Cisco

Good work-life balance. Allows you to work remotely.

I joined with a good salary 5 years ago as a new grad out of college, and I have seen only ONE increment of 5% in the last 5 years. It was not like I was not doing good.

They kept doing re-orgs and rotated me under different managers. Each manager said I needed to establish myself with him. And each one promised me a promotion next year, which didn't happen.

I saw other people in other groups getting promoted or salary hiked much faster, and here I am slogging under one manager after another, sometimes doing junk work that the technical leads themselves do not want to take. I stayed on because they gave me flexibility to work from home, which I needed as I was facing some family issues.

I looked outside and landed up with an offer that directly gave me a 45% hike. Happy to get out of here finally!

I would not advise young people to join Cisco unless they know they are getting the right pay, the right recognition, and growth in their careers. Each group is different; not every group needs to be like mine. But move out as soon as you find out you are stagnating or you are not being justly rewarded/promoted, within 6 months.

Please do not do ratings based on peers in the same grade, but based on an individual's performance and what is needed for that project. Promotions and salary hikes become too political, especially when you are under a new manager versus a seasoned manager who might have a good rapport with the director.