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At Apple, Soft Skills Trump Technical Skills

Principal Engineer
Current Employee
Has worked at Apple for 4 years
June 19, 2019
Cupertino, California
2.0
Doesn't RecommendNeutral OutlookApproves of CEO
Pros

Brand name company.

Salary and Benefits.

Good opportunity to learn macOS.

Cons

Too much politics; people are very territorial and do not share any information. The secretive culture is taking a toll on progress and kills the spirit of innovation, leading eventually to technical dysfunction. Examples include Siri, Apple Maps, and the Universal Wireless Charger.

Bonus distribution is very skewed and depends very much on how well you can align yourself with the axis of power. People with no technical knowledge and contribution can be rewarded with huge bonuses.

Advice to Management

Your company's future is more important than your end-year fat bonus.

Be open to criticism and have the courage to make changes.

Do not promote imbecile middle managers just because they are yes-boys.

Be alarmed when your best and brightest choose to leave the company.

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