career growth

Discovering My True Value: My Journey to a Fulfilling Career at Cisco

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Discovering My True Value: My Journey to a Fulfilling Career at Cisco

I didn’t know much about Cisco initially, but I did know that the culture and work-life balance I experienced for the past five years was far from ideal. It was common for me to work 12–14-hour days as an order creator and order manager in telecommunications. Exceeding expectations typically resulted in a simple thank you and even more work. Despite my passion for the job and maintaining a positive mental attitude, I realized that my…

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10 Reflections and Learnings From My Transformative First Year and a Half at Cisco

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10 Reflections and Learnings From My Transformative First Year and a Half at Cisco

I am committed to changing the world for the better. My life is dedicated to that mission. I joined Cisco a year and a half ago because of the company’s passion for purpose-driven work, and my journey so far has been transformational. Currently, I am a member of the People, Policy & Purpose (3P) FLEX Emerging Leaders Program, which is a leadership rotational program for early-in-career individuals to explore careers within the various 3P teams….

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What Happens When Your House Burns Down Right Before a Meeting?

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What Happens When Your House Burns Down Right Before a Meeting?

Imagine this: you’re about to hop on a meeting with a leader, and suddenly, your house catches fire. I was working from home one afternoon and had just finished a phone call. Little did I know, my life was about to change dramatically. I grabbed some food, and as I sat down at my desk to eat before my next meeting, I heard an explosion. I checked our air conditioning unit in the backyard—it was…

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Finding My Place, Part Three: Translating Military Skills to Cybersecurity Leadership

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Finding My Place, Part Three: Translating Military Skills to Cybersecurity Leadership

When I left the military, I had some big misconceptions. I thought jumping into a leadership position at a big company like Cisco would be a breeze. I had already led Marines into conflict zones, so how hard could it be? But, after being turned down several times for leadership positions at several different companies, I had to rethink my strategy. It turned out that I had a lot to learn about the business world, especially the business…

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My Journey with Cisco: A Decade of Growth, Opportunity, and Empowerment

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My Journey with Cisco: A Decade of Growth, Opportunity, and Empowerment

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” This quote, attributed to Roman philosopher Seneca, perfectly captures how I found myself here, in the extraordinary world of Cisco. I was browsing the shelves of a huge bookstore when suddenly my eyes landed on the CCNA guide preparation books. It felt like a sign from the universe to buy them. Sure, I may not have had all the networking skills at that moment, but I knew…

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Why We’re a Cisco Family Through and Through

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Why We’re a Cisco Family Through and Through

I started my career as a contractor with Cisco back in December 2003 with the Support Delivery Services IT Finance team. Even as a contractor, I could see from day one the incredible culture Cisco had, and everyone made me feel like I was part of the team and not a newbie. That’s when I knew that this was the company I wanted to build my career with. This is where I belonged. Cisco as…

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Celebrating Latinas in Tech

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Celebrating Latinas in Tech

To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Cindy Valladares and Laura Elena Garza discussed their experiences as Latinas in tech. Valladares, director of brand strategy, customer advocacy, and storytelling at Cisco security, and Garza, manager of the Site Reliability Engineering Delivery team for Cisco Duo, hadn’t met before but quickly connected over how their cultures have impacted their lives and careers and how they both currently call the Pacific Northwest home. If you also value connection, authenticity,…

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