career growth

From Rejections to Sold-Out Session: My Journey to the Cisco Live Stage

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From Rejections to Sold-Out Session: My Journey to the Cisco Live Stage

For years, I watched Cisco Live sessions with admiration — each one sparking the same thought in my mind: “One day, I want to be up there, too.” I applied to speak at Cisco Live year after year, refining ideas, evolving with technology trends, and learning from each “thank you, but not this time” email, each one a small sting of disappointment, but also motivation to keep pushing forward. In 2025, that dream finally became…

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How a Passion for Languages Led to a Global Career at Cisco

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How a Passion for Languages Led to a Global Career at Cisco

“¿Qué ondas?” That’s a familiar greeting in El Salvador, where I’m from, a land where surf and coffee blend harmoniously. When I was growing up there as a kid, my grandma asked me if I wanted to take summer classes. She gave me three choices: drawing, math, or English classes. At the time, I felt like I was good enough in math. I was more into music than drawing. So, she paid for my summer…

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High Five: Top 5 Moments That Made My 5 Years at Cisco Unforgettable!

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High Five: Top 5 Moments That Made My 5 Years at Cisco Unforgettable!

It all started with my first interview, a moment that set the tone for everything to come at Cisco. Picture this: my manager (interviewer at the time) casually asked if I watched the show “Friends” and what my favourite episode was. This unexpected interview question surprised me at the time, but I’ve come to realize that it captured what Cisco is all about. This company isn’t just about the work; it’s about building genuine relationships…

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Reaching My Ultimate Goal: Cisco Live!

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Reaching My Ultimate Goal: Cisco Live!

In undergrad at East Carolina University, I stumbled across Cisco Live. Although I was a communications major interested in journalism and mass media, I was familiar with the lucrative opportunities in the Raleigh-Durham area at various tech companies and I wanted to land a great job at one of them someday. Cisco was the second company I researched. The first thing I saw on the homepage was Cisco Live. I was intrigued by the collaboration…

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From Lifeguard to Leader: How One Conversation at a Pool Changed My Life Forever

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From Lifeguard to Leader: How One Conversation at a Pool Changed My Life Forever

Imagine this: You’re fresh out of university, filled with big dreams and a bit of uncertainty. During your recent internships, you often felt lost, struggling to navigate without proper guidance from busy supervisors. You had to figure things out on your own.  This is how my career journey begins. CSAP 2004/2005 Class in front of the Cisco Amsterdam office. Back in 1999, I went to San Jose State University as part of the exchange program…

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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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