One Company, Many Careers – From HR Support Team to Payroll Analyst in Krakow – meet Michał Wiącek
3 min read
Over the years, Cisco has practised #internalmobility promotion, encouraging employees to move and develop within the company. Cisco is all about retaining and supporting top talent to pursue their passion. Under the motto #OneCompanyManyCareers, we will be sharing the success stories of our employees throughout the whole year!
This week’s story is about Michał Wiącek, Payroll Analyst in Cisco Poland.
Tell us what has been your career journey at Cisco so far?
I started working at Cisco in May 2016 as an HR support team member. After six months, I received a promotion to Tier 2. Four years later, on April 20th, I transitioned from the Support team to the Payroll team, where I currently hold the position of Payroll Specialist for the UK and Ireland.
What or Who inspired you for the change?
I believe my transition to the Payroll team was mostly the consequence of some colleagues’ inspiration to change, but also a little bit of luck. When I joined the HR Support team in 2016, I already had some experience in customer service, so it wasn’t entirely new to me. Additionally, being a part of the HR Support team allowed me to meet many people from different departments within Cisco and build my network. I discussed my development plan with my manager a few times and I was always hungry to learn more and understand how the other departments work – HR, maybe Payroll. I even did a stretch assignment in HR team, that was a good experience.
The decision to switch from Support to Payroll specifically was inspired by my colleagues. When a new job opening in the Payroll team occurred, one of my colleagues reached out to me on Webex and urged me to apply. They wanted to work with me, and they wouldn’t take no for an answer. I took this as a gentle nudge to apply, went to the interview, and successfully transitioned to the Payroll team.
What was your biggest learning through the transition?
Initially, I was unsure about my suitability for the job since I was new to the company. I lacked experience in this field. However, my manager encouraged me to give it a try and provided me with training alongside my colleagues from the Payroll team. In the beginning, I had to contact them a lot to learn about the role. The employee queries were often complicated, so I had many questions daily. However, this enabled me to establish a close relationship with my new team.
Through the process, I learned a lot of hard skills such as using Excel, but most importantly, I discovered a lot about myself. I realized that I am a consistent worker and can perform well under pressure. In my payroll role, I was able to put this theory to the test. Working as the Payroll Specialist, I have experienced the importance of meeting deadlines and being prepared for unexpected situations. However, this kind of environment allowed me to witness firsthand how strong and collaborative the Payroll team can be.
I’ve noticed that there are some differences between the types of jobs in the Support team and in Payroll. In the Support team, you have your own cases and you may have some questions if you encounter any problems. Fortunately, you can always ask your colleagues and they will support you. However, you work more independently, and your cases do not impact the work of others. On the other hand, in Payroll, the collaboration scheme is strong. Your actions and decisions can impact the work of others. Therefore, you need to ensure that your work is coordinated with theirs. This strong collaboration is one of the Cisco values, and it is evident in this kind of work.
What advice would you give to those who are thinking about a change but are still hesitant?
If you’re feeling curious, but not yet ready for a change, remember that there are plenty of opportunities to grow and learn within your organization. At Cisco, people are very supportive, and collaboration is top-notch. You don’t need to change your job right away. Instead, you can explore options like stretch assignments, mentoring programs, and speed networking. Catching the essence of the work via those events can help you learn and broaden your horizons. So, take your time and don’t hesitate to seize these opportunities to grow on your own terms.
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