Company: Apple
Date: 2018-11-02
Overall rating: 1/5
Employment status: former
Experience level: Confirmed

Apple Retail is retail 100%, set your expectations accordingly...
Pros: - Pay for a retail environment is top of the mark. Depending on your specific location, starting and entry level roles will earn between $18-$19 per hour. Each role above entry level pays you 10-20% more based on performance and tenure. If you are full-time, expect to be earning between $21-$25 an hour within just a couple of years.
- Annual pay raises (Apple calls them "merit increases" are typically generous, but are determined based on the stores overall performance metrics. Expect a minimum annual raise of 2-5%. 
- Restricted Stock Units (RSU's) are available and are gifted to ALL employees, part-time, full-time, entry level and beyond. These are free stock gifts that vest over a three year period. Expect somewhere around $2000 and up per year, this is an AWESOME benefit.
- Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) offers you a 15% discount off of Apple stock which you use to purchase shares twice per calendar year. This is another AWESOME benefit. In my time at Apple, I saw this benefit alone make colleagues millionaires. I mean that. If you invest right and are with the company for the longterm, Apple's ESPP can make you a millionaire. 
- Overall benefits package is truly exceptional. This is the number one reason to work for Apple and/or Apple Retail. Health benefits are exceptional and affordable. Dental and vision are much the same. A ton of benefits exist for continuing your education, growing your financial portfolio, health and wellness and more. Taking full advantage of the benefits package will only help reward you further for your work done at Apple.
- Discounts on Apple products is exceptional. At least 25% off of everything (often times much more) for your personal purchases, at least 15% off of everything for friends and family. Additional "third party" discounts on accessory products, camera equipment, cellular service, rental car services, concierge services, auto loans, and so much more are also available. 
- 401k match is decent, up to 6% dollar for dollar once you have been with the company five years.
- Paid time off for full-time employees is decent with added "bonus" days added each year. Paid time off increases at the five year, ten year and fifteen year mark with the company. 
- Every employee receives sick time. Yes, part-time employees too.
Cons: - If you get hired at Apple, come in thirsty. Real thirsty. You're going to be drinking a TON of Kool-Aid. Throughout your on boarding and training experience you will be forced to drink Kool-Aid, swallow it and gulp down some more. You will be expected to sing the companies praises at every turn. This will not change, either be ready for it or you will not last.
- Management varies greatly by location, but is in general, a sad, poor excuse for a "leader" (they give themselves this title, it is not earned). You will, without question come across the occasional member of management of "gets it," these men and women will make a profound impact on you. Sadly, they are far and few between and the rest of the junk will win out.
- Nearly everyone is hired in at the entry level roles (Specialist or Technical Specialist) and nearly everyone promotes quickly (usually once per year for the first two or three years). Once you have two or three promotions under your belt, typically just beneath the management level, your development with COMPLETELY STALL. The "elevated" positions (in order: Pro, Lead, Lead Genius, Manager, Senior Manager, Store "Leader") are limited and competition for them is stiff. If you land one of these "elevated" roles, get comfortable. You will be in it for a WHILE. YEARS.
- Store "Leaders" are NEVER in the building. Senior Managers typically run the day-to-day store operations.
- Turnover is incredibly, ridiculously, annoying high. If you get hired, please expect roughly 35-40% of your location to completely turn over per year. You will see a huge hiring increase around the fall and holiday period, hiring will stop around the New Year, people will drop like flies until the next fall, process starts over again.
- Work/life balance is a joke. Do not expect to have it. Do not expect to get any holiday's off, do not expect scheduling to do you any favors. Time off requests have to be made 4-5 weeks in advance and if you want any chance of actually getting the time approved, request it 8-10 weeks in advance. As a result of new product launches, do not even think of asking for ANY time off in September, October or November, EVER. 
- Development is a joke.
- Internal politics are EVERYTHING at Apple. You MUST "play the game." 
- Time and attendance policy is a JOKE. There is no penalty for being late, calling off, missing work. Other team members will take advantage of this and will leave you stranded.
- A ton of "rules" are in place with management that will greatly impact you. A person can only be in a role for so long (they want you to move, up and laterally, often). Expect to be in any one role for just about a year until you are pushed into something else. Please note, often times these are NOT promotions but lateral moves to "add tools to your tool belt." Apple's "culture of feedback" is a genius and evil way of ALWAYS having a justified way to pushback against your plans, development, hopes and more. EVERYTHING at Apple can be looped back to feedback, be prepared to ask management for something and for them to respond with feedback on how you need to improve first. This is a cycle, it happens over and over again.
- If you push back against the "Apple way," be prepared to be forced out. ALWAYS ask for and accept feedback. Always speak highly of Apple products. Always support and get behind new services and initiatives. Always defend the customer, never your colleague. Always smile and nod. Never show frustrations, disappointment or anger. Apple wants smile robots - be one and you will go far.