Apple

I got to work with some of the smartest people in the world on really tough problems, and I got to really contribute. My work shipped in an identifiable way, which in such a large company was an amazing thing. The energy of working at Apple was addictive, not to mention the fact that everyone (family, friends) were in awe of you working there.

I briefly worked at Google after leaving Apple, and my god, it was a stark difference. At Apple, everyone focused on product. Everyone knew that what they did made a difference and poured their hearts and souls into every day there. At Google... not so much. Projects were cancelled regularly and people just didn't care. Whether your product shipped or not, Google still got paid from advertising, so hey - why bother sweating it?

There was a lot of work, but I was absolutely happy to do it. Brainwashing? Not really, more just making the most of the opportunity in front of me. Opportunities like this don't come around every day.

When I started, it was very management-light. We got to move incredibly fast and make decisions mostly ourselves. By the time I left, there were layers upon layers of program managers, and the hiring bar was noticeably lower. That tends to spoil things for everyone.

New projects at Apple feel like startups with unlimited resources and no investors to pander to... i.e., spectacular. But after a few years of success, the structure calcifies, and though it's still a good job, it's not the same rush.

Compensation (RSUs etc.) was great at the start, but kept going down every year while the company made more and more money. This just felt wrong when you were working 70+ hours a week.

You really need a super-clueful CTO who isn't involved in the politics – someone who can cut through the crap and ensure your VPs aren't outmaneuvering you. You effectively had one, but sadly, he is no longer with us.