Starting at a new company comes with a ton of emotions,questions and unknowns.When I got my offer to join Cisco as aTalent Acquisition Recruiteron ourCustomer Experienceteam, I was immediately excited-but, I also had a lot of questions. Was I making the right decision? What would this new opportunity bring? How would my career grow? What could I expect from Cisco? 

If you're currently in the hiring process, you're probably familiar with those questions and even a few more. Now that I'm two years into my position at Cisco, I wanted to shed some light on myexperience and what you could expect from Cisco.  

1. It's a very big company -And I do not say this ina bad way.At Cisco, there are 70,000+ employees around the globe that focus on a variety of priorities -I guess you could saywe're constantly in motion. The great thing about this is that, as you meet your colleagues, you'll find that they will help toguide you in the rightdirection,and you canlearn fromtheir unique experiences.

As Cisco is global, so are most of our teams. It is not unusual to work with someone from another country or have your team based in different locations. The good news is that you will also feel incredibly connected (thanks to our collaboration tools likeWebex) and you'll never miss a beat. From meetings and brainstorming sessions to virtual coffees or lunches -we are committed to staying connected and getting to know each other and celebrate ourdifferent nationalities,languages,and cultures.  

2. Everyone isalwayslearning -Wenever stop learning! Think we're an old, stodgy company -think again! Cisco truly acts like a start-up with its speed and dedication to innovation. Just when you think youhave mastered one skill, there is anotherskill ready for you to learnand develop. At Cisco,you will grow a lot, you will improve your skillscontinuously, and above all-you willlearn fromthosearound youwith the support of our executives, your manager and team. Our conscious culture and empathetic leaders will also help to guide your in the right direction. So, ask smart questions, learn from others, and never stop your education. The sky is the limit at Cisco.

3. We grow from taking bold steps -Comfort zones might be safe, but wethrive in stepping beyond what's comfortable and racing into the un-comfortable (that's where the good stuff happens, after all). Cisco encourages employees to find new limits and challenge our boundaries. Through programs like our Stretch Assignments (where you can learn and grow new skills by helping other teams) taking bold steps will not only help you to grow but will likely help Cisco to grow too. We don't believe in just daydreaming about what's possible -we believe in boldly chasing those dreams down and making them a reality too.

4. A company with heart -Do youlike to volunteer and give backto your community? At Ciscowe are a company with heart, dedicated to giving back to our community and those in need -and you will have 5 extradays (separate from your paid time off)to do soeach calendar year! Thisis a greatopportunity tostep away from the computer, and actively help your community in ways you are most passionate.

5. Flexible working -You know what they say, "There is no place like home." And while many of us thrive in office (and eagerly anticipate when we can resume working from our amazing Cisco offices again safely) -there is something to be said about remote work, which is something Cisco has championed for many years. (Hey, when you're the company behind the technology that makes 'work from anywhere' possible -that's a benefit for employees, too!)I love being connected to the world and my team from my desk at home, free of commuter traffic and working with my pets next to me all day. This is not only great for my productivity, but also has many wellness benefits too.

Looking back on when I accepted my offer to join Cisco -I can now confidently answer all those questions I had. This was absolutely the right decision and choosing to become a Cisco employee has been a rewarding opportunity that has grown my career exponentially. I'm ready to see what the future has in store for us all, and I hope you will join us too. 

Ready to joinCisco?Applynow. 

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