Cisco Systems Hiring Overview For 2023

Official company policy for hiring felons

Regrettably, we’ve been unable to contact Cisco to ask them about their hiring policies for felons. However, we did see this posted on their entry-level jobs section:

“Cisco is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. Cisco will consider for employment, on a case-by-case basis, qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.”

We really like hearing that, but let’s see how it stands up with their industry reputation.

Has Cisco hired felons in the past?

Our sources can neither confirm nor deny if Cisco has hired felons in the past. There just isn’t enough information to make a conclusion.

Does Cisco hire people with misdemeanors?

We don’t know at this time if they’ll hire people with misdemeanors.

Will Cisco hire you with pending charges?

There’s no documentation or statement letting us know if they want to wait until your charges have been resolved for hiring. Chances are it will depend on your record, so read on!

Is Cisco on the Ban the Box list?

All of Us or None started the Ban the Box list in 2004. Each company on this list has agreed to remove the checkbox from their application asking if you’ve been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony.

The Fair Chance Business Pledge was initiated during the Obama Administration and encourages employers to hire based on your talents and skills and not discriminate based on your arrest or conviction records.

Unfortunately, Cisco doesn’t participate in these programs. The good news is that they don’t ask if you’ve been convicted of any crimes on their application.

Does Cisco have special programs for hiring felons?

They don’t have any special programs at this time.

What are the odds that someone with a felony will get hired?

Since we haven’t made contact with the company, we’d have to give your odds of getting hired at Cisco with a felony as uncertain. There isn’t any information providing an answer either way and they aren’t on the Ban the Box list. While they say they’ll consider cases individually, we couldn’t find any evidence that they’ve hired felons before.

What are some entry-level jobs?

Cisco isn’t very entry-level in the job department. They require a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree for most jobs. However, they offer internships for those who are in their last year of school and majoring in a computers-related degree like computer engineering or IT.

Check out all their postings here and see what your qualifications can get you!

Tips to get hired here with a felony

You’ll want to start by submitting a resume that really stands out.

This is what Cisco recommends on their Frequently Asked Questions page:

“Make sure your resume is up to date and tailored to the role you’re applying for. Feel proud and showcase your skills and past accomplishments. Also, be sure to optimize your resume with keywords. Our recruiters can use them to match your resume with available opportunities.”

But what do they mean about keywords? They’re going through applications looking for specific words like routing, switching, datacenter networking, virtualization, mobility and wireless to make sure the right background is there. So what they’re asking for is someone who knows the ins and outs of computer programming.

Relaunch Pad has designed a guide to help felons talk up their skills on their resume, so make good use of it!

Cisco also has some advice to help you make it through the interview process:

“This process helps us get to know you, and for you to learn about our people, culture, and business. We’ll evaluate your skills and experience against our current business needs. We’ll ask you about your academic and work experience, and you can ask questions, too. Be prepared to tell about your achievements and the value you could bring to Cisco.”

This is the time to also be upfront and honest about your past. Give them the details and tell them how you’ve changed for the better. Then let them know what you’ve done to make these changes. Are you volunteering or doing community service? Maybe you’re taking some self-help classes or going back to school? Whatever it is, be sure to talk it up.