Apple Trails Google, Amazon, and Microsoft Among Ideal Employers in Recent Survey

[MacRumors]

Apple has ranked fourth, behind Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, in a recent survey of the most ideal employers for tech professionals in the United States. Apple ranked ahead of Facebook, IBM, The Walt Disney Company, and Tesla.

The online survey was conducted by tech careers site Dice between June 2017 and August 2017. There were a total of 5,477 respondents, who were asked to name their top three choices for the most desirable company for which to work.

When asked what matters most to them in an employer, tech professionals mentioned competitive salaries, challenging work, benefits, positive organizational culture, and transparent communication as the most important factors.

While the survey results are subjective, having a career at Apple undoubtedly has some benefits, including generous compensation and the chance to work on some of the world's most iconic products like the Mac and iPhone.

Dice also highlighted the equity that Apple awards its employees, in the form of restricted stock units, in addition to its progressive stance on diversity and social issues and innovation within the tech industry.

The survey results likely refer to Apple's corporate positions, but there are also opportunities at the retail level. Apple recently shared a video in which several employees say their jobs help them connect with and inspire customers.

Apple was ranked the 36th best place to work this year in the United States on Glassdoor. The company has an average rating of four out of five stars on the website. Apple CEO Tim Cook has a 93 percent approval rating.

Article Link: Apple Trails Google, Amazon, and Microsoft Among Ideal Employers in Recent Survey

 

[BB8]

I was under the impression working at Amazon sucks.

 

[Leguna24]

93% approval rate for a CEO sounds pretty good.

 

[pat500000]

I wonder what's the benefit for working for Apple. Free mac computers? Iphones?

 

[imran5720]

I’ll still prefer working with apple
Not that i expect it happening anytime soon

 

[Daveoc64]

I was under the impression working at Amazon sucks.

In a warehouse perhaps, but in a survey of "tech professionals", you're not talking about warehouse staff, just like how you're not talking about a Foxconn factory worker for Apple

 

[DaveOP]

I wonder what's the benefit for working for Apple. Free mac computers? Iphones?

Pretty close. iPhones not so much, but heavy, HEAVY discounts on Macs.

 

[Appleaker]

I wonder if not forcing everyone to work in their poorly designed open ‘collaborative’ offices might help.
I am not against their use, I think it can be better in certain roles, but it is not for erveryone and all roles.

 

[deanthedev]

93% approval rate for a CEO sounds pretty good.

But.....so many people here think Cook is doing a lousy job. How is this possible?

 

[blacktape242]

I heard working here is pretty cool.

 

[drewyboy]

But.....so many people here think Cook is doing a lousy job. How is this possible?

Well, you're not understanding the difference. Consumer =/= employer. Same thing I say about consumer vs. stock owner. When prices increase for a device, that's bad for the consumer unless you like paying more for no reason, but for a stock owner, increasing profit margins is good.

Cook is good as an employer and also for stock owners. For consumers, he's honestly not moved the needle. Really, he's just a bean counter. The sooner he goes the better for Apple overall. Same thing that happened to Google and MS. The 2nd in command that takes over for the original founder just never does a good job. They were there to compliment the founders flaws. The 3rd CEO to follow gets a chance for a clean slate and has fared well.

 

[AllergyDoc]

Pretty close. iPhones not so much, but heavy, HEAVY discounts on Macs.

My oldest son bought a MacBook Air a couple of years ago using his friend's discount: 15%. The friend is one of Apple's legions of attorneys (he does work directly for Apple). That's not a lot better than the education discount my wife gets for working for a university.

 

[Exponent]

in addition to its progressive stance on diversity and social issues

To many of us who understand these issues, we read "progressive" as "destructive". Moreover, Apple was soliciting donations on the iTunes Store for the Southern Poverty Law Center, a group that has personally slandered people I know - and that I _know_ to be free of hate - as being a "hate group".

Besides, most people I know working at Apple are miserable, both with the hours and their overwhelming aspects of control.

I'm glad to not be working there, and am easing my way out of the entire Apple ecosystem... and I know I'm not the only one in the Silicon Valley. (Indeed, it is a popular subject these days around here.)

 

[zapm]

My oldest son bought a MacBook Air a couple of years ago using his friend's discount: 15%. The friend is one of Apple's legions of attorneys (he does work directly for Apple). That's not a lot better than the education discount my wife gets for working for a university.

Friends discount is different from personal discount.

 

[mkldev]

I was under the impression working at Amazon sucks.

In a warehouse perhaps, but in a survey of "tech professionals", you're not talking about warehouse staff, just like how you're not talking about a Foxconn factory worker for Apple

Actually, I was under the impression that their tech org was a horrible place to work:

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-amazon-brutal-workplace-20150818-story.html

Of course, this could just be a case of a few bad apples spoiling the barrel, but it points to the need for more thorough review when promoting people within their tech org.

