Life as a software engineer at Apple is pretty good, but the perks and salary provided by the company have long paled in comparison to some of the benefits that other tech companies like Google are famous for bestowing upon their employees. So while the pay as a software engineer at Apple is certainly nothing to scoff at, you won’t often find Apple atop of lists ranking which companies in Silicon Valley offer the most lucrative employment contracts.
Recently, Flipboard co-founder and former Apple engineer Evan Doll sent out a few tweets recalling a brief and somewhat classic story involving former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. According to Doll, he was once at an all-hands meeting in 2007 when a brave employee got up and asked why software engineers at Apple were underpaid.
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According to Doll, Jobs was quick with a “steely-eyed” response.
“Maybe you should ask your manager why they don’t think you’re worth more,” Jobs quickly countered.
His steely-eyed reply: “Maybe you should ask your manager why they don’t think you’re worth more.” 😐😐😐
— Evan Doll (@edog1203) December 28, 2015
To be fair, there were many Apple employees in the early to mid 2000s who did VERY well. But mostly b/c they wisely held onto ESPP stock.
— Evan Doll (@edog1203) December 28, 2015
Adding some more detail to the story, former Apple employee J Metz adds via Twitter that the back and forth occurred during a worldwide call celebrating the “internal launch of the first iPhone.”
As for what may have prompted Jobs’ response, Metz writes the following via Twitter.
He then began complaining about how other companies in Silicon Valley paid far more. Mind you, this is a WORLDWIDE call. (7)
— J Metz (@drjmetz) January 4, 2016
Jobs was sitting on the stool, looking at the floor while listening to this guy talk. He showed no reaction and waited for him to finish (8)
— J Metz (@drjmetz) January 4, 2016
Finally, Jobs said, “Well, I think Apple pays very fair salaries and is as competitive as anyone else in the industry. + (9)
— J Metz (@drjmetz) January 4, 2016
“If you disagree, perhaps you should talk to your manager about why you’re not worth more.” (my recollection of the quote) (10)
— J Metz (@drjmetz) January 4, 2016
Entire audience broke out in cheers, laughter, and applause. Several went to the directory to see who the soon-to-be-ex-employee was. (11)
— J Metz (@drjmetz) January 4, 2016
Lastly, the impetus for Doll’s tweets was that he just recently received his settlement check from a highly publicized class-action lawsuit which alleged that Apple and a slew of other tech companies, including Google, Intel, Pixar, Adobe, Lucasfilm and Intuit, engaged in illegal anti-poaching agreements wherein the aforementioned companies each promised not to actively recruit employees from one another.
