4.0
Jul 15, 2019
Pays well, but political and not very innovative
Current employee, more than 3 years
Austin, TX
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook
Pros
Generally, Cisco pays well and the benefits are top-notch, with RSU grants, company stock purchase plan, health/dental/vision insurance, and 1-for-1 401K matching for the first 5% of your salary contribution.
Cons
The environment is very political with multiple VPs jockeying to see who will rule them all and building empires. There are constant reorganizations and cost-cutting leading to yearly layoffs. It's almost impossible to get promoted unless you happen to work on whatever is the hot new product. Raises are scarce (because they add to long-term cash outlay); most "rewards" come in the form of one-time bonus or RSU grants. It's a highly bureaucratic culture that rushes from crisis to crisis without adequate strategic accountability.