Chuq and Eric both write about an email they received recently from someone interested in working at Apple (see Chuq’s entry for details). I received the same email, although unlike either Chuq or Eric, I didn’t respond to it. Not so much because I was annoyed that the person had sent a personal-looking email to several people, but because I’m lazy. Once I found out that Eric had responded to the fellow, I figured I didn’t need to. After all, I learned everything I know about working at Apple from Eric.

Actually, what I think bothered me most about the email was not that tactics the author used in sending it, but that it seemed like he might have wanted to work for Apple for the wrong reasons: “I’ve been a lifelong Apple
fan and I’ve wanted to work there since before I started high school.” Chuq recently compared Apple fans to Disney fans, and I think that’s applicable in this instance, too. There are people who go to work as janitors at Disneyland because they love Disney. This guy may be a great fan of Apple, but that doesn’t mean that he’d be a great Apple employee. He may have a particular interest or speciality, and if Apple doesn’t have a job in that area, but he takes a job as a receptionist just because he wants to work at Apple, well, I don’t think that does anyone any good. He won’t be happy, Apple won’t be well-served, etc.

If nothing else, some Apple fans may not want to work at Apple. There’s a bit of an inside-the-sausage-factory feel about the place. Personally, I think it’s a great place to work, but those who believe Apple can do no wrong may be disappointed to find out that in many respects, Apple is just like any other large company.