My boss is cool. Most aren't. - Software Engineer IV Apple Employee Review

4.0
5 Apr 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Working for Apple can be something you take pride in - I write software that my whole family (and millions of other people) get to see and use every day. My work is usually interesting, and I'm mostly surrounded by very smart people. My manager is not typical - he is respectful of my life outside of work. My work schedule is very flexible thanks to that. I'm always able to take vacations, and I'm able to telecommute once a week, sometimes twice if I need to. I haven't come into the office on the weekend at all during the last 4-5 years. Since 2007-2008, our cafeteria is awesome. It really sucked before that. The burrito bar kicks ass now. Cafeteria food costs $$$ - it's not free.

Cons

Many departments, and their VP's, directors, and managers have unrealistic expectations of their employees. Particularly on the hardware engineering side of Infinite Loop (buildings 5 and 6), people get driven very hard and are regularly expected to work weekends. I've witnessed age discrimination. On multiple occasions, co-workers over 50 were laid off without warning. I assume this is a routine pruning to let go the people with the highest salaries, but it always feels kinda wrong to me. My department does regular layoffs, maybe 8-10 people get dropped every 2 years. At the same time, we're always hiring. Our use of layoffs seems like a disingenuous (disingenuous since we're hiring simultaneously) way to drop poor performers.

Explore other reviews about Apple

5.0
19 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I am inspired by the technical expertise I see at the leadership level. People are collaborative. And the work is really interesting.

Cons

Some business operations processes are not built for scale, causing a lot of wasted effort

4.0
28 Aug 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

We work with geniuses - in every department, We create innovative products that thrill our customers and create new product categories - who else can say that?

Cons

ZERO ZERO ZERO work/life balance. Execs have been saying for YEARS that they understand and will make it better. But in actuality, it gets worse every year! It is obviously top management LIP SERVICE because if they meant it, they could fix it tomorrow. They have hundreds of BILLIONS in the bank. If they REALLY cared about employee work/life balance, they could bring aboard the right number of folks to make that issue dissolve. Sick of hearing the lies. Just don't lie about wanting to fix it, when they clearly DON'T care

1501
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