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My Experience at Apple

ex-apple-engineer.medium.com

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Re: My Experience at Apple

#151

Post by rmk »

exApple-anon wrote: post #30
exApple-anon wrote: post #9

Posting anonymously for obvious reasons. Unlike others, I actually find this story fairly believable. When I first joined Apple, straight out of college - a good program, top three in the country - I was abused similarly. I joined a team that was on a project behind schedule. Our manager was a brusque, no-nonsense sort of dude. But he clearly had anger problems. On the team were 2 senior engineers, me, and a junior e…

Some extra tidbits that didn't make it in because the edit timer ran out: - Despite the big release and herculean efforts, both of us were paid a fraction of our target bonus. This was the day I decided to move jobs. - I eventually grew some balls and told Apple to (a) pay me 2.5x during overtime (b) hire SREs for this critical service, or (c) go fuck themselves. They chose (c), which worked alright because our servi…

- The primary lesson I learnt is that it doesn't matter if you work hard. Nobody notices, and even if they do you will likely not get anything out of it. Do your job, but don't kill yourself over it. Work-life balance is king.

This has been my experience as well. Nowadays I work hard only while most of the following are true: - I'm making top dollar (good salary + equity value is high) - Work is interesting (something new to learn, or challenging, or both) - My home life is not going great (there are ups and downs, and working hard during the downs is a pretty decent way of coping)

I absolutely do not work hard if any one of the following is true: - Project Manager is applying pressure. - People who do not deliver value have been promoted over me. - Manager/Technical leadership has repeatedly ignored my advice and leanded the team in hot water (cutting corners to make arbitrary timelines, only to incur high support costs or maintenance costs later) - Performance Management is not occurring at the company (underperformers are not thrown out, or, worse, promoted). - Company is not doing well (equity value is down). - Salary has not kept pace with market (i.e., nothing more than 3-4% raises per year). - There is an over-reliance on junior people and they start calling the shots, thereby making my hard-won experience useless to the team.

Re: My Experience at Apple

#152

Post by kirstenbirgit »

I really feel bad for this person. It seems like they are used to another workplace culture than the secretive and strict culture of Apple, and they might have committed some social faux pas which tainted their reputation, leading to sabotage from their teammates. Of course that doesn't excuse their behavior.

Additionally, I really hope that they now have learnt to separate themselves emotionally from their workplace. I know that it might've been a stressful (e.g. visa issues), but one should never let themselves get to a point where they cry about a workplace issue in their Christmas/NYE break. It's just a job, after all.

Re: My Experience at Apple

#153

Post by SkyPuncher »

ma2rten wrote: post #70
exApple-anon wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some extra tidbits that didn't make it in because the edit timer ran out: - Despite the big release and herculean efforts, both of us were paid a fraction of our target bonus. This was the day I decided to move jobs. - I eventually grew some balls and told Apple to (a) pay me 2.5x during overtime (b) hire SREs for this critical service, or (c) go fuck themselves. They chose (c), which worked alright because our servi…

I got an offer from Apple. The hiring manager told me "You worked at a startup before, you'll have no problem working overtime". I didn't end up taking the offer.

I work at a startup right now and can count the number of times I've had to work overtime with a null-pointer - 0.

Well run startups can still compete by making smart, focused decisions.

Re: My Experience at Apple

#154

Post by tinus_hn »

Apocryphon wrote: post #120
andrewmcwatters wrote: post #80

For anyone experiencing workplace harassment, this article is a great example of what not to do. Instead, document everything happening to you with evidence, speak with HR about incidents as they arise, and if they don't take action, seek legal counsel. Doing anything else will paint you in a bad light.

Doesn't exactly work when HR is toothless and one is seeking legal action against literally the richest company in the world and already inundated in lawsuits. Not to mention the author was on a student OPT visa- how is someone being sponsored by a company going to risk their status by suing that company?

The flip side is that Apple cannot afford to lose such a case because it would shine a very dark light on them.

If you have anywhere near a solid case they will probably settle for a handsome amount.