 

[velocityg4]

A valid survey would be a survey of employees whom actually work for these companies. Not where people would like to work based on what they have heard about these companies. What you think a company is like is different than what it actually is like. This survey is based on hearsay.

I'd be more interested in how actual employees rank them based on job satisfaction, training, perks, management, work environment, &c. Where they rank their current employer in each categories using a 1 to 10 rating, 5 star, whatever. Perhaps a more detailed worksheet designed to weed out errors. Using an approach similar to MBTI testing.

I didn't know Disney was a tech company. I thought they made movies and TV shows. Does making rides and animatronics for Disneyland count? Of course JP Morgan Chase and Deloitte are on the list as well. I guess tech company is a very loose term.

 

[69Mustang]

Well, you're not understanding the difference. Consumer =/= employer. Same thing I say about consumer vs. stock owner. When prices increase for a device, that's bad for the consumer unless you like paying more for no reason, but for a stock owner, increasing profit margins is good.

Cook is good as an employer and also for stock owners. For consumers, he's honestly not moved the needle. Really, he's just a bean counter. The sooner he goes the better for Apple overall. Same thing that happened to Google and MS. The 2nd in command that takes over for the original founder just never does a good job. They were there to compliment the founders flaws. The 3rd CEO to follow gets a chance for a clean slate and has fared well.

@deanthedev correct me if I'm wrong, but drewboy seemed to have missed the obvious sarcasm in your quote.

Drewboy, what makes you feel a CEO needs to move a needle with consumers? Good to employees - yup that's CEO responsibility. Good to stock holders - also CEO responsibility. Move a needle with consumers - uh, not so much. Here's the thing. Generally speaking, consumers don't care about or even know about Tim Cook. We know and some of care about the CEO of Apple, but we aren't average consumers.

 

[groove-agent]

93% approval rate for a CEO sounds pretty good.

I love it when my boss is never there too.

But seriously I bet Tim is a lot nicer than Steve was to Apple employees. However I think Steve “ got the job done” more so than Tim.

 

[69Mustang]

I love it when my boss is never there too.

But seriously I bet Tim is a lot nicer than Steve was to Apple employees. However I think Steve “ got the job done” more so than Tim.

Based on what, revisionist history?

 

[Hater]

Who were these 5000 people? Actual people with a valid opinion, or random 13 year olds?

 

[joueboy]

But.....so many people here think Cook is doing a lousy job. How is this possible?

In comparison to SJ and how the products been released, yeah that’s some people’s opinion here. But for the boards brings more money on the table they love him. The media that always he talked to yeah they like him a lot. And of course the people that works at Apple, I’m assuming not much pressure from Tim Cook of getting things done. As opposed to SJ he’s probably the most hated person at the campus. From what I heard you don’t even wanna meet him or stucked with him at the elevator. If he starts talking to you and starts asking questions you’re not gonna like his answer at the end of conversation. Yes, Tim Cook loves by everyone but it doesn’t mean he’s not doing a lousy job on somebody’s opinion.

 

[DaveOP]

My oldest son bought a MacBook Air a couple of years ago using his friend's discount: 15%. The friend is one of Apple's legions of attorneys (he does work directly for Apple). That's not a lot better than the education discount my wife gets for working for a university.

Apple employees get a much better discount for themselves. When I worked there, it was 25% off, and then another $500 on top of that. I think a Macbook Air was $250 with the discount.

 

[MistrSynistr]

I wonder what's the benefit for working for Apple. Free mac computers? Iphones?

Virtue signaling emails disguised as company policy.

 

[ackmondual]

I was under the impression working at Amazon sucks.

In a warehouse perhaps, but in a survey of "tech professionals", you're not talking about warehouse staff, just like how you're not talking about a Foxconn factory worker for Apple

With professionals, one typically also refers to office jobs there as well. I've met people who love working at McDonalds, but she's in HR. Another does marketing for Jersey Mike's. Several work at Walmart HQ. One is a DBA for them and has saved up to become a millionaire. Even Bentonville or Cave Spring in Arkansas is on the more boring side, and their school systems aren't that great (TBF, they're not horrendous either), they make enough money such that their incomes are 20x what they pay for their mortgages, and their houses ain't too shabby.

Also, I'm assuming Foxconn workers are considered contractors. I doubt it'd look good if they were on Apple's pay roll

I wonder what's the benefit for working for Apple. Free mac computers? Iphones?

I talked with an Apple Store employee claims that she gets 50% discounts, but those discounts are capped. IIRC, after you spend so much. So the midlevel aWatch would've been mostly discounted (IIRC, they were listed at $800 to $1000 range).

 

[Stella]

I wonder what's the benefit for working for Apple. Free mac computers? Iphones?

A colleague from a few years back used to work at Apple in California ( non technical, but not low level position either ) The benefits sounded disappointing TBH. No free hardware, just a small discount.

I value work / life balance. Apple is one of the last places I'd get that.. include a lot of major tech companies in that list too - they have good office percs for a reason - to keep you in the office.