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 means of a number of roles. Even after I stepped away for a yr to discover the client facet with one in every of Cisco’s companions, it by no means felt like a goodbye, only a non permanent 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 getting into the function of Cybersecurity Gross sales Specialist, and because the solely girl on this place in Saudi Arabia, it felt like uncharted territory.
At first, I hesitated. Cybersecurity appeared like an intimidating house I assumed was reserved for coders and technical specialists. However as soon as I stepped in, I found that this notion was a fantasy. Sure, the educational curve was steep, however removed from unimaginable. I shortly realized that whereas certifications like CISSP might be useful, they’re not necessary to start out. What mattered extra was curiosity, braveness, and a willingness to be taught. I’ve all the time believed that if you happen to actually set your thoughts to one thing, you can obtain it.
Folks be taught otherwise. For me, real-world expertise all the time trumps concept. Whereas I explored supplies and books, together with the CISSP information, what actually helped me develop was being within the area: observing, listening, becoming a member of conferences, and studying by means of energetic engagement. 
I used to be lucky to be surrounded by mentors, particularly a colleague who later grew to become my supervisor. His steerage, together with the assist of my workforce, gave me the boldness 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 function, life threw an surprising problem my method: 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 have been tough, 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 spotted I didn’t have to know every thing, I wanted to know find out how to ask, collaborate, and talk. I leaned into the strengths that made me distinctive: my communication abilities, my background as an English instructor, my expertise throughout Cisco’s enterprise. These grew to become my superpowers. 
I additionally discovered that in cybersecurity gross sales, solely about 20% of the work is solely technical. The remaining 80% is about folks constructing belief, navigating complexity, and translating worth. Once I embraced that mindset, I started to really add worth each to the workforce and to our prospects.
Better of all, I returned with a brand new appreciation for the place I belonged, and who I had change into. My journey at Cisco has taken me by means of many roles and experiences, and each has helped me develop. As we speak, I’ve come full circle, again in channel gross sales, now as a Companion Account Supervisor, with a renewed sense of function.
Cisco is an organization that invests deeply in its folks. I just lately accomplished the JUMP Management Program, targeted on empowering girls leaders throughout Europe, the Center East, and Africa. The expertise was not solely insightful, it was affirming. Listening to different girls’s tales and exchanging views jogged my memory how precious it’s to be taught from each other.
That’s what makes Cisco particular. It’s not only a office, it’s a group the place you may 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 one of the best model of myself.
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