Every decision, wrong. - Senior Software Engineer Appear Networks Employee Review

Technical proficiency is really valued at Appear, you get to work with colleagues who value clean code, and my time there made me a lot better programmer. The management was very understanding with my professional wishes and feedback. It was a real constructive discussion throughout the 3 years I worked there. I am now trying to be a better professional thanks to what I've learned working at Appear, both on the technology level and human level. Technically, the work is challenging, because the product is complex. So if you're looking for software challenges related to enterprise mobile apps, you won't be disappointed! I've contributed in building some mobile apps whose UX I'm really proud of, and this is not a given when your clients are the transport industry. Positive atmosphere there, I really felt that there was a synergy between the team members, although I've had my share of tough days (like in most jobs), due to the complexity of development. After my time at Appear, I didn't go for a position in yet another software company, because I knew it would be hard to top this.

I thing the challenge when working at Appear is not due to the company itself, but the business sector. When your business is making tools to ease mobile app development, you compete with super strong players like Google (AngularJS, Firebase...). So it can be difficult to work in the context of a very competitive business sector where it's difficult to win customers.

Appear is a very dynamic company in keeping with its startup culture - despite having been around for quite some time, the company alwas felt very fast-moving and agile. Personally, I thrived in such an environment and for me Appear was one of the most rewarding companies of my career to work for. I still regularly keep in touch with my old colleagues, both those still employed and those who have gone elsewhere. There is an incredible level of energy, commitment and skill present at all levels of the company, from developers to upper mangement. This is evident in so much of the output, we always worked with a clear focus on results - not on process, not on petty office politics and not on finding someone to blame should things go wronbg. The team was deeply committed and we felt a strong support from upper management in everything we did. Reading a previous review here I can't help but feel that the writer must have a personal grudge against the management team. In my view, the points listed above are exactly why people choose to stick around rather than pursue other opportunities. In such a competitive job market however, many companies have issues retaining their staff.

Some people prefer to view development as any old job that you can do by routine, like a factory line worker or a supermarket clerk. Appear isn't for them. It was always a job that required me to be able to juggle multiple projects, balance conflicting requirements and find my own solutions to problems. If you prefer your work to be predictable, go elsewhere. Being a small company, upward mobility is limited. Developers looking to move up into more managerial positions may find themselves out of luck. There is excellent room for technical specialization, however.