In what way have you developed since joining Cisco?
Technology training was intense and the learning curve exponential, but it was beneficial. I have gained technical knowledge, time management skills and customer relation skills.

What have you learnt since working at Cisco?
I have learned how to deal with customers and have developed better people skills.

What was your perception of Cisco before you joined and how has it changed?
My perception has improved - I never get bored because of the opportunity to learn new things each day and the technology advancements at Cisco is excellent and constantly changing. I also have a lot to look forward to in my future with Cisco.

How do you describe the Cisco culture?
The Cisco culture is very open - there is hierarchy but also an open door policy, with lot of empowerment and responsibility given to individual contributors. This is evident from the fact that we are entrusted with very expensive equipment/kit and we can experiment and learn in whichever way we choose best.  There is an environment of trust within Cisco.

During Training

Where was your training based?
Brussels, Belgium

How long did your training last?
2 months

How was the training delivered?
Presentations, hands-on lab work and VoDs

How did you cope with the training?
Training was intense and enjoyable - a lot of information squeezed in a short span of time. We had to assimilate a lot of information and try to understand it too. I did make new friends and managed to beat the stress, I organised a table tennis tournament and it helped us to get to know each other better.

What were your most enjoyable experiences?
One experience in particular was when I went to the European TAC Fun Event - the whole European TAC team and managers from around the globe also attended, taking part in sporting activities such as obstacle courses, treasure hunts, shooting, video games sessions, martial arts and other team activities. We finished the day with a lavish party which was very enjoyable.

What was your most challenging experience?
My most challenging experience occurred during my initial days when I began taking priority cases. One important client had a very high priority issues and many senior individuals from the client side and also from within Cisco got involved. This was a pressured time and I had to understand, learn and troubleshoot the issue quickly, whilst at the same time coordinating efforts to drive the case to resolution.

Did you study towards any Cisco certifications?
I have passed my CCNP qualification. I am currently studying towards my CCVP qualification, which is 80% complete.

If yes: How did you find combining work with study?
It’s been challenging - I am required to use good time management skills. Also, to be prepared to sacrifice personal time in the achievement of goals. I have been helped however, by having good support from the management and the team

What was life like outside of work?
We occasionally have lunch ordered and sometimes go out for drinks in the evenings. We also have different indoor games too, to keep us entertained.

After Training

Where are you currently based?
Reading

What are the offices like where you work?
Excellent, lots of space and equipment in the labs.

Describe your typical day or week:

• Arrive in office at 8.00am.
• Check to see if customers have returned messages from previous days, and follow up pending cases - by phone and/or email.
• Take on new cases and begin troubleshooting.
• Liaise with developers to coordinate issues.
• Speak with business units to get a new feature implemented for the customer if required.
• Training and mentoring of new staff.
• Lunch.
• Return phone messages.
• If onsite support is needed, then I contact local office to arrange onsite support.
• Normally I leave the office between 18-19.00h, though this is flexible.

What are the most enjoyable aspects to your job?
No 2 days are the same, there is a lot of variety and there is no opportunity to get bored. The people and technology make it an exciting place to work.

What are the most challenging?
Some clients can be really demanding, but most issues can be resolved. It is particularly demanding managing customer expectations and time management.

Do you work as part of a team?
Yes, a team of 15 people in Reading.

What other activities have you got involved in outside of your day to day job?
Team leading activities, voluntary actions, helping the community and teaching.

What do you see for yourself in terms of your future career progression?
I would like to progress my career within Cisco, obtain the coveted CCIE title and possibly pursue an MBA too.

Why would you encourage others to join the programme?
If you want to quickly develop computer networking skills, TAC is the best place to build a strong foundation for your career. You are exposed to great and varied technology and have the opportunity to learn a lot in a short space of time.

What advice would you give to anyone considering applying to Cisco?
To apply for TAC you need to have a passion for technology, be committed and hard-working and comprehend the expectations required for this challenging position.

Name: Catalina Niculita
Nationality: Romanian
Degree obtained: Automatic Control and Computer Science
Job title: Systems Engineer
Programme: Sales Associate Program (ASE role),
Date joined Cisco: Summer 2005
Location of Training: Amsterdam
Duration of Training: 10 months

General

Why did you decide to join Cisco?
I knew Cisco was a leader in Computer Networking and every technical person dreams of working at the leader firm.

What was your perception of Cisco before you joined and how has it changed?
I was working at a Cisco partner before I joined Cisco so I had a good understanding of the marketplace and my experience as the Network Academy gave me a good understanding of the product line. However I had no idea that Cisco was growing so much in the emerging market and after joining I saw the investment and growth in my region.

How do you describe the Cisco culture?
The Cisco culture somewhat different from country to country and team to team but basically its a lot of top quality people working together in a very fair environment. In Romania I really appreciate that its a very fair and ethical company and all the internal procedures and external practices are fair and ethical and in this marketplace, where everything is changing so quickly and business ethics can sometimes be compromised, that never happens here at Cisco either towards the employees or our customers and partners even when dealing with our competitors!

During Training

Describe your typical day or week:
There with mixed training session with technical and soft and business skills training. After each day at the office and I studied for the exams that we had to pass plus CCIE.

How did you cope with the training?
It was very intense and difficult but its the only way to achieve such strong results. You need to work to work hard to achieve great results and during training I found a balance. It really depends on what you want to get out of it both during training and in your career at Cisco. I achieved CCIE but I was the only one in the program at that time who did, so really you get out of it what you put into it its your choice.

What were your most enjoyable experiences?
During soft skills training we had group exercises and it really helped us to feel like a team. Also during break time you really bond with the other training participants who come from all over the world. You really begin to see that the differences in culture are a great opportunity for learning instead of something to be afraid of. What were your most challenging? The workload and finding the right balance between working and sleeping. Time management is key and the ability to use the time you have in the most efficient way.

What was life like outside of work?
We had a great time, we went out and enjoyed both each other and the foreign city we were in (Amsterdam). I also took the opportunity to travel Holland during my vacation time.

After Training

Where are you currently based?
Romania, Bucharest

What are the offices like where you work?
Very nice, big modern office in the city centre of Bucharest. Its a nice work environment. We have over 30 people now but we are continuously growing. When I joined we were 5-6 SEs and now were 12 people. Its great to be on a growing team.

Describe your typical day or week:
Because Im in Enterprise its a challenging and unique sector. Most of my time is spent on different aspects of customer relationship management and developing designs for potential projects. I manage demos and presentations for our customers. We also work closely with partners to train and inform them on our service offering. Im specialized in Wireless so I get involved in other projects outside my vertical and its great because it gives me a chance to work with other portfolio of customers and internal teams that dont necessarily fit into Enterprise category I work with a diverse group of people. The overall schedule is more flexible than training and that makes planning and scheduling a challenge but it also makes each day unique and that is GREAT!

What are the most enjoyable aspects to your job?
It would have to be being considered a trusted advisor to my customers. I cannot express the feeling of pride I get when a customer calls asking questions because you are THE person that he can trust. Many times they call for my opinion on non Cisco issues related technical issues just because they want my advice they trust me!

What do you see for yourself in terms of your future career progression?
Its difficult to say because Cisco is expanding extremely fast. When I arrived in Romania there were only two career paths (SE and AM) but now there are so many different options and everyday there is something new I can do. I love my job and I plan to evolve with Cisco over the next five years!

What advice would you give to anyone considering applying to Cisco?
Decide what you want then go for it! You can do anything you want to do at a company that gives you the training and support to grow.

Name: Elena Rudenko
Nationality: Russian
University attended: Moscow State University for International Relations (MGIMO)
Degree obtained: MA with Honours (major International Economics)
Job title: Account Manager (Team Leader for the Urals Federal District)
Programme: Cisco Sales Associate Program
Date joined Cisco: August 2004
Training Location: Amsterdam
Training Duration: 10 months

General

Why did you decide to join Cisco?
I was not familiar with technology at all, but the information I gathered showed that Cisco was not only the networking leader, but an energetic place for creative people. Given the opportunity that Cisco offered, the obvious growth of internet traffic, and thus the use of technology, it seemed like a good place to be, to build a solid career. It was the right decision.

In what way have you developed since joining Cisco?
Ive put a special focus on communication and negotiation, because most of our work is interaction. I developed great flexibility and tolerance, can talk with all levels of customer now. I also keep developing management skills; I understand how important people are and how sophisticated management is. This skill is my key development area now.

What was your perception of Cisco before you joined and how has it changed?
I didnt know much about Cisco before joining. I always knew that Id work only for multinational leaders, but I didnt expect the company to be such an exciting place. Cisco is not a technical geek place, it is about the solutions that people need to grow their business, and it is about human interaction. Its everything we use in daily life, and the idea of how important our technologies are for my friends and family helps to drive my sales tremendously.

During Training

Describe your typical day or week:
We had about 2 trainings a week 1 sales and 1 technical, so the tech knowledge could be used right away. We normally had 1 group assignment, which included a presentation on some complex issue that we had to resolve first.

What were your most enjoyable experiences?
Meeting so many best of the best people at a one time from all over the world. Fellow ASRs, instructors, management. The opportunity to have friends all over the world.

What were your most challenging?
Loads of information to be absorbed quickly, and as training was in English extra time was spent to ensure I understood. The amount of new things to learn is outstanding, so managing your time is the greatest challenge.

Did you study towards any Cisco certifications?
Yes. CSE, Routing & Switching, Wireless, Storage, IPT and Security Sales Specialist. It was aligned with my sales goals, so studying was part of work

After Training

Where are you currently based?
Moscow, Russia

Describe your typical day or week:
I travel extensively every week, because the region I cover is the size of Europe. I have to visit 6 major cities on a regular basis, so my only means of travel are planes. Normally, I d visit 1 or 2 cities a week, conduct the meetings there, hold a seminar, and spare one day for office work deals, follow ups, communication with colleagues, web-based trainingetc

What are the most enjoyable aspects to your job?
I get to meet new people daily, all kinds of personalities. Not only do I enjoy it, I learn from them and make new friends. Constant personal development and growth is another aspect. You just never stop at Cisco.

Do you work as part of a team?
Yes. Any work done at Cisco cannot be imagined without teaming up. There are virtual teams for various technologies/solutions. On every project I work, we create a team that best fits the customer needs

What do you see for yourself in terms of your future career progression?
I would like to become an Area Manager, then, I definitely want to become a Cisco leader. Im ready to undergo any training programs needed to enhance my management skills and to take more responsibility. I feel I have the strength to do it and Im confident about success.

Name: Laure Authenac
Nationality: French
Degree obtained: Management Accounting (MA)
Job title: Financial Analyst
Programme: Finance Graduate Programme
Date joined Cisco: September 2006
Location of training: London, UK.
Length of training: 24 months in total.

General

Why did you decide to join Cisco?
I have some friends who work in IT who recognised Cisco as a great company to work for and so spoke in detail their culture and operations. I was also very keen to get onto a graduate scheme due to the excellent opportunities that are offered for training. When I did some research in to Cisco, I found that I largely identified with their values which gave me a lot of encouragement in my decision to apply.

In what way have you developed since joining Cisco?
Since joining Cisco, I have learnt how to work in a multicultural environment and have also significantly improved my communication skills. In particular, I have learnt how to cooperate within a virtual team which was a concept that I hadnt previously experienced.

What have you learnt about yourself since working at Cisco?
I have learnt that by simply being myself, contributes greatly to the Cisco culture. There exists here such a wide range of different personalities, backgrounds and working styles - you really feel that the Cisco culture thrives on such diversity.

