One day, long into the future, I will likely re-read this post and a smile will cross my face. This is the beginning, my very first days at Cisco. And years from now, the memories from this September 1 will dance through my mind. This is when I started my internship in Marketing and Communications at Cisco Sweden.
This was, it may go without saying, a big step for my career as a recent graduate from Uppsala University in Business and Economics. But it wasn’t just a big career move – it was a big jump personally too as I moved to a new city (Hello, Stockhom!), a new apartment, and thereby walked into a new life!
My first two weeks at Cisco have been surreal, and it’s not an easy task to summarize all the wonderful things that have been going on! But, I would like to try my best to give you a snapchat of what this new beginning looks like for me – along with three tips I think might be helpful to future Cisco Interns.
- Take it Easy – Remember to Breathe!
Friday, September 1 – My first day at Cisco, and of course I’m nervous! As with any new adventure, I wondered what it would be like, and if the people there were going to like me. As I arrived, my first stop was to take a photo for my badge. Second stop, introductions – but before I could make my way there I saw a beautiful vase of flowers, a welcoming letter, and cinema tickets from my marketing team at the desk! Wow!
My nerves subsided a bit as this kind gesture showed me just how genuine our teams here at Cisco are – this was so much more than I could’ve expected!
So, what’s Tip 1 for Future Cisco Interns? BREATHE!
Yep, take a deep breath, and take it easy. Cisco is a welcoming environment and you will be just fine! I know it is all easier said than done, but trust me – your leaders and team here at Cisco will be supportive.
When the first day was over, I had to go home and get ready because London, Bedfont Lakes, and interns from the rest of Europe were waiting for me!
September 3-6, from Sunday to Wednesday, was spent in London with nine other interns from different countries. We were brought together to get to know one another and learn about our roles at Cisco. Immediately, I could tell how friendly everyone was!
What to be the next Cisco Intern? We’re Hiring!
The welcoming days were intense and informative, but also enjoyable and inspiring. Likely, these three days alone are a whole new blog post! But, in those three days we experienced a variety of sessions and team challenges, The Michael Jackson Musical, and we had the opportunity to volunteer as well! (A big focus of nearly all Cisconians.)
After our three days together were over, it was time to head back to Sweden to start my second week at Cisco.
2. Take a look at the Org Chart!
After your first week, you will realize that there’s many names you need to familiarize yourself with, both people from your local office and other countries. Furthermore, you may want to learn what colleagues are working on. Tip number 2 is to take a look at the organization chart right from the beginning.
If you learn some of your colleague’s names in advance, it makes it easier later when they present themselves. You’ll be able to better understand what they do, what they’re working on, who they are, and potentially how you can help them!
3. Know your best way of learning
After London I was introduced to my first and biggest project: Account Based Marketing (ABM). And this is why it is helpful to know what your best way of learning is…
From the very first day, you will hear that it’s okay to ask questions at Cisco – and it really is! Ask as many questions as you want, everyone here is eager to provide answers and insights. But sometimes you may not have anyone to ask, because perhaps they aren’t available.
I learned that my best way of learning is instructional videos! ABM was and still is, new to me – but instructional videos are helping me to learn and retain that information as best I can. This is another great resource for me for when my colleagues aren’t available.
So, two weeks into my Cisco Internship and I’ve already had such an adventure – I can’t wait to see what the rest of my journey holds! I hope you’ve found these 3 tips helpful, and that they’ll inspire you to want to come and join us soon!
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