Cisco Systems redesigns its careers web page to drive more interaction

Having conquered social media, the Talent Brand Team at Cisco Systems turned its attention to the careers page on the Cisco website. The team had completely rocked social media with sophisticated, employee-centric strategies, but it knew that the website still represented the first contact many candidates have with the organization. In confronting the challenges, Cisco has taken first place in the “Website Design” category of PR Daily’s 2017 Video and Visual Awards.

The challenge for the website was the same as in social media: Change the perception of Cisco as a stodgy tech dinosaur into one of an organization with the vibe of a cool new startup. Research came first; an extensive discovery effort and audit of the website revealed areas for improvement. The team used road-mapping sessions and usability testing to identify such problems as unnecessarily complex navigation and a design that didn’t represent the talent brand the team had built.

One particular insight drove the team’s approach to a solution: People look at jobs first, and then seek to learn more about the organization. Three foundational elements drove the strategy for the redesign: users, navigation and brand expression. The new design is consistent with the themes refined and perfected on social media: “Be you, with us. #WeAreCisco.” 

The copy and visuals on the new careers home page shine the spotlight on “employees with pink hair, tattoos, with their skateboards and their teams,” according to Cisco. Employee photos serve as content anchors, presenting the Cisco workplace as one defined by its culture, values and people. 

The refocus of the site has paid off, with 80,000 unique visitors each month who stay on the site 20 percent longer than before. Cisco has also dropped its bounce rate by 20 percent and increased mobile traffic by 7 percent. 

Congratulations to Talent Brand Team members Macy Andrews and Ray Leung for their redesign.