My move to Calix.

I wasn’t sure what kind of blog I wanted to have after leaving Cisco. I put a lot into my career to get on at Cisco, but it wasn’t meant to be.  I like so many other people in this economy was laid off.

While I was there, I created this blog to show off a little insider insight into what it was like to work there.  Since leaving, I can also offer some experience I’ve had as a candidate too. I think it’s relevant and has made me a better recruiter.

 I have nothing but respect for Cisco and its leadership. They have a hard fight to win. Best of Luck to Cisco.

I had never heard of Calix before this summer and I can’t believe how lucky I am that they found Me. They put me through a ringing set of interviews that really tested me. I'll never forget the shear horrow of realizing that this could be the absolute perfect career opportunity for me, and at the same exact moment realizing how at any second I could find a way to stick my foot in my mouth and blow it... Interviewing sucks, even for a recruiter.

The great part about it though, was that I understood that this was exactly the kind of company that was going to allow me to stumble through an interview answer to allow me to get to what they wanted to see- which was the best that I had to offer. I couldn't be happier.

I highly recommend this place as a real contender for the best work of your professional life. Every person Calix hires is a difference maker- for better or for worse, I should add- and I'm looking for people who will take ownership of that opportunity and create something great out of it. That's my standard.

This company is a success story in the making and I have a front row seat... It was a lot of hard work and commitment that has made the company what it is today. It's the kind of company that’s easy to recruit for and still a bit of a secret... The company is packed full of vision and strategies that when executed correctly pay off big time with a healthy and prosperous business and workforce. Calix equipment is sensational and it’s people from top to bottom make a compelling difference in the market...

I want to use this space to share some of my experience along the way and see where we wind up, together… As always, my comments in this blog are my own and only represent my own opinions, and definitely not necessarily those of Calix (unless they agree but you’ll have to ask them yourself).  

The official Calix blog is here:

http://community.calix.com/t5/Calix-Community-Blog/bg-p/CalixBlog

Rebecca is fantastic and Calix' Social Media guru. She’ll be blogging from the Calix User Group Conference in Las Vegas.

http://usergroup.calix.com/2011/

I’m going to see if I can go… It looks cool and I'm sure there's going to be a ton that I could learn.

Cheers to the future- I’ll be back with something, soon or maybe I'll see you in Las Vegas??

Rob Segall

How to get more out of your LinkedIn Network- Like it or Not

Here’s a news flash… Your network is only as valuable as the actions you and your connections take to create that value.

Most all of us on LinkedIn are professionals with degrees, jobs and still-developing-careers, but really grasping how to develop and leverage those networks remains more than a bit of a mystery. Here’s my shot at shedding some light on the subject for anyone that’s interested.

For me personally, I have over 2,000 fantastic and highly accomplished people in my network- quite likely that you are one of them. I’m lucky, because my career as a recruiter from IBM to HP to now Cisco has allowed me to be toward the cutting edge of the social media evolution. 

I see some opportunities that may be worth pursuing as you think about your career development strategies.

Be Involved | Get into the Conversation

Effective Networking- even on LinkedIn where we’re all professionals is still has a very social element.

Networking is not about watching your contacts work for you, it’s about sharing knowledge, ideas and interests, across your network. When you make small contributions, each has a ripple effect that goes out to your network at large and then most importantly allows your network to do the same. 


When you activate your network the broadcast grows exponentially and that message becomes amplified.   The more contributions to the conversation we make, the greater the opportunity for a wider the reach and amplification.

If your network isn’t working as well as you’d like, take the opportunity to step in and begin to lead your network in activity and involvement.  (personally, I recommend linking them to this blog-thank you) 


Here are a few ways to get started and what’s going on when you do.

‘Like’ things | Oh, GO FOR IT!

Say for instance you’re connected to a really classy recruiter that posts job announcements or shares something you find interesting or valuable every once in a while. It doesn't have to be love, it can just be Like... even 'Like' with a little 'l'.  it can just be 'Like' for appreciating and encouraging more sharing.


We’re trained to look at things only in terms of fit for ourselves, but when you think about a Job Announcement, think in terms of ‘career opportunities’ for other people in your network and becoming someone that ads value… think in terms of sharing visibility of something that you or your network will find of value, not for you and your career, but for your network.

