Cisco

I was a contract software test engineer in the TelePresence business unit for a little over a year. I had just finished school, but the fact that my transition to the "real world" was incredibly smooth meant Cisco was a good choice.

One of the best things about being at Cisco is that our team was like a big family; everyone was generally very friendly and helpful. We had frequent group lunches, and our manager even gave gift cards for fancy restaurants to people that worked especially hard. I got most of my tasks from our technical leader, and she was always there to support me even though I wasn't one of her direct reports. Our team consisted of three separate groups when I first joined, but I had the opportunity to work with each of them.

Another nice thing about Cisco is that it doesn't treat contractors like second-class citizens. With the exception of a few internal conferences, contract employees were free to attend most corporate events. This is definitely something that other companies should consider.

The Cisco campus is huge, and getting around can be a little tough. On the other hand, each building has its own cafeteria, so employees who are in a hurry only have to go downstairs instead of all the way to McCarthy Ranch to get a bite.

Pros in a nutshell:

• Close-knit team
• Contractors aren't treated like the lower class
• Convenient dining

Of course, no company is perfect. I think the biggest downside of Cisco (or at least the team I was on) is that people are expected to work late hours. Our manager never told us to stay until a certain time, but most of my colleagues didn't go home until 7:00 p.m. or later, and I didn't want to be "that one guy" that always left at 5:00 p.m.

The higher-ups at Cisco tend to enjoy politics, and reorganizations are fairly common as a result. There have been at least two major organizational changes during my time on the TelePresence team. It is also hard for engineers to move up, and people constantly left the team because of this. By the time my one-year contract had ended, I was the only remaining member out of the people that were in my group when I first joined.

The salary wasn't something to write home about, but this was understandable as my position was an entry-level one, and part of the cut had to go to the staffing company.

Despite the downsides, I had an overall great time being on the TelePresence team. Of course, Cisco is a huge corporation, and every group is going to be different. As the saying goes: your mileage may vary.

Cons in a nutshell:

• Long work hours
• Politics
• High turnover rate, little opportunity for growth
• Salary isn't too competitive

Put greater focus on employees' talents. More team-building and social events (such as dance parties and family picnics) would also be nice.