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Introduction
Many aspire to work as Data engineers in top-notch companies but are often confused about the preparation strategies and resources to follow. One of such top IT and Networking companies is Cisco, which receives thousands of applications throughout the year, and getting the role of a Data Engineer here, would require hard work, skills, and the proper guidance. So if you aspire to become one, this blog is for you!
We will discuss the roles and responsibilities of a Data Engineer at Cisco, its perks, job expectations, and much more, but before that, let’s have a little introduction about Cisco.
About CISCO
Cisco is an American Networking and IT company specializing in switches, routers, IoT, and cybersecurity. Cisco Systems was founded by Sandy Lerner and her husband Leonard Bosack back in December 1984. Cisco delivers innovative software-defined cloud, cybersecurity, and networking solutions for businesses.
Cisco's logo, which appears to be just a sequence of vertical lines at first glance, resembles the Golden Gate Bridge, with the two taller lines representing the towers.
Cisco also provides training for its employees as well as students and professionals in the technological domain.
The Cisco Networking Academy (also known as NetAcad) began in October 1997 with 64 educational institutions in seven states and has now expanded to more than 150 countries.
Over 1.6 million students have enrolled in over 10,000 academies in high schools, vocational institutions, colleges, universities, and community-based organizations since its founding.
The Cisco Networking Academy Curriculum is a comprehensive e-learning program that teaches students the Internet technology skills required in today's global economy.
Web-based content, online testing, student performance tracking, hands-on labs, instructor training and support, and preparation for industry standard certification are all provided by the Networking Academy.
About the Role
Data Engineers work towards making the data accessible in a useful form so that organizations and institutions can use it to evaluate, analyze and optimize their performance. Primarily this job includes building innovative systems that collect, manage and transform the raw data into a usable form. This form is then used by the Data Scientists and Business Analysts to interpret and perform their specific jobs.
Responsibilities as a Cisco Data Engineer
As a Data Engineer at Cisco, you are expected to take up certain responsibilities. The following points mention the tasks you’ll have to perform once you take up the position.
Building and overseeing platforms and systems to store and manage data from various sources (both internal and external)
Establishing procedures based on technical and business requirements to channel data from numerous inputs and using data structures to route the data appropriately.
Developing models and tools that help in data integration, cleaning, analytics, and transformation.
Creating design standards for system and application development to ensure compatibility and operability of data connections and storage requirements. Also, establishing assurance processes.
Networking with the senior executive team, socializing with global technologists, giving back to the local community, and participating in various professional development opportunities.
Salary and Perks with the Job
Salary
Typically, a Data Engineer at Cisco Systems earns about ₹18,26,234 per year on average. The salary of a data engineer at Cisco ranges between ₹12 Lakhs - ₹28 Lakhs per year. This is 83% more than the average Data Engineer salary in Hardware and Networking companies. The estimated take home salary is ₹ 1,22,488 - ₹ 1,26,077/month.
Salary at Cisco
Range of Salary: ₹12 Lakhs - ₹28 Lakhs per year
Average Salary: ₹18,26,234 per year (For 2 or more years of experience)
Monthly Salary: ₹ 1,22,488 - ₹ 1,26,077/month
( The figures presented above are subject to change by Cisco )
Additional Benefits
Financial Wellness: Help in planning the future, protecting loved ones, and making the right financial decisions for their employees.
Competitive Compensation: Rewarding innovation, collaboration, and achievement.
Employee stock purchase Program: Employees at Cisco can purchase Cisco Stock at a discount to invest in their financial future and company up to 10% of their salary.
Tuition Reimbursement: Employees can receive reimbursement for tuition, lab fees, and books for coursework at an accredited institution.
Annual Bonuses: People are rewarded on the basis of their performance irrespective of their seniority.
They also provide Employee discount programs
Flexible work practices
Employee Resource Organizations
Generous paid time off and holidays
Maternity and paternity leave
Skills and Experience Required
The below points pretty much sum up the type of candidates Cisco is looking for to hire as Data Engineers:
The candidate should be pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering (or B.Tech) in Computer Science, Information Technology or Information Systems.
The CGPA should be eight or above (out of 10).
The candidate should have excellent written and verbal communication skills and exhibit professionalism. Must be fluent in English.
Outstanding problem-solving abilities and logical instincts.
Adaptation abilities to multidimensional and fast-paced environments.
Team working abilities and quality of collaboration.
The candidate should be efficient in software development with extra focus on data and data systems in languages like JAVA, C/C++, databases like SQL, Postgre, Mongo, and development technologies like (GIT and JIRA).
The candidate should possess strong knowledge of data integration, data pipelining, data warehouses, and databases.
Roadmap to becoming a Data Engineer
We present to you a well-defined roadmap to becoming a successful Data Engineer.