When you ‘like’ an update, that tiny bit of information shares as an update across your network of contacts and thus brings an opportunity one step closer to the right audience.  A comment can make an even deeper impact (more on that in a moment). Your involvement, even as small as a ‘like’ holds the power of amplification across not only your network, but of countless others. The impact will surprise you.


Why do People Whig Out about Like? | There's High Value in this Simple Click

Your entire network values your contribution. Watch the number of views to your profile go up as you start ‘liking’ updates. The feedback reinforces the types of updates you like-to-see from your network and instantly brands you as someone of value within your network.

Those Classy Recruiters will almost always check out your profile with ‘the best’ reaching out personally to make contact and start a conversation.  Keep the conversation active; small contributions go a very long way in this day and age of technology and interconnectedness. Keep an eye out as the communication continues to evolve.

Your contacts will find value and that value increases if they catch on to how to improve the quality and reach of their network as well.

(If you’re like most adults and still wondering about Twitter, this should shed some light on how quickly information can move and how far it can reach and how quickly a message can amplify.)

Comment on Interesting Topics | Why Do People Whig Out about Commenting?

You should comment on things that interest you.  Even if it’s not a job announcement from a Classy Recruiter, there are tons of great articles shared and when you start sharing, your contacts understand better the context of your background and interests. 


This does nothing but improve your personal brand and begins to cement your name in the consciousness of your contacts as a potential expert in their field. Who doesn’t want valuable contacts that know you as a SME?

You brand yourself as different than the rest, standing out in the crowd while showing off your common ground.

Make a Great Point | Score Big Points

A well-articulated comment demonstrates excellent communication skills as well as expertise. It’s a great platform to practice building social grace around your knowledge and experience while beginning to build stronger bonds across your network. You’ll be rewarded with every good point you make and you’ll be appreciated for reinforcing someone else’s contributions as well.

There is good value in commenting someone else’s status update or comment. Often times you’ll be able to rephrase the context more succinctly or drive home a critical point that changes the angle or perspective just enough to shine light on your industry or vertical. (How this may be important to you and your network)

“Like” is not a long term commitment, you don’t have to worry about overstepping any social boundaries. Take the lead and do your part to make your network valuable to everyone including and especially you.

This is a complicated enough world and we all have an important contribution to offer. The tools and resources are available like never before to participate rather than spectate. Like it or Not.

Cheers to the Future.


Rob Segall

http://www.linkedin.com/in/robsegall

How to Stand Out for All the Right Reasons

Cisco is definitely a destination to exercise your best work habits and sharpest skills. It's a company that is competitive to Get Into and by all accounts is absolutely worth it to your career to make that happen.

Here are a few thoughts and pieces of advise about how to help you stand out:

1) Understand and Articulate Your Strengths, Passions and Career Trajectory before you explore.

-Do a deep dive and assess your qualifications to bring not just your best forward, but begin to answer the question "Why am I right for Cisco?" By understanding your own make up, you'll be able to communicate how that applies to Cisco, and why it is valuable.

- Don't fear what you're not best at, if you hide it, it will be a negative, but if you recognize it, you can now demonstrate a commitment to improvement and offer a window into how to be managed successfully. While sometimes painful, at Cisco the Managers are here to Build You Up, not tear you down. Carefully recognize and begin to address your shortcomings ahead of exploring. Your preparation demonstrates your professionalism.

2) Have Clear Objectives. 

-The roles you apply to should make sense to a recruiter and also show consistency. Applying to too many roles in differing categories is confusing to those involved in the selection process (i.e. recruiters). Recruiters need to know with confidence what you are best at and deliver that judgement with confidence to the hiring managers. Your specificity and clarity of objective helps assure that we are all on the same page.

-If you apply to everything off the wall, we now have a question about you, not an answer.

3) Network and Connect.

-I am a proponent of not only making connections on Linkedin, but of leveraging those contacts to maximize their value. I recommend doing the same.  If you want to connect and network with someone about a possible job, but don't know who to connect with, Ask... There is no harm in inquiring about who your network would recommend you connect with to get one step closer. For recruiters: Be specific, Keep it as transactional- nothing time absorbing- and make a quick and compelling pitch about yourself. 

Eventually, your hard work in connecting and networking will absolutely pay off.

4) Don't give up on your recruiter- Once is not enough.

    - Achieving your goals for a better career is not as easy as saying 'hello' or asking for answers from the recruiter. It takes a lot of hard work, persistence and determination to make a long term impact and build meaning within these types of recruiting relationships.  Your recruiter may not be able to assist at the volume, frequency or speed that you would most desire, but don't mistake this as a 'no'... It's simply an expression of work load and conflicting priorities. Be Persistent in your communications but also Be Right. Every email is an opportunity to build your personal brand.  Trust me, If you are the best person for the job, we definitely want you to wave your arms and get our attention.

   -By recognizing your value and providing an insistence in the quality and impact of your competencies, you're communicating the necessary confidence for success. This will eventually reward you with next steps.

5) Network Valuable Career Opportunities.

- I'm consistently surprised at how little sharing of opportunities exists across industries. It's a rare person who shares job announcements across their network and yet it's something that is almost universally desired by all of us: Advancement or Improvement in our Career.

-If you know someone who would like the idea of a raise, working for a top rated company that treats their employees with the highest respect and rewards them for their initiative, drive and performance, it makes sense to let them know about the opportunity... The worst case scenario is that they say Thank You for thinking of me.

For me, I guess that people fear that they are intruding where they are not welcome. It could be that they don't know how to share opportunities without announcing they have a relationship with a recruiter. Really, it's OK to talk to recruiters and no-one in your network will disparage your pursuit of valuable contacts or for developing your career. If they were to tell you otherwise, why are they in your network to begin with? If you're interested in Career Opportunities, you want allies, not hall monitors in your network.


Ultimately if you'd like to receive leads about great opportunities from Your network, share first and watch what happens for you later. And just to let you know- 84% of all working Americans are looking for a new role in 2011... 84%... probably 84% of your network too.

Build upon your relationships to gain champions, Cisco included. The recruiter as well as any person you help connect with a career in Cisco will personally value your efforts and never forget the great lead. 

Integrate some of these concepts in your networking and recruiter communications, you'll become more of a stand out for all the right reasons.

Cheers to The Future and Thanks for tolerating the ramble to the end.

Cisco- After the Honeymoon

In 1995 after graduate school, my now wife and I moved to Raleigh, NC to enter the workforce and begin our careers and start raising our family. Sometime in early 1996 I learned about this cool company called Cisco for the first time. A friend of mine who was a technical writer at Cisco told me to get on board, and explained that they made routers, switches and ATM’s (I thought she meant money-machines). It wasn't just the technology, but it was the passion she spoke about the company that was so intriguing. When she explained that Cisco was the backbone of the internet, I realized just how important this company was going to be, for a very, very long time to come (even if I barely understood that the internet was bigger than AOL!). 

Cisco instantly became my choice as The Destination for my career.   

In the 1990’s Cisco, was the smartest business I had ever heard of; the internet was exploding as we all remember and it was so fundamentally and almost instantly changing the way the world connected. When I realized that the internet was probably never going to go away (good guess), I recognized that Cisco was the one company that was also never going to go away.  Cisco was brilliantly positioned, exceptionally run and jam packed full of literally the best and brightest minds in the talent market.

When I started my career as a recruiter a couple years later all those years ago, Cisco was already a tech giant and becoming a Powerhouse. I couldn’t pry people away from ‘anything Cisco.’

Here are a few of the Cisco lines I heard in my early days as an agency recruiter:

…“I’m interviewing with Cisco, I’ll call you if I don’t get the job.”

…“I have an offer on the table from Cisco for $120k with stock options - can you beat that?”

… and, “Dude, I work for Cisco… why would I want to leave?”

Cisco was hiring the smartest and most bright-eyed people in the market and absolutely owned the talent market. It was an amazing event to watch if you were paying attention.

If you know someone that worked for Cisco in the last 15 years, the chances are they fit this profile:

--Successful, Happy and Proud of their Cisco experience.

