Having grown up in the Bay Area and still in touch with family and friends, it came as no surprise that housing is ridiculously expensive. Weighing Pros and ConsĪmidst a sea of pros and cons, two factors weighed heavily on the decision we’d end up making: cost of living and flexibility of schedule. But regrettably, it was the other parts of the equation that weren’t, well, quite as attractive. Let it be said that the chance to work at Apple, the prestige that comes from doing so, and the challenge of working with a highly talented team was undeniably attractive. The interviews concluded, I returned home, and in the ensuing weeks Suzanne and I discussed it at length. Two of the designers I would have been working closely with were particularly savvy. But I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the team members were both fascinating and brilliant.
#Why work for apple full
Needless to say, however, fielding questions and selling yourself for nearly a full day is quite exhausting.
Interviewing with several members on a team isn’t unusual these days, especially at the likes of Google, Yahoo, and a host of other tech companies.
The only breaks I enjoyed were spent in the men’s room. The following morning I endured 6.5 hours - yes, I said 6.5 hours - of interviews. “Am I really here in Cupertino? Am I really about to interview with Apple tomorrow? No way.” Yes way. And yet here I was in a lush hotel room, almost pinching myself to be certain this was really happening. Interviews with several members of the team were to be held the next morning. On the heels of a few successful phone conversations, I was flown out on a cold November evening. But suffice it say I would have been managing the design of a certain place within their site where they showcase a lot of product. (The article was mentioned on several occasions in our discussions.)Īnd what was the position for, you ask? Well, to protect Apple’s right to secrecy, I won’t disclose too many details. The timing couldn’t have been better given the position they were looking to fill. To ALA’s credit, this all happened shortly after “Good Designers Redesign, Great Designers Realign” was published the article in which I extol the virtues of redesigning based on need rather than want, with a pinch of Apple iLife branding thrown in to support my arguments. This person then asked me if I wanted my name in the collective applicant hat, which eventually produced a call from the recruiter.
#Why work for apple series
Through a series of related events, a recruiter at Apple contacted a certain high-level person in the industry. Who hasn’t? For a designer, it’s the holy grail of aesthetic accolade. Following is an account of how it started, and yes, how it ended.įor years I’ve literally dreamed of working at Apple. Only recently was all of this - “this” being the chance to work at Apple - laid to rest, ending several months of talks and bringing a close to the toughest challenge, by far, of my career to date.
Never did I expect those words to hit so close to home. I’ve oft quoted Michael Porter’s strategy maxim in recent months: “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” Why I passed up the chance to work at Apple ~ 21 February 2006 ~
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