Company: Apple
Date: 2008-06-24
Overall rating: 4/5
Employment status: former

Apple can be a great place to work, be prepared to 'make your own way' and drive your career there.
Pros: Great products, as sales person its wonderful to be able to represent the best, campus life is good (great food, beautiful surroundings, and the occasional party/fun activity at the main lawn).  Compensation and overall benefits (matching 401K, stock purchase when the stock is rising :-)) are definitely competitive.  Smart people and overall the company feels 'well run', they deliver great products somewhat on-time, they market these products well.  Management seems relatively flat and so you can know/meet the top execs and that is cool.
Cons: There is this overall 'secrecy' feel that is weird - and I think it permeates many many aspects of the company from engineering to marketing to sales - so you are often wondering if you are supposed to know something and not talk about it, etc. and it makes for a sometimes uncomfortable environment.  Not all mangers are great (some are egomaniacs intent on self-promotion and 'kissing up' and/or micromangers) and if one of them is your boss, bummer for you.  Work hours can be significant (its not an HP 9-5 type of place to work).