Probably the most sane thing I had ever done in my life. I joined Cisco as an engineer, ready to take on the world. I learnt a lot from the IP gods around me. A few years later I moved over to management, managing all my friends. It was a blast and still is.
Cisco is a great place to work.
The people around you are very bright, and the stocks are doing just fine. I love it here. My teams are comprised of brilliant people who make me look good. So, Cisco actually thinks that am good manager. I am now a Director at Cisco.