Top 5 Reasons to #LoveWhereYouWork at Cisco

When you close your eyes and I say the word, “Cisco.” What comes to mind? For me, words like “boring” or “traditional” never come to mind. Cisco, for me, is a place where my opinion matters, where I can be myself, and where the people are at the heart of everything we do.

As the Grand Prize Winner of 2019’s #LoveWhereYouWork Contest, I wanted to share my Top 5 Reasons for why I love working at Cisco:

1. Giving Back. You hear this one a lot, so perhaps it is of no surprise to find it at the top of my list as well. While working at Cisco, I’ve had many opportunities to give back to my community and even take on leadership for some of these events. It is a great feeling to know that I work for a company that cares about people before anything else. Yes, numbers are important, but knowing that I have a chance to make a true impact on our planet, even in small ways, fills my heart because I am part of a much bigger plan at Cisco.

2. Time. It’s something we all wish we had more of, and something we can’t get back once it’s expired. Cisco realizes the importance of time and the impact that work/life balance leaves on each employee. I love that there is flexibility in my work schedule so that I can work from anywhere. From my parent’s house, to accommodating my in-office-hours around Mexico City’s heavy traffic this is such a wonderful benefit Cisco (and our awesome technology) encourages.

3. Travel. One important motive that is not always easy to find in a company is the chance to travel around the world. As an engineer I’ve had a lot of projects that sometimes require me to be onsite, so working across cultures and meeting people from different parts of the world has enriched my life.

Last year an interesting project took me on a cruise to Barcelona, I was onboard troubleshooting Cisco devices – it was so surreal, and I couldn’t believe I was really there. It was a dream come true! Working on a cruise from the other side of the world doing what I love was one of my personal bucket list goals – and Cisco made that dream possible.

4. Culture. Our culture is the very heart beat of Cisco, and it shows in our people. Co-workers are always willing to help in any possible way, and that goes from team members to managers and our leaders. Everyone is super friendly, and this provides a working environment that is motivating. Two years ago, a team mate started a soccer team, and while I had never played I decided to give it a try. Now it’s one of my favorite hobbies – all inspired by the community and culture at Cisco.

5. The Challenge. Last but not least, Cisco is always challenging me to learn new technologies and new things, just when you find your comfort zone – you’ll find someone is there to challenge you to grow beyond that level. I’ve been working at Cisco for almost 7 years and I can tell you that I have learned so many new and different things and I’ve faced diverse challenges almost every day!

A bonus reason I truly love working at Cisco is that I can always be myself! I don’t have to change who I am to fit the mold, in fact it is embraced and encouraged to be your true self because that helps us in innovating and collaborating through authenticity and diversity in thought.

When I close my eyes and think of “Cisco” – these are the words that come to mind.  What are yours?

Want to #LoveWhereYouWork? We’re hiring. Apply now.