Cisco

Challenging work, always busy. New AI and cloud technology. Competitive pay, gym on-site. Management puts pressure on, but not too much. Work-life balance is great.

Pay increases are only once every 3 or more years, depending on how you are perceived and your current grade level. However, pay seems competitive (comparing Glassdoor numbers).

To get promoted, you have to schmooze AND be really good at what you do; being good is not enough.

There's always a lingering concern whether your BU may be hit by the next round of layoffs.

Don’t discourage people from wanting to be promoted.

The oft-touted management line is, “If you get promoted, you will be the lowest in your grade, so you really have to perform well unless you want to be the next one laid off.”

It seems like a scare tactic to limit the number of higher-grade employees.