Cisco has made a lot of great careers for people over the years and has also helped a lot of people retire younger over the years too.

For as long as I’ve watched the company, Cisco has been led by John Chambers. He struck me as a leader that people could relate to and someone that cared as much about doing business the right way as he did about making a profit. The company was the best stock to own in the 1990’s. The Decade.

Today? $40b+ in the bank. Not bad at all.

I was thrilled 8 months ago when I was invited to join Cisco. I knew the company was evolving and I was really interested to see if the culture of success still permeated the organization.

What I see today- now from inside the walls of Cisco- are the same bright, brilliant minded professionals that eagerly take on the challenge and responsibility of leading, innovating and engineering solutions that are going to shape the internet for the next 15 years. It’s a company jam-packed full of professional optimism, a disciplined work ethic, and a passion for success… led by the same John Chambers.

Recruiting here, I can offer that I’ve been challenged and rewarded unlike any job I’ve ever had before. There are high expectations for success here, and flaws are exposed quickly.  What’s interesting about weaknesses being exposed here however is that there is such a calm, professional management approach that I feel supported and encouraged rather than exposed and at risk because of a mistake. It’s counter intuitive and refreshing to think that a place that is so performance driven can also be so tolerant and encouraging of your growth and development.

I’m not only a fan of Cisco, but I’m also a critic. I hold this organization to very high standards and my expectation is that anyone that comes to work for Cisco will do the same. They ask for feedback all the time, and it feels great to confidently offer it, knowing that it is being used to better an already impressive organization. It’s heard, measured and most importantly, Valued.

The honeymoon is over, and I’m pleased to tell you that Cisco remains a great place to do the best work of your life.

For those that are down on Cisco because of the stock price, I want to point out that IBM’s stock is at $160/share, they have record profits but their employees live with a constant state of sick worry about the motivations of the company and the safety of their livelihoods. 

Recruiting for Cisco is a Great Experience.

Not only do I get to share my 15 year journey to Cisco with my candidates, but I get to share it with my colleagues too.

The hardest role in the marketplace is that of leader, and Cisco personifies leadership at every turn.  Working here, you quickly recognize that your team, your managers, directors, executives and even your support staff are all in line, tuned into the mission at hand: Find your best, bring it every day and keep growing… it’s a very strong organization dedicated to crafting success for itself as well as its employees and community. (Cisco, I have learned firsthand is Incredibly Generous and Charitable)

For some, it’s easy to be down on Cisco because their relationship with the company is as a competitor or as a shareholder… John Chambers and the Executives successfully manage the business as well as any company on earth, to the point that they precisely delivery on expectations and have a very accurate track record of predicting market conditions, challenges and opportunities for growth. This is a company to invest your career in, not just your 401k.

I’m thrilled to be here and highly encourage anyone who is looking for an opportunity to grow and be challenged professionally to test your own capabilities with a company that has the resources, structure and vision to empower you to achieve new heights in Your Career.

Cheers to The Future.

Cisco: Telepresence, Video and the Future of Collaboration

One of the many benefits of working for Cisco is that you are the cutting edge of new markets. I'm blown away by the transformational nature of this company. As an organization, it runs quietly and smoothly which is hard enough to do, but the way that the leadership and businesses adjust to market opportunities is what really fuels my respect.

I have been working on a few really cool projects the last six months- one of which is Telepresence.
As we all know, Video is pervasive these days and it's only going to continue to expand its reach and utilization and impact on our daily lives. Cisco's leadership in developing new network platforms to allow an expansion of what is possible in communications for this and coming generations is impressive by any standard. I'm just lucky to have a front row seat.

We all know that the world is complex and every opportunity we have to improve collaboration and communication means that there's a better chance of building a world we will all want to be a part of, rather than shriek away from to become more isolated and jaded. The way we communicate and collaborate is changing and most importantly is encouraging action around the world

Padmasree Warrior, Cisco's Chief Technology Officer created this video, highlighting the direction of video and how Cisco is positioned yet again at the forefront of a new market opportunity.

