Humans of Meraki — Embracing a Spectrum of Career Journeys
At Cisco Meraki, the energy and passion of our employees shapes our dynamic community and empowers us to make intuitive and secure technology for our customers. Our ongoing series, Humans of Meraki, highlights employee perspectives and articulates who we are and the magic of working at Meraki. We hope this series will provide insight into what motivates Merakians at work and beyond. Welcome — we’re happy you’re here.
In recognition of Juneteenth, which is celebrated on June 19, we interviewed David Jones, Account Development Representative and member of the Connected Black Professionals (CBP) employee resource organization (ERO). David discussed his career journey, the culture of bravery at Meraki, and upcoming Juneteenth events.
David Jones, Account Development Representative, Chicago, IL
What attracted you to Cisco Meraki?
I was introduced to Meraki through OneTen, a skills training program focused on closing the opportunity gap for people without four-year degrees. Though my career path is unconventional, my extensive experience in martial arts, yoga, and cycling has honed my discipline, dedication, and bravery — all qualities that are highly valuable at Meraki. Meraki recognized my potential and welcomed me to the team, appreciating the unique strengths my background brings.
How would you describe the culture at Meraki?
The culture at Meraki is inclusive, caring, collaborative, and welcoming. Merakians are passionate and hard-working and take pride in their products, maintaining a high-quality standard. We “show up and show out,” demonstrating active care for our work, customers, and each other.
With Juneteenth coming up (June 19), how is Meraki acknowledging this significant day?
Employees at Meraki have Juneteenth off, allowing time to celebrate this meaningful holiday both within and outside the company. Leading up to Juneteenth, Connected Black Professionals will host “Cisco Radiate: You Are Meant to Shine.” This multi-day event aims to connect Black professionals and foster the development, retention, elevation, exposure, and recruitment of Black talent at Cisco. We’ll facilitate this through live training, leadership panels, guest speakers, yoga, volunteering, and a mixer, among other festivities. Our Juneteenth celebration exemplifies the Meraki values of “care deeply,” “everybody in,” “simplify everything,” and “be brave.”
The Meraki value, “Be brave” encourages employees to take risks, innovate, and be courageous. How is bravery exemplified at Meraki?
At Meraki, many employees, including those in leadership positions, come from non-traditional careers and/or educational backgrounds. Meraki is courageous in providing opportunities to individuals with unique backgrounds, and those individuals are equally brave in taking on the challenge of working in the tech industry. Every day I witness determination from my leaders, my peers, and myself. With an unconventional career and educational background, I see every obstacle as an opportunity. When faced with challenges in my role, I rely on my tenacity and humility to ask questions, I seek support from my peers, and I trust in their assistance. Last quarter, I was named the most valuable player/peer (MVP) of my team in Chicago, an achievement made possible through my vulnerability and courage and the unwavering support from my peers.
If a candidate were considering joining Meraki, what would you tell them about Meraki? What makes Meraki special — which attributes differentiate us?
Meraki boasts industry-leading products and world-class talent. Our community is made up of caring, curious, and humble individuals who are dedicated to their work and each other. This is what makes Meraki special.
Interested in career opportunities with Cisco Meraki? Check out our careers site!