Re: My Experience at Apple

#155

Post by xenihn »

>A few weeks after the previous incident, I was looking at work on Radar which my “iBuddy” had copied directly from what I had done, and I noticed a note under the note section of a hidden slide on a deck that she had uploaded and it was an indirect suicide/murder threat. Given the history of the team, I felt worried sick and stayed home that day from fear of showing up to work and being harmed. I alerted the senior manager who told the iBuddy. The “iBuddy” followed up with another email about a child who was murdered by her parents and was thrown into the river and a person who had committed suicide by hanging himself.

My heart breaks for this person. They ended up on a team filled with people exhibiting borderline personality disorder traits, entrenched and protected by corporate interests. Literally my worst nightmare. Compound this with the other factors in this situation (first job, immigrant status) and it's truly horrible. I feel so bad for them.

Re: My Experience at Apple

#156

Post by onepointsixC »

Apocryphon wrote: post #120
andrewmcwatters wrote: post #80

For anyone experiencing workplace harassment, this article is a great example of what not to do. Instead, document everything happening to you with evidence, speak with HR about incidents as they arise, and if they don't take action, seek legal counsel. Doing anything else will paint you in a bad light.

Doesn't exactly work when HR is toothless and one is seeking legal action against literally the richest company in the world and already inundated in lawsuits. Not to mention the author was on a student OPT visa- how is someone being sponsored by a company going to risk their status by suing that company?

Even if she did, would she have been able to even stay while the lawsuit plays out over months to years? Unlikely.

Re: My Experience at Apple

#157

Post by sumthinprofound »

ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #121

I am sorry to hear this. I was a manager for 25 years, at a renowned corporation, that wasn’t fun, but didn’t have too much of this kind of thing. When I became a manager, my personal vow was to “be the manager I always wanted.” Contrary to popular mythology, this was not “Become a doormat.” As anyone that worked for me can tell you, I could be quite firm. But that was the exception; not the rule. Kindness and empath…

As a hiring manager, I would never bring on an employee to scapegoat them. I had the experience, once, where I felt the VP of Operations was waiting for me to fail instead of supporting my success. I chalked it up to bad leadership on her part which threatened my ability to achieve the goals I was tasked with. Guess what? No one cares. Part of the pathway to success is to be able to navigate around such obstacles. It took me two years to build up trust with her and turn it into a productive relationship. As a manager, I learned a lot about what not to do by watching her, which was a pretty invaluable lesson.

Re: My Experience at Apple

#158

Post by rantwasp »

txdv wrote: post #91

> If Apple refuse to take actions, I will interview with major media outlets describing the experience in more details and I will release a list of all individuals involved from senior management to the HR director and all the evidence as public record. Seems like the author is going to expose more details about his story including names if things do not change at Apple. I just wonder, how will he know? He is not wor…

I don’t get it. This person was abused to the moon and back and al they want is for Apple to “fix” it? How would that even work.

I would say: lawyer up and make them pay through the nose. Once that happens 1) all the people involved in this will get canned / have a really bad time 2) Apple will put some kind of measures in place to prevent this kind of abuse.

Also, hello Apple HR? Wtf are you doing? I understand you give 0 fcks about the employee, but your job is to protect the company? Spoiler Alert: by this story existing you have failed miserably.

Re: My Experience at Apple

#159

Post by xenihn »

tdhz77 wrote: post #27

I must try and understand my bias towards certain tech companies. When somebody says something bad about Facebook I instantly believe, but for some reason I had to really dig into this Apple engineer and it took me longer to believe them. Truth is harder to discern than I had thought.

I personally believe smaller companies and huge companies will be more prone to this. There's less accountability and ability to monitor and punish abuse and toxicity towards both extremes.

Re: My Experience at Apple

#160

Post by tinus_hn »

jeffbee wrote: post #119
almost_usual wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you’re fired without good reason or paper trail and live in California take your employer to court. They still need good cause for termination.

Welcome to Bad Legal Advice News.

It’s not that bad, to go to court would require a lawyer who would tell them if there’s any chance of success or not.
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