Software Engineers at Cisco, are HEAVILY underpaid. At least in San Jose area.
Yes, the work is more flexible, but I don't think this justifies the magnitude of underpayment.
II recently interviewed at Tier 1 Sillicon Valley companies, and now have offers at hand in excess of double of my current total-comp.
Did anyone tried asking Cisco to match external offers with so big difference?
It's not only about stocks. I'm currently gettin 12Xk as a SE IV in San Jose; I interviewed with three companies, got rejected once and two offers - one for 180k and one for 190k base. 15% bonus in both AND some stocks on top of that. So it's not exactly doubling my base, but it's close. And if you factor RSU (which I don't have at cisco at all), it's more then 2.5 my current total-comp.
And since you're asking - yes I'm leaving.
"I code only" ...
These are words of death and doom for an engineer. Replace the verb to fit your track.
We must always be learning, always be growing, and always moving forward. Otherwise, well, shelf-life right?
If you can do C/C++, you can do any of the fashionable languages, and continue to be marketable.
Heck, you might even like it.
I code only in C/C++...
So the skills are not in demand and those high paying firms doesnt need these skills. Unfortunately, Cisco is keeping these skills and paying (or wasting money?)..
I was LR' at 15+ years and was hired at next job with 20% salary increase. Sounds good, sure; but Cisco does indeed have exceptional medical insurance plan. Go shop healthcare.gov; Cisco plan would be $30k+ out of pocket a year if you had to buy it online.
Not fake. Left Cisco years ago after 10+ years.
Total compensation is now 4x what it was @Cisco. Salary alone is 40% higher.
It takes a while to get used to working with a company that rewards your work, rather than give excuse after excuse why they can't.
I code only in C/C++, so cannot leave to work at those high paying firms. Believe you me, I was offered 2x what I make here at Cisco. Waiting for LR package too, then will take time to learn other coding languages in high demand.
The salaries at cisco are comparable to other companies, the bonus is often better than what other companies give. However, the stock plan that cisco has is awful. So in up stock markets (like we've had for the past few years) Cisco's total comp is worse than competitors... however, if the stock market was down (but somehow Cisco was still paying out the full bonus) it would seem better.
Never understood how managers could think we'd be happy when they gave out 100-1000 shares that vest over 4 years.
So leave and stop your crying you big baby.
Double? BS. Yes, underpaid, but not that bad. You are ridiculous.
Fake rumors.
If anyone who get's paid 2x the amount, why bother asking Cisco to match? Unless there is something which is very enticing at cisco?