What Cisco does: Cisco provides a plethora of technological services to promote data security in businesses and allow real-time data exchange.
Mission: Cisco USA aims to help clients and businesses thrive technologically by providing them with a futuristic internet that helps them scale.
Size and Presence: Cisco currently employs 38,080 workers across 75 offices within the United States.
Best Known For: Cisco's reputation has grown over the past two decades thanks to its major role in improving technological services for businesses. It also works in collaboration with other brands to ensure customer satisfaction.
The good bits: Cisco is a place of innovation challenging the creativity of its workers and giving them the freedom to execute projects.
The not-so-good bits: Growth Opportunities in the company require commitment and dedication which could impair the general work/life balance.
In 1984, Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner founded Cisco. Its founders were Stanford University workers and this was evident in the proprietary technology of the company.
Lenard and Sandy’s technology was used by Stanford students to communicate with each other and remain linked.
The early Cisco team included; Lenard, Sandy, Lougheed, Greg Satz, and Richard Troiano. The name “Cisco” was shortened from “San Francisco”.
In 1990, the company went public with a market cap of around $224 million. Cisco also became the first company to commercialize router systems compatible with various network protocols. The flexible IOS and CPU-based architecture mean the Cisco system could continue to evolve and develop.
Following the popularity of internet protocols in the 90s, Cisco became a major player in the market. They developed several gadgets including GSR routers and modem shelves.
At the peak of its success in 2000, Cisco had a market cap of around $500 billion with the highest global value. Since then, Cisco has continued to increase its globalization by acquiring several companies internationally.
In 2018, Cisco was ranked 444 on the Forbes 2000 global list and continues to evolve with developing technologies.
Ranked among the most friendly places to work, Cisco embraces a culture of consciousness. They foster and support employees to develop an environment where everyone grows.
At Cisco, accountability is king with employees given the freedom to innovate and enjoy an atmosphere that lets them give their best.
The vibe at the company is fun, interesting, and vibrant with everyone working on a plethora of exciting projects. Everyone is seen to demonstrate empathy and every problem at Cisco has a solution.
Attracting talents from all around the world, the workplace dynamic and prestigious nature make for a competitive hiring process at Cisco.
The recruitment process for graduates and interns at Cisco is classed into five stages. After applicants submit their applications, they are required to participate in an MCQ round.
After participating in the 50-question MCQ test, graduate and intern applicants participate in the technical rounds. There are two stages in this round with each one solely based on testing the candidate's understanding of technical subjects.
The next round is the managerial round which requires candidates to showcase their ability to comb through problems and proffer solutions.
Finally, the HR round gives graduate and intern applicants the to express themselves and show how well they fit into the company’s cultural preferences.
The hiring process at Cisco is generally competitive but plays a crucial role in helping the company and applicants ease into working together.
Career development at Cisco takes center stage as they believe that the best employees are the ones that seek room to hone their skills and develop new ones.
At Cisco, they seek to understand the skilled aspects of their workforce and seek ways to help them improve and develop. They even claim to foster accountability in career development for employees through systems such as the APM. This arrangement allows employees to underline how much career progress they have made through the year.
Cisco also created “My Learning Network” to help workers access various materials for their career growth. They claim to provide room for mentorship as well as to direct employees toward their dream careers and deliver professional advice along the way.
At Cisco, there is always room to grow and every employee in every department has a great chance of surpassing their career ceiling.
The average entry-level salary at Cisco pegs at around $104,846 per year and interns earn $30,000 annually.
Cisco embraces its role as a revolutionary technological giant to provide profitable technological solutions. They are making wholesome changes to reduce their carbon impact and provide ways for their employees to volunteer as well.
Cisco also claims partnerships with other organizations such as World Possible to infuse knowledge into communities. They aim to provide offline intellectual materials to areas without an internet connection.
Cisco was required to pay $91.75 million for filing misleading statements in 2001. These allegations were made by insider traders and owners of Cisco stocks. Despite denying these claims, Cisco directors, insurers, and officers elected to settle the suit.