Cisco, nice good place to coast, bad place to innovate or raise the bar.
Pros
- For someone interested in networking, security, and unified communications, Cisco is one of the better large companies to apply your skills - If you have the right position in the right BU/organization, you obviously can make a large impact, given Cisco's success in the marketplace - Overall, Cisco seems to have generally nice people - Certain items such as its core values (ethics, frugality) are pushed downward quite effectively - Cisco shines in sales and channels
Cons
- Cisco has a long way to go in terms of effective product delivery (including product management and engineering). Too often, it must acquire in order to enter new markets. - Product cycles are too long (1-2 yrs on average from concept to FCS) - Brain-drain (outward) - Too bureaucratic in terms of career growth, ownership of efforts, accountability - When one can get higher compensation, more responsibility/authority/accountability, better title at other technology companies, one has to wonder what true advantage there is to stay at Cisco - Too many "lifers" coasting