Cisco

The best thing about working for Cisco might just be that if you are a competent and productive engineer, you have quite a bit of flexibility in defining your role and your contribution level.

If you are really gunning for promotions, look for a good group, find a niche, take on roles that are difficult or unwanted, and work your rear end off.

If you want to coast and balance your time between work and other interests, then find a steady group, manage your time well, and you can stay safe in your job with just about 40 hours of work a week. You might also have the flexibility to telecommute or work from home.

There is one other danger I must mention. This applies even in 'good' groups.

There is a tendency at Cisco to just keep loading you with more and more responsibilities until you actually stand up and say, "Enough."

If this is an interesting job, you might find that you are spending more time on work than you had originally planned, at the expense of family, friends, etc. So, decide for yourself how much you want to work and what your goals are. And then be prepared to work with your management to define the appropriate role.

No one will come and ask you what you want at Cisco. You have to decide that for yourself, and then communicate it to your management.

Also, if you do end up in a bad situation, be prepared to make an honest assessment of the situation and leave. No one likes to quit, but if you end up staying five or six years without fair rewards, you will find yourself falling well behind people who were your peers when you started... and this is really not a good experience.

Frugality is great, but do consider spending a little more on rewarding employees, defining incentives, and team-building.

Help change employee demographics over a period of time, so that there are more younger people. Right now, there are too many senior people in the company.

Provide better tools and resources for employees to foster career growth and development over the mid- to long-term.