Become a proficient programmer: Data engineering requires a good grip on Software engineering skills along with knowledge of Data Science. To get started in this field, a person should start with learning and achieving proficiency in languages like Python and Scala, which are the most in-demand languages in this industry, you can find resources to learn to program in the links attached in the resources section of this blog.
Learn about Scripting and Automation: As a Data Engineer you should know how to automate manual and tedious tasks, this helps you deal with large datasets in a more efficient manner.
Clear knowledge about Databases: The importance of learning about Databases and its management cannot be emphasized enough for this role. Learn SQL, Mongo, and other famous databases and about how to operate it. You can find the resources to start learning in this blog.
Learn about Data Processing Techniques: Data that you will deal with in this profession is often unclear, noisy, and unorganized, so before you use it in your projects you should be well versed with the data cleaning and processing techniques.
Scheduling your workflow: Mastering any profession requires planning and scheduling your workflow. You can use many available online tools to manage and schedule your workflow to avoid confusion and bring clarity.
Study about Cloud and Cloud computing: Engineers who can work on cloud computing tools are in high demand as companies increasingly prefer to invest in cloud computing for data storage rather than bulky hardware systems. Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Azure are the three most popular cloud service platforms. All three platforms offer official certifications, which can be obtained through official websites.
Be in touch with the current trends: If you've come this far, don't be disheartened if you don't feel you have a complete understanding of the data engineering landscape. It's a vast field that is constantly evolving. What matters most is that you use the right tool for the job and don't overcomplicate the big data solutions you create. All you need is to keep an eye on the current industry trends and keep learning.
Learn Data Engineering by applying your skills to practical projects: Finally, keep taking up projects that help you refine your skills and understand the technologies that are required to be a successful data engineer.
Career map of a Data Engineer
In this section, we will discuss the career prospects of a Data Engineering career. So, basically, as your experience grows as a Data engineer in any software firm, you are provided with better opportunities. Data Engineering is not an entry-level role.
Mostly software engineers or business intelligence analysts take up the role of Data Engineer and as you advance in your career you may be provided with the managerial roles, or data architect, solution architect or machine learning engineer.
Preparation Strategy and Resources
As we saw above, the position of Data Engineer at Cisco comes with numerous benefits, but it requires a lot of hard work. Along with hard work, smart work is needed as well. The smart work would be to follow effectively designed courses and study plans with full discipline on your end!
Check out the following articles by clicking on the link to access resources that will boost your preparation:
Python: Refer if you are looking for resources to learn Python, one of the most in-demand programming languages for Data engineers.
Data Warehousing and Data Mining: As mentioned above, knowledge about Data mining and Data Warehousing are some crucial skills that Cisco expects to see in the candidates for the Data Engineer position.
Database Management Systems andFundamentals of DBMS: To be able to work efficiently with databases, refer to this article to start from scratch and reach an advanced level. DBMS knowledge is one of the most crucial skills a Data Engineer should possess.
Aptitude: This is an essential skill required to clear any interview.
Big Data: Refer to this article to learn more about Big Data.
Guide to Kaggle: Refer to this to get a complete guide of Kaggle for Data Science.
Being skilled at problem-solving has become a necessary skill for any tech-related job. We bring you a well-curated list of problems and resources to practice from to master problem-solving abilities:
Test-series: Follow the test series to get a good grip over concepts and test your abilities.
Problems: Master Data Structures and Algorithms by solving the issues.
Interview bundle: This link contains the various questions asked during the interview in multiple companies.
Contests: Follow this link if you want to practice in a coding contest hosted by the coding ninjas for more practice.
The Cisco interview process typically comprises three rounds, the Online Assessment round, the technical interview round, and the HR interview round.
Whom does a Data Engineer need to collaborate with?
Data scientists and Data engineers work together to improve the quality and accuracy of the information, allowing organizations to make more responsible decisions. They collaborate with leaders from across the enterprise to support business decisions.
What are the most commonly tested skills for Data Engineers at Cisco?
The most often examined abilities in the Cisco Data Engineer interview process are Algorithms, SQL, and Python. In comparison, ordinary Data Engineer interviews often include SQL and Python questions.
What is the hardest part about being a Data Engineer?
So the most challenging aspect of the work is grasping the different technologies to master while also comprehending the in-house data teams' short- and long-term demands to identify which methods are applicable.
How long is the hiring process for Cisco?
The hiring process at Cisco is about two to four weeks on average.
Conclusion
In this blog, we discussed the position of Data Engineer at Cisco and how to become one. We looked at the work culture of Cisco, the salary and perks it provides to its employees, and the job expectations it has from its recruits. We also discussed strategies and essential skills and a roadmap to become a successful Data Engineer at Cisco and its career prospects followed by links to resources that you might find helpful.
To know more about Cisco, job opportunities at Cisco, and strategy for preparation, refer to the following links attached below: