Exploring Cisco’s Career Playground and Discovering My Path

Viktoria Stoilova shares how trying different roles and learning from failures shaped her journey in network engineering.

By Viktoria Stoilova · Network Support Engineer, Cisco Meraki · U.K.

3 Minute Read · 5 Minute Listen

As a Network Support Engineer for Cisco Meraki, I frequently build new paths in my “career playground.” It started when I joined through an internship back in the summer of 2022, and my career continues to be full of discovery today.

While at university, I explored various software engineering paths, and I learned they were not for me. But, on the other hand, I love network engineering. By troubleshooting and working with devices and networks small or large, I soon discovered that love.

Fast forward to today: My role at Cisco Meraki is to diagnose and troubleshoot customer issues, document possible unexpected behaviours, and collaborate with a variety of teams while doing so. Meraki’s portfolio is so vast, and the cool thing about the job is you can explore so much. Even today, as I continue to dig into more products, the more I find what I enjoy.

There are many designs and unique challenges a customer could present us with. Sometimes it’s a small adjustment, and other times, more creative solutions are needed.

I get to explore my career playground by identifying an issue, evaluating the scope and triage, and developing a solution. I guide customers through configuration steps and necessary changes to ensure everything functions as intended, so they’re happy with the product and its performance.

And I keep experimenting and trying new things. For example, I’m encouraged to learn more about automation, which will help me personally, benefit my team, and contribute to the company.

Both the team and leadership support ventures that enrich my skillset, strengthen the team, and allow me to explore other roles. I haven't set my mind on a specific career path yet. Will I stay in network engineering or try something else? I enjoy variety, and here you have the option to explore different things.

A woman presents to an audience at an indoor event space with a colorful mural in the background.

Viktoria speaking at a UCL Schools Outreach program as part of a partnership with Cisco and UCL.

I'm also part of the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) community, which aims to inspire young women to pursue tech careers. I'm passionate about this and volunteer at events through Cisco’s Time2Give program. We engage with universities and colleges in London to offer young women a taste of what working in tech is like and how exciting it can be.

At WISE meetups — both online or in-person — people with roles from software engineering and cybersecurity to network engineering and AI come together. AI depends on the network, and it’s rewarding to help others fall in love with network engineering and pursue that as a career. Often, we discuss technology or topics outside of work, which helps build relationships.

Through these events, I’ve even had the chance to be a speaker, inspiring others and supporting their careers.

It’s pretty wild to think about where I am right now and what I can do. If you’re hoping to begin a career at Cisco, I recommend trying things to find what you enjoy while also learning from failures to understand what you don’t like. The opportunities at Cisco are almost endless, and I'm truly grateful for them.

Want to explore the never-ending opportunities at Cisco? Learn how we support career growth and discover open roles at careers.cisco.com