How do you describe the Cisco culture?
Diverse obviously! Also, encouraging of teamwork, empowerment and open communications I always feel that I am able to approach my boss whenever I need to. Cisco are also supportive of receiving criticism in a constructive manner in order to be able to constantly adapt and improve, and are also firm believers in Giving back to the Community, in order to show respect to the environments within which it operates.

During Training

How was the training delivered?
3 to 4 rotations within different areas of the business, each one lasting 6/8 months. Most training is received on-the-job and is a combination of soft and hard skills training.

Describe your typical day or week:
It is difficult to describe and typical day or week as my schedule is so varied, depending on the time of year and my current workload.

What have been your most enjoyable experiences?
Every 6 months, we attend a Graduate Meeting which is held in a different city within Europe. These meetings are always a lot of fun we get to reunite with fellow trainees and have a party! They are also very informative, with different speakers and presentations by management, to communicate our performance and strategies for continued progress.

Did you study towards any Cisco certifications?
I am currently studying for CIMA which is not a Cisco qualification, but a professional certification in management accounting. Cisco really helps out here they cover the full expense of study and also allow us a period of study leave before each exam

After Training (N/A)

What do you see for yourself in terms of your future career progression?
Its really too early to say as I am still training. But as my training progresses, I am being exposed to more and more areas of the business and my knowledge of operations is increasing, providing me with a good understanding of financial concepts and Ciscos organization. This will therefore enable me to choose my preferred business area with confidence in the future.

Name: Livia Trazza
Nationality: Italian
Degree obtained: MA Telecommunications Engineering
Job title: Network Consulting Engineer at Advanced Services
Programme: associate Network Consulting Engineer (aNCE)
Date joined Cisco: July 2006
Location of Training: Brussels
Duration of Training: 8months

General

Why did you decide to join Cisco?
For me, Cisco is the best company to work for as you have the possibility to deliver great products and value-added services, work with the most experienced and knowledgeable colleagues and deal with the greatest customers.

In what way have you developed since joining Cisco?
Since joining Cisco, I have acquired more knowledge and enhanced my networking skills. I have also gained better communication, presentation and professional skills.

What have you learnt about yourself since working at Cisco?
I have learned a lot about myself since joining Cisco: mainly about how I behave in a social context, the role I have in a team and my learning profile.

What was your perception of Cisco before you joined and how has it changed?
I had great expectations of Cisco as it is the market leader in the networking field, and when I joined, I found that the company philosophy was exactly how I had imagined. I was especially impressed with how well-structured the training program was, allowing me to concentrate on my professional skills as well as my technical skills development, challenging myself everyday with a new goal to achieve.

How do you describe the Cisco culture?
The Cisco culture uses the diversity of the people who works there as a source of richness: Teamwork and collaboration between employees is characteristic and people are very open and conscious when it comes to social responsibility and giving back to the community.

During Training

How was the training delivered?
The training has consisted of technical courses and labs taught by experienced instructors and soft skills classes which were more interactive and have involved role plays and presentations. I enjoyed the fact that it was split between educational learning and practical hands-on work shops. This has allowed me to improve my skills by putting theory into practice and receiving feedback from people in the team.

Did you study towards any Cisco certifications?
Yes I have studied towards and achieved the CCNA, and I am currently working towards the CCNP. At the end of the first 3 months of the programme my goal is to pass the CCIE written exam.

After Training (N/A)

What do you see for yourself in terms of your future career progression?
Immediately after my training, I will be sent out in to the field and based in Rome, Italy. In the long term, I would like to leverage my technical skills to become a reference point for the customers and to build a successful project management career in Cisco Advanced Services.

