What is it like to work here?The environment is very welcoming. Everyone is always ready to help or answer questions, which is so important in such a fast-paced workplace. The attitude makes work fun. Though we are extremely busy with our various assignments, you really feel like you are part of a family; everyone always makes time to lend an ear or tell a joke. I leave knowing that my seniors not only care about the work I produce, or even just about me as an employee, but also about how I am getting along and enjoying my position. What is a typical "day in the life" like? What do you spend your time doing?There are many meetings. Some days feel like you run from conference room to conference room. However, that is necessary given the collaborative and self-empowering culture. Meeting so often accomplishes two cultural goals: (1) they keep everyone on the same page regarding projects, which is helpful when you have been given so much responsibility with little direction. Cisco is all about making your own path and working the way in which you are most productive. There is no micromanaging, so you are on your own to give it your best. Meetings give you the opportunity to return “home” and get in touch with others, making sure you are still on the right path, even if your path curves differently in the middle. (2) Meetings give you the chance to ask questions and get input from a wide variety of people and experience, making sure your work best fits in with the overall goals of the organization. Having the chance to ask questions and get advice is pertinent in this environment. How do you work together with your team?I joke that I lucked out with the team I joined, because everyone is so friendly and always willing to work and play, but truth is that is what I hear about everyone’s teams. All teams at Cisco are ready to lend a helping hand in order to get the job done, and waiting after to celebrate the hard work behind a job well done. My team has always been there to help and make the day fun, and other teams have not been shy to reach out with advice, information or friendship. Why did you choose to work at Cisco?Coming out of school I wanted to join a company that had longevity and could teach me more about the business world outside the classroom. The size of Cisco provides both those opportunities. In just the first month I learned so much about the Business-to-Business market school cannot show you, and have been given the chance to grow and learn from those experiences within my work. Cisco not only has the power as a corporation, but their collaborative decision making model allows even the youngest workers to have a say in operations and the chance to learn from constructive, effective critiquing, an opportunity that many of my peers do not have in their rookie years at other companies. What is your favorite thing about working here?The people and the work itself are both things to be admired. As I mentioned above, my coworkers are always around to help out, and make a bad day good. But I enjoy the projects equally. Cisco does a great job at placing people in departments where their individual strengths and preferences really help them thrive. I am excited to get working on each new project handed my way, not just because I am given more responsibility, but because it is a project that sounds like fun. What advice would you give to anyone interested in joining Cisco?Before the interview process, sit down and really think about what your strengths and weaknesses are, and how those will help the company. Then take that thought one step further, so that you are comfortable with yourself in what you like to do and what you can do. You want to be confident in an interview, and you cannot be confident until you are fully comfortable with yourself. During the interview process, do not be afraid to tell them what your weaknesses are, and what it is you love to do most, so that they can place you in a position where you will not fail. Once all that goes well, asking questions, listening to conversations and contributing will give you the chance to receive clear explanations, absorb the projects/culture and test out your own ideas to see how you can best adapt and make the company stronger. |
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