Software Engineer Interview Experience - Milpitas, California
Process
Applied via employee referral.
I was contacted for an initial phone screen, which was followed by an on-site interview.
The on-site interview had five one-on-one interviews, four of them technical.
I was told I would be contacted in a week after getting feedback from all interviewers. I never heard back from them, even after multiple follow-up attempts.
For a company as reputed as Cisco, this behavior is least expected.
When a candidate spends more than half a day answering questions, the least that is expected from the company is a timely closure.
This happened to me on all three occasions I interviewed with Cisco. They are highly unprofessional and do not value the candidate's time.
I would never interview with them again.
Questions
Resume-based questions, basic programming questions.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 11 interview experiences for the Cisco Software Engineer role in Milpitas, California.
Success Rate
Cisco's interview process for their Software Engineer roles in Milpitas, California is on the easier side as most engineers get an offer after going through it.
Experience Rating
Candidates reported having very good feelings for Cisco's Software Engineer interview process in Milpitas, California.
Cisco Work Experiences
- 2.0Good for entry level and to gain experienceSoftware Engineer • Current EmployeeMilpitas, California, United StatesNovember 9, 2025Pros: It is good to join at an entry level when you have nothing. You will get access to a whole range of development tools and environments. There are very good technical mentors as well. The campus is beautiful. There are good opportunities to network and move internally.Cons: In my first team, which probably did not generate much revenue, my pay was horrendous, but WLB was good. Switched to another team after a few years. Revenue-generating team, but my pay remained horrendous. The WLB is like working for Big Tech (too many tasks where you have a lot to work but no time to improve your learning curve), and no recognition whatsoever. Extremely deluded people are running the show in terms of people management.
- 5.0Talented people to work withSoftware Engineer • Current EmployeeMilpitas, California, United StatesOctober 30, 2025Pros: Talented people who know the ins and outs of internet technologies. Work-life balance. Awesome fitness facilities.Cons: Frequent layoffs. Lesser salary compared to other Bay Area companies.
- 5.0Chill place to workSoftware Engineer • Current EmployeeMilpitas, California, United StatesSeptember 25, 2025Pros: Great work-life balance and benefits. Unlimited PTO.Cons: Slow moving, everybody is very laidback.
Cisco Interview Questions
