Students To Working Professionals

Welcoming New Grads To Palo Alto Networks

Early Talent welcomed 35 new grads to Palo Alto Networks this past month! Suffice to say, starting a new job is an exciting, yet nerve wracking experience—and these feelings are exactly why we started the LEAP Program. Our Early Talent team helps new grads transition to work life by building a professional toolkit and an early-in-career community that will set them up for success. 

At the beginning of February, we hosted our first in-person onboarding experience, LEAP Start, after almost three years! Our week-long orientation enabled new hires to settle in with ease while getting to know their cohort, previous cohorts and the Early Talent team. One of our grads, Austin, mentioned that “It was so nice to visit headquarters and meet some of the fellow new hires in-person.” The Early Talent team “organized some great activities for us that helped us get to know each other and the impact [Palo Alto Networks] has in cybersecurity.” Austin hit home on the importance of community in the workplace. Throughout school,  students' lives are built on community, and sometimes at work this falls short. LEAP ensures that you feel welcomed and supported on the first page of your new chapter.

Hui, a master’s graduate who joined us, talked about how excited he was to attend the LEAP Start. He told the team how “it’s really helpful for new hires to [learn] how to set goals and milestones… and it was a great chance to get to know [his] manager and colleagues.” Hui highlights two important aspects of our program: professional development and manager relationships. Professional development is at the core of LEAP because any seasoned employee knows corporate life comes with nuances, lingo, and for lack of a better word “adulting.” To help new grads learn all the ins and outs of corporate life, the Early Talent team puts together meaningful workshops that will help them ramp up in their first year and beyond. Managers play a huge role in a new grad's experience—LEAP Start was an opportunity to get to know and build a positive relationship with their managers. 

At Palo Alto Networks, Early Talent plays an important role in disrupting the Cybersecurity status quo. Fresh, diverse ideas are what makes our team’s powerful and new graduate hiring is a big part of that. We can’t wait to see what this year in LEAP has in store! 

Interested in learning more about the program? Check out our page: https://jobs.paloaltonetworks.com/en/leap-grad-program/.