Apple

Apple has a very solid culture of respecting employees and offering challenging work that will change the world.

The important thing to know is that you should be ready to make opportunities for yourself and not sit around waiting for someone else to hand you a dream assignment. You need to network with other teams and be aware of what's coming. With that information, get yourself in front of the hiring manager and let them know you're interested.

This is how you'll have a great experience at Apple. Take charge of your future.

Not so much a con as advice that applies anywhere. Apple has a range of managers with varying levels of skill at managing.

Ask good questions of any prospective manager to find out how they manage in certain situations. How do they recognize above and beyond contributions from their directs? How do they manage conflicts inside the group and between groups? What professional development programs do they have in place for their directs? There are many other questions, and I encourage you to search online for some more.

Your manager is the single largest influence on whether you enjoy your job. Take the time to get to know her/him in the interview process.