Why Apple hopefuls are so desperate to get a job there

• Cutting-edge projects, iconic branding, and more make Apple a coveted employer.
• Recruiters and career coaches say it's a résumé booster for any applicant.

Landing a corporate job at Apple is such a big deal for tech workers that some seek out career coaches to help get interviews. Others apply to multiple open positions at the company at once to try to secure an offer.

Sure, it's one of the world's most valuable companies, alongside Silicon Valley neighbors like Meta and Alphabet. But what's the specific lure?

Marc Cenedella, a career expert, told Business Insider he had the chance to hear the Apple founder Steve Jobs answer a similar question.

"'Taste,' he replied," Cenedella said. "'Taste' is the essence of what attracts people to want to work, sleep, play, and live with the Apple brand today."

Apple has been at the forefront of innovation for smartphones, tablets, and wearable gadgets. Devices like the iPod, the Mac computer, and the iPhone became iconic, helping the company gain and keep a massive, dedicated global user base. (Wedbush Securities analysts estimated earlier this year that there were 2.2 billion iOS devices out there.) They've also helped the company itself swell. At the end of last year, Apple employed about 161,000 people.

Career experts told BI that Apple's creative culture, innovation, and legacy were big pulls for applicants.

Apple is seen as a place where workers 'push boundaries'

Apple positions itself as providing more than just a job. The brand touts its creativity and imagination — attractive qualities for young professionals.

"We aren't merely creating products. We're creating something magical for the person who uses it," a quote on Apple's careers page from an engineering manager named Ehsan Farkhondeh reads.

As with its products, Apple has worked to brand itself as having a more playful and curious environment than its competitors.

"The company has a reputation for fostering creativity, championing collaboration, and creating an environment where employees are encouraged to push boundaries, making it a coveted position for many," Chaitra Vedullapalli, a cofounder of Women in Cloud, said.

Even Apple Park, the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California, has earned the nicknames "the spaceship" and "the ring" for its futuristic circular design.

And the lure of working for a company whose products everyone knows can't be dismissed.

"Apple's products are globally recognized for their quality and impact, contributing to its prestige," Arianny Mercedes, a former American Express talent manager and career coach, told BI.

Apple is attractive, and not just for its pay

One Reddit user suggested that securing a job offer at Apple after college was such a priority that it influenced which university they'd attend. Another Apple hopeful posted that they were "getting desperate" for a job at the company and had applied for 60 jobs in one day.

Apple's pay and benefits are competitive. Employees are eligible for stock, stock options, or share discounts.

When Theresa Park, a former Apple creative recruiter, was approached about a position, she wasn't planning to leave her role at Spotify.

But "Apple pay is much higher when we are looking at the overall package," Park told BI, adding, "They ended up offering me something I couldn't refuse."

For many people, it's about more than the money.

"It's the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology and be part of groundbreaking projects that often set Apple apart," Mercedes said