SiliconBeat

It might not be the dot-com boom, but it’s sure feeling like old times again at Cisco Systems. In a 10-K filed on Tuesday, the company disclosed that it hired 11,609 people in fiscal year 2007, which ends in June. The company now has a total headcount of 61,535. Those new employees included 3,300 who were assimilated through various mergers.

The good news is that this hiring binge is expected to continue, according to the filing, though how much will be in Silicon Valley is hard to say. According to its financials, Cisco’s fastest growth last year occurred in “emerging markets” such as Africa, the Middle East, Russia, and Eastern Europe. So if you’re having trouble landing a job in the South Bay, maybe it’s time to grab your backpack and Let’s Go guide and head off to exotic lands.