If you’re not getting the results you want: Make Some Changes

As a recruiter, I get to meet a lot of great people many of whom (for a variety of reasons) are unemployed. The length of their unemployment has gone on too long as is not an indicator of their quality or lack there of. Unfortunately, the longer the unemployment, the further behind or out of step they can feel.

There's no shame in not achieving your employment goals as quickly as you intended to initially, but it is a shame if you are not recognizing the need to make significant changes to your plan if it is not working for you.

A couple quick points that you can easily adjust:

Your Linkedin Profile and your Resume.

Whether you know it or not, your LinkedIn profile is being viewed by recruiters as a form of a resume. There are over 18,000 recruiters using LinkedIn every day. You should make sure that your accomplishments clearly stand out and you can be identified as a candidate worth their attention.

It’s not just enough to post your profile and expect to be contacted- you have to set it up so that it CAN be found. Recruiters search for key phrases that indicate skills and experience in the area of expertise their searching for.

For example- when I’m looking for sales professionals, I search using keywords like ‘quota’ or ‘awards’ or ‘club’ as well as the technical competencies.

Showing that you have recognizable accomplishments is irresistible to recruiters and hiring managers. Make sure they stand out so that opportunity can find you.

Also, take your professional appearance seriously. Mix up your profile picture and make sure you’re smiling and look approachable. You’re making an impression and you don't want your first impression to look like a mug shot.

Use Resume Banks:

Employers purchase access to a number or recruiting resources for their recruiters, resume banks still offer value and are combed by recruiters every day. Some resources are more fruitful than others, but honestly, you only want one great, next job: Careerbuilder, Dice, The Ladders, Monster, 6figurejobs are resources that you may want to leverage. If you want to be found, put your resume in places where recruiters search. These resources are not a silver bullet, but you should know where you could be found.

But before you run off and upload your resume, make sure of two things: 1) it can be found by matching a keyword strategy, and 2) It’s worth investing the time to discover the person who wrote it.

Chances are that if you’ve been on the market for an extended period, it’s not- or not working as well as it can. Take a fresh and thorough look at your resume and invest your time in really polishing it again.

The simple exercise of an overhaul will help you hone in on your core competencies and refresh your memory of your skills and experiences. It will also prepare you to more confidently present yourself during an interview (true). If you know your resume, you’ll see what others are seeing in you- on paper.

Resume Writing Services are very popular these days, but my only criticism of those services is that many candidates (some my friends) don’t see themselves in the same light as the writer- or the intended audience. If you only see that your resume looks better, then you’re doing yourself a disservice.

This is a real opportunity for breakdown and can result in a disappointing screen or interview.

Know your resume and have it speak to your strengths, accomplishments and true objectives. Zero-in on your target and you’ll not only have better results in getting an interview, but also in closing it with an offer. Your resume is a tool that helps articulate your qualifications. Learn and master your resume.

As a recruiter, I spend most of my time on the phone with my candidates. Your resume is on my screen and speaks to me at the same time we’re having a conversation. It’s not only a tool for articulating your qualifications, but it also is a visual representation of You as a professional. Your resume is part of your personal brand and offers an opportunity to help you stand out.

Think of your resume as a ‘visual stamp’ to help the recruiter and hiring manager remember you, recognize you more quickly ‘in the pile’ and stay interested in you longer. A simple change in the formatting could make all the difference.

Help yourself stand out with a new format. It’s a great exercise because it forces you to identify the key knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences you need to successfully articulate your qualifications for an opportunity.

It’s a fair bit of work and it’s worth your time.

Hopefully, small changes are all that are necessary to improve your results, but it’s easy to tell if what you’re doing is working. Just look at the results…

10 of the Biggest Mistakes People Make about their Careers.

Some of the biggest mistakes people make about their careers:

1) Not answering when opportunity calls.

2) Sitting on the sidelines, waiting for someone to remember to follow up with you.

3) Assuming that the job you are in, is your best career path for your future.

4) Networking is more than just collecting contacts.

5) 'Only Applying' for a job is like taking a fire extinguisher to a 4 alarm blaze… probably not enough to get the job done.

6) Not knowing your value in the market.

7) ... Not acting on it.

8) Expecting your company to have your best interests in mind for your career.

9) Trusting the wrong people.

