It has nothing to do with age. After 10+ years at Cisco you are G11 or 12 and too expensive. I was a 35 year old G12 and was let go a couple years ago. Ended up with huge payout due to circumstances and was able to reinvent myself. Now I work for a competitor and my comp has been slightly better than Cisco ever was. For anyone reading this, is Cisco pays you take it and go. Between cobra, accelerated RSU's, PTO, and severance you make out OK. Just stay on LinkedIn and keep interviewing so you are ready when the time comes, because it will. Cisco revenue is almost flat compared to high growth tech. Kelly and Chuck play a shell game for EPS and you are the next knob to lower expenses.
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Maybe not in all cases but in my case it definitely was. I was laid of in BXB in 2016. They had a session for the employees being laid off where they brought in somebody from MA state unemployment to explain about claiming unemployment, etc. Every person in the room was over the age of 50 (including the HR director who organized the session - she also got laid off).
Being laid off is certainly about age - in so far as age is tied to grade. Grades 11 and 12 are the toughest to stay in long term, as they pay the highest, relative to responsibilities. The corporate line is "it's not you, it's your role...." but unless your department is going away lock-stock-and-barrel, that's generally BS...as your prior responsibilities will be reallocated among those not impacted on your team.....so why "you" vs someone else = age = grade = cost.
Kelly and Chuck play a shell game for EPS and you are the next knob to lower expenses.
100% true. The next spin will be how we are focused on efficiency and opex reduction.
You typically get accelerated to the next vest period. So let’s say you get canned in August, and your next vest is January. You get the RSUs that would have vested had you stayed until January. Any RSUs not vested are then taken back. I’m not sure on the exact time, I think it was a year or less from termination.
Tell us more about accelerated RSUs. I didn't know that happens at Cisco.
Cisco doesn't wear skinny jeans.
I believe age is very much a factor. But in addition, there is the real problem that discrimination by age starts very early in Silicon Valley, around 40 or so. That is why some guys are getting botox treatments here! And they are dyeing their hair too. Anything not to show grey hair or (heaven forbid) white hair.
Once past 40, you are no longer young and hip, and you are presumed to be over the hill. My friends and I have had many experiences where phone screens went great, but as soon as they saw you in person, they looked at you as if you were the walking dead. Once you get that look, the interview is already over before it has even begun.
Found at @Zk18Eqk-rbud, on point post.