You know the showCheers, "Where everybody knows your name?" That's just like Huron, California -where I grew up. It's one of the great things about living in a small town -everybody really does know everybody, and growing up in a small town really did shape my future in many ways. But I had dreams of something a little larger too...a little something we like to call Silicon Valley.
I was different from most kids my age. While other's wanted to play sports, watch TV, or ride bikes -I was the kid in the 80's tinkering with computers and video games. We had a Commodore 64/128 with no internet. Once I was bored playing all the games it had, I picked up the computer's user manual. Simple experimentation led to my strong interest in computers and technology today.
When I found one of my dad's computer magazines -I started reading about the Internet. I would read stories of people connecting from one place to another, they could message each other! Then I saw the movie War Games, and the rest was history.
I wanted to be ONLINE.
In 1993, I got my first taste. I was in the 7thGrade and our library's computer was finally setup for dial-up. We were the first ones in town entering cyberspace! Netscape was the browser and nobody had a clue of how to use it. I took the lead among my peers, and showed them the way. I typed in the complete web address for Yahoo, and it tookminutes(yes, minutes) for the webpage to completely load up.
It was then I knew I wanted to work in the computer field.
I took a different path than most. At 18, instead of going to college, I joined the United States Navy and worked in their Advanced Electronics Computer Field. What I learned from the Navy was how to be accountable, dependable, and remain motivated. I then took my wide variety of skill sets and went back to college to earn my degree in Computer Networking.
I completed the Cisco Academy in Fresno, and always imagined myself working either for or with Cisco products. It didn't happen overnight, but I kept working towards my dream.
One day I got a call telling me that there was an opening for a project manager on a Cisco account. A quick interview turned into an hour long conversation. Then I was relocating in just 3 days for a new opportunity.
Almost a year later, and after a simple post on Instagram, I'm being asking why I love working for Cisco so much. First and foremost, I love the team spirit of Cisco -I am constantly fueled by the energy of those around me. It makes me work smarter, plan better, and provide better service. Sometimes I work long hours but it doesn't feel like I do because I truly love what I am doing, and the team I am a part of.
Time flies here and that goes with everything in life that I love. It feels like I'm just helping a family member, and Cisco feels like a big healthy family. I love that Cisco trusts me with the flexibility to work the way I work best, and I love being able to speak my mind appropriately with other business professionals. I love that I'm able to use all my varied skill sets, while sharing knowledge with others to enable their personal and professional success. I can really go on and on!
The best move I made was putting myself out there and jumping on the opportunity.
So how does one transition from small town living to Silicon Valley tech life? Well, it's a journey. Here's some advice I'd like to pass along:
Is your dream job at Cisco? We're hiring!