Cisco Systems – “Your job is at risk every year”

Pros

- The salaries and bonuses are acceptable.
- You get to work with latest technology
- Very smart and talented co-workers

Cons

- Every year, approximately from July to Sept, Cisco targets internal organizations for reduction in head count. Your job is at risk every year.
- Salary increases are rare
- Once technology becomes stable, Cisco moves development to India and leaves US employees to search for new position or leave Cisco. So, if you do a good job, you are rewarded by losing your job.
- Cisco is always trying to get rid of the bottom 5%. After a while, this reaches the good workers.
- You work long hours, weekends, all-nighters, etc
- very limited job opportunities outside HQ
- no professional development.
- no training dollars.

Advice to Senior Management

- Cisco makes a ton of money. Share the wealth in salary increases and bonuses at the engineer level.
- Stop the outsourcing to other countries. US employees will do a great job, if given the opportunity.