Cisco is greater than the place I work — it’s the language I converse, the DNA I carry.
Since becoming a member of in 2015, my profession has unfolded inside Cisco’s ecosystem. I started in channel gross sales and developed by a number of roles. Even after I stepped away for a yr to discover the client aspect with considered one of Cisco’s companions, it by no means felt like a goodbye, only a short-term detour.
That journey introduced me again in 2022. Whereas attending a convention, I reconnected with Cisco and found a brand new alternative within the Safety group. It was a daring shift entering into the position of Cybersecurity Gross sales Specialist, and because the solely lady on this place in Saudi Arabia, it felt like uncharted territory.
At first, I hesitated. Cybersecurity appeared like an intimidating area I assumed was reserved for coders and technical specialists. However as soon as I stepped in, I found that this notion was a delusion. Sure, the training curve was steep, however removed from unimaginable. I shortly realized that whereas certifications like CISSP may be useful, they’re not obligatory to begin. What mattered extra was curiosity, braveness, and a willingness to be taught. I’ve at all times believed that should you really set your thoughts to one thing, you can obtain it.
Individuals be taught in a different way. For me, real-world expertise at all times trumps principle. Whereas I explored supplies and books, together with the CISSP information, what really helped me develop was being within the area: observing, listening, becoming a member of conferences, and studying by energetic engagement. 
I used to be lucky to be surrounded by mentors, particularly a colleague who later turned my supervisor. His steering, together with the help of my crew, gave me the arrogance and basis to thrive. I additionally practiced buyer simulations, which sharpened each my technical acumen and storytelling abilities.
Simply as I used to be gaining confidence on this new position, life threw an sudden problem my means: a breast most cancers analysis. It was a stunning second, however early detection made all of the distinction. I took six months off for therapy and surgical procedure. These months had been troublesome, however they modified me eternally.
Coming again to work was a milestone, not only a return to my job, however a rebirth. I felt stronger, extra resilient, and extra empowered. I noticed I didn’t must know the whole lot, I wanted to know methods to ask, collaborate, and talk. I leaned into the strengths that made me distinctive: my communication abilities, my background as an English trainer, my expertise throughout Cisco’s enterprise. These turned my superpowers. 
I additionally realized that in cybersecurity gross sales, solely about 20% of the work is only technical. The remaining 80% is about folks constructing belief, navigating complexity, and translating worth. Once I embraced that mindset, I started to actually add worth each to the crew and to our prospects.
Better of all, I returned with a brand new appreciation for the place I belonged, and who I had grow to be. My journey at Cisco has taken me by many roles and experiences, and each has helped me develop. Right now, I’ve come full circle, again in channel gross sales, now as a Companion Account Supervisor, with a renewed sense of objective.
Cisco is an organization that invests deeply in its folks. I not too long ago accomplished the JUMP Management Program, targeted on empowering ladies leaders throughout Europe, the Center East, and Africa. The expertise was not solely insightful, it was affirming. Listening to different ladies’s tales and exchanging views jogged my memory how beneficial it’s to be taught from each other.
That’s what makes Cisco particular. It’s not only a office, it’s a neighborhood the place you possibly can stretch, evolve, and uncover who you actually are. I’m enthusiastic about this subsequent chapter, assured that Cisco will proceed to be the place the place I develop into the very best model of myself.
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