10) Giving up on the idea that there is an ideal job and a better future out there.

Your career is yours and yours alone. If you're talented and add value (and profits) to your company's bottom line, you should be aware of your worth to the market and explore the path that's going to lead you to your brightest professional future. Take the rare opportunities that exist and make sure you are investing your most valuable performances and skills for a company that returns their appreciation generously.

Cisco Plug: 

I have yet to meet anyone who has told me they regret a move to Cisco. What does that say? 

  

All the Accolades and a top 25 paying company

.Jobs- the future of your job search?

I've been fortunate in that I've been connected to and have been aware of the coming .jobs universe for close to two years now. When I was with (cough) IBM I handled recruiting channels and resources as well as an active recruiting desk. I was able to see at a very early stage that there is an industry shift underway that affects the recruiting industry as well as the job seeker community.

So, Why .jobs, what's the big deal?

Where do You look for a job? How do You find your next 'career opportunity'?

There is an entire industry designed to service those needs, and yet, if you're struggling to find a job match, that need is not being served.

Until now, there has been no place where a candidate can go and see all of the jobs that are available with employers, directly. All the jobs, in one centralized and most importantly, organized portal. Organized by location and by working title.

Engineering.jobs or Raleigh.jobs will take you to the search site for those fields of speciality or locations. There, you will quickly see what is open and posted- easily and efficiently.- or at least eventually.
 

The .jobs TLD (top level domain) allows for job explorers to clearly identify what roles are real and which ones are not. When you see Cisco.jobs, you know that it's Cisco's URL, owned by Cisco and instantly trustworthy to follow. Clear navigation. ...'Search Friction' is going away.


My experience tells me that this platform will allow companies and candidates to connect without the high cost of job board services- and it is expensive. Less expense and greater access seems like a good combination for everyone-- except for the likes of Monster and Careerbuilder (apologies to my friends that work there).

Temporary or contract positions will not be part of the .jobs universe, which leaves that space unoccupied to remain serviced by the job boards, which is a great deal of their business anyway.

Lower costs to companies means greater opportunity for innovation and better recruiting experience for the job seeker. For me, it's not much of a leap to suggest that if recruiters can invest more time with candidates, it means better hires and a healthier organization.

Recruiting as an activity in most companies (Thankfully not Cisco) has been back-burnered to ‘application review and processing.’ If you've ever had a black hole experience as a candidate, you understand. 

 The Job Board industry thrives in this model because they create masses of applicant traffic and they have insisted that volumes of traffic is their appeal. For many of those applicants, they apply knowing that they are not a match to the opening, but hoping the strategy of 'submit and catch the eye'/'foot in the door' works. No doubt, sometimes it does, but - that practice distracts from the candidates who are on target from the opportunity. Hiring takes longer, the process slows and everyone becomes a little more frustrated.

The job boards make posting positions that are appropriate for those job seekers too expensive to market.  What benefit does that bring to an employer or to those candidates? The industry needs to innovate. 

.Jobs is that catalyst

.Jobs offers the promise of a low cost, frictionless job distribution for employers and simple, uncluttered view of the labor market for job seekers. The jobs that are open are organized for the benefit of the employer AND job seeker. All the jobs, not just the select roles that an employer can afford to advertise.

The true change from .jobs is what future innovations are in store for the recruiting industry. This is a brand new market of possibilities and the beneficiaries are employers and job seekers with a new generation of entrepreneurs in between.

This space is Rob Segall's - the opinions expressed in this blog are my own views and not those of Cisco Systems.

Cisco Culture

There are so many reasons that Cisco outshines the competition, but one of the most important is the culture of this company. Cisco consistenly ranks as one of the best employers to work for in the country. This short clip really shows off the commitment that Cisco has in valuing the contributions we as individuals make to a culture that truly values diversity- not just in demographics, but in your perspective, opinions and expertise.

Personally, I worked for close to 15 years to land my role with Cisco, and I've been thrilled that the culture I was seeking is the reality I experience every day -not just a PR campaign.

While constantly seeking the best and brightest talent to join Cisco, it's refreshing to know that once you land here, you have all the resources you need to have a successful career.

Rob Segall
rsegall@cisco.com