Why would you encourage others to join the programme?
I'd highly encourage others to join the aNCE programme for several reasons:

• You'll have the possibility to attend several interesting technical and soft skill courses and (if you study hard, of course!) to gain the Cisco certifications.
• During the job rotation phase, you'll have the possibility to immediately put into practice what you have learnt to get a better understanding of the concepts.
• You can meet many people from different nationalities and cultures, working together as part of a high-performance team.

What advice would you give to anyone considering applying to Cisco?
To apply as soon as possible as it is a unique opportunity which should not be missed! I would also advise people considering applying to prepare well for both the telephone interview and the assessment centre, but always remember to be themselves as Cisco people like open and sincere people.

Name: Oliver Cheal
Nationality: British
Degree obtained: BSc Psychology
Job title: Associate Account Manager
Programme: CSAP Cisco Sales Associate Program
Date joined Cisco: August 2006
Training Locations: Amsterdam
Training Duration: 10 months

General

Why did you decide to join Cisco?
I was initially attracted to a sales career at Cisco due to my interest in technology and my background in Psychology. It was only when I started researching the company, and the CSAP program, that I realised what a fantastic opportunity for career development was on offer. One of the worlds largest companies was willing to invest a year developing my skillset, whilst giving me the opportunity to work in a major European city something no other company can match!

In what way have you developed since joining Cisco?
I have learnt an enormous amount about myself, other cultures and business in general. Areas where I have seen the biggest change are around my relationship building, time management and listening skills. It really helped to have my peers give me honest feedback as you can quickly understand how and where you need to improve most.

How do you describe the Cisco culture? This is built upon the heavy emphasis on trust, respect and integrity. Cisco is like one big family each member looks out for one another and works together to drive success and have fun at the same time.

During Training

How was the training delivered?
The training we received was varied and involved workshops, lectures, teamwork, role-plays, presentations and technical exams. The year was divided into 3 blocks, which required 10 weeks of intense training prior to 1 week of close assessment. Throughout this, I was also buddied with another trainee which involved regular meetings in order to help each other to improve in our weaker areas.

What were your most enjoyable experiences?
Being in Amsterdam was an incredible year during which I learnt a huge deal about myself and other people. I developed some very strong relationships and now have friends to visit all over the world. No one else I know has had the chance to live and work with 130 other graduates from 45 countries; I would definitely do it all over again if I was given the chance!

What were your most challenging?
The whole year was challenging but in particular, I found that having to balance so many priorities was demanding. We were given a lot of responsibility from day 1 and required to balance personal achievement with our commitments to colleagues. Our workloads were very large so in order to succeed, the effective prioritisation of tasks and time management was crucial.

Did you study towards any Cisco certifications?
Yes - the Sales trainees had to pass CCDA (Cisco Certified Design Associate).

After Training

Where are you currently based?
Bedfont Lakes (London), UK

Describe your typical week:
In a typical week, I will be spending 1 day working at home, 2 days in the office and 2 days visiting clients externally. I am currently working with a large media client located in the UK. Given the current market and development of Web 2.0 its a very exciting time to be working alongside such a large media company.

What are the most enjoyable aspects to your job?
Now that I am out in the field, its really great being able to put all I have learned in to practice. I am also able to continually develop both professionally and personally, which is rewarding and brings me a lot of job satisfaction. I have two experienced mentors who I meet with on a regular basis.

What are the most challenging?
In this job its really important that I am constantly updated with all the latest industry information in order to be successful. This therefore requires a vast amount of pro-activity, initiative and thinking on my feet.

What do you see for yourself in terms of your future career progression?
I definitely want to continue working at Cisco and become an account manager within the next 18 months.

Why would you encourage others to join the programme?
The CSAP programme is a fantastic opportunity for learning within a dynamic and diverse environment youll go through more training and discover more about yourself than you would otherwise in 10 years!

What advice would you give to anyone considering applying to Cisco?
To make sure they do apply! Also just to be themselves at every stage of the interview process and to remember that a little preparation goes a long way in terms of demonstrating your enthusiasm for the job.