Company: Apple
Date: 2014-06-07
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: former
Experience level: Confirmed

The Honeymoon Period Doesn't Last Forever
Pros: Apple makes you feel good about yourself when you're hired.  The energy is amazing at first, and it's very easy to have your breath simply taken away by the magic of it all.  We Apple long-timers call this "drinking the kool-aid."  You get pretty good discounts for yourself (once a year) on merchandise.  And, their benefits (medical, dental, 401k, and stock program) are pretty awesome for full-time employees.
Cons: When being promoted from within, you WILL NOT get paid as much as someone being hired from outside the company.  Not even close.  This is how they save money...  Also, you will never receive a substantial pay increase.  Just don't expect it.  
Apple "promotes" people into new positions they create so that they don't have to hire someone else above that pay grade to do the job.  For example: An Apple Genius is the tech that troubleshoots and fixes your stuff at the Genius Bar.  An Apple Creative is the trainer that is very knowledgeable about software, who teaches you how to use your computer when you have a One-to-One membership.  They both get paid much more than Specialists (salespeople).  Apple invented the position "Family Room Specialist" to do a little of both of the Genius and Creative roles' jobs.  They have to train for it, bust their butts to prove themselves, interview, etc.  But after given the "promotion", they receive no pay increase.  Thus, Apple now doesn't have to hire any more higher-paid Genii or Creatives.
Another con?  Is the con.  They will (management) con you into believing that it's ok to be up front with them, and you can do anything...  This is true only if it makes that manager look good.  It's all just corporate retail politics.  
Lastly, you will always, ALWAYS be stressed out, and you will never know your schedule very far in advance.