Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

I have been at Cisco for 27 yrs. It's my first and only job I ever had after graduation. It pays the bills, what more do you want?

I left for a competitor after 4 years of CSAP+GVE and finding 0 options for career growth. Looking back I could've juggled the 2 jobs with 0 hassle but it's probably for the best I didn't. Wouldn't surprise me if more did this.

OP wait until you reach the age of 50 and see how much your market value is. Then you will have your answer.

"26 yrs and still going 'n going. LR-proof, untouchable, un-LRable. 3 more yrs and I will retire, on my OWN TERMS."

You are exactly the type of person that needs to be LR'd. Mainly to give you a reality check and give you a dose of humility. I have a few friends in other companies like this......they have no sympathy or clue to what a LR feels like.

Leadership is forced to keep a bunch of the old timers around to sp-t out the numbers they want to see out of the arcane systems & tools Cisco uses to run the business. It most cases, the final numbers come out of magical spreadsheets that only a few know how to create.

26 yrs and still going 'n going. LR-proof, untouchable, un-LRable. 3 more yrs and I will retire, on my OWN TERMS.

Post your employee number, I'll ping you on webex so you can go through my standard interview questions. You fail, you quit. Deal?

It's always entertaining to see those who've accomplished nothing lack so much self-awareness that they feel confident in questioning those that actually have accomplished something. I personally believe it's because too many mommy's and daddy's have decided that their first priority is being their children's cheerleader instead of their parent. It leads to all kinds of delusions from which their children never completely recover.

Boomers have a different work ethic than Millennials & the generation before us worked for one company their entire lives. When I joined Cisco in 1995 life was good. Everyone in the company, down to the mail room clerk, got stock options and by the late 90s the stock was splitting every six months. People struck gold when they cashed in those options which afforded them opportunities they could only dream of. Morale was high, business was booming and the company experienced exponential growth; it was a very exciting time. The best of the best worked for the company at the time and bonds were formed with great teamwork. Yes, times have changed and not for the better, but there's still a sense of belonging to those who've been around for a long time. Boomers are now too old to face the competitive job market & are just grateful to still be employed by a company they've been happy at for many years. Does that answer your question?

There are several things in common; they are all useless, unskilled, outdated, >incompetent with poor management, no leadership. And yet, they have high pride just >because of their long tenure. Anybody can do their job if you stay long. Even students can!

"All" is a convoluted argument here. Just because you questioned those you have seen(or those around you), it does not support such a generalization. I personally worked with several 15 years+ before and they were both talented and extremely hands-on.

I worked for cisco as a contractor for about 3 years in the early 2010s. I did it for the experience because it looks great on a network engineers resume.

I came back again once more for about four years in the late 2010s because they offered me a significant bump in pay, about 30%. Then I didn’t get a real raise for four years despite leading initiatives that saved the company millions. So I quit.

Someone else offered me a 50% raise, and I’ve been there ever since.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the tech industry, it’s that tech is filled with broken promises. Just go to whoever is going to pay the highest salary and fu-k everything else.

Its a great company to work for while raising a family. I am happy that some companies value their experienced employees who deliver results year after year

As long as Cisco allows employees to WFH, the old timers will stay forever working two jobs or 1-2 hours a day

24 years and have made a ton of money. More than you ever will, loser.

I took the 2020 ER after 21 years at Cisco. Late 50's too. 2 job offers after 2 interviews. Better pay and with better run companies. You can keep your bitterness and I'll keep the payout, thank you very much.

It's pretty much like that in every big company. Also some small ones.

I stayed 17 years for the $.

Luckily was around for the old pre-RSU option cycle.

Took early retirement five years ago.

Would NOT have stayed if not for the old-style stock options, and then first generous RSU cycles.

Cashed out when I left, now can retire any day. Mid 50s. Still work; but because I want to, not because I have to.

Those options and RSUs paid off all debts. Now in coast mode.

Very lucky and thankful to be around back then.

No idea why folks would still be here, if they were here in early 2000s. Either they can't manage their money (and missed cashing in), or are indeed coasting.

I mean, you’re not wrong, but also it sounds like you suck and someone with long tenure called you out on it.

Cisco is a relationship based company. Skills and performance are inconsequential for most roles at the company. After 8 years of PowerPoints at Cisco, the ability to land a job externally is extremely difficult.

I've watched Managers promoted to Sr. Director in 3 years without a successful strategic initiative.

I agree with you and have said exactly the same thing about these people.

They are called Paycheck Collectors.

Dude - Vest and Chill…..

Speaking from personal experience - one of the benefits of working at Cisco is that you can move across business units and products during that time. For myself, I had the opportunity to work on service provider, core products and new technologies that are now mainstream. All under my own initiative. I was at Cisco for 21 years. I was in the US, Amsterdam, Paris and Beijing during those years.

All of those experiences across the many business units and products had proven to be very valuable in my new role outside of the company. As a former manager at Cisco, I can say that anyone who sits in the same role for more than 3 years is likely stale and should take the initiative to look for personal and professional growth and next steps.

I enjoyed my time at Cisco. Your post reads to me like you were apprehensive to move to a new role and found yourself sitting in a 15-minute meeting recently.

Best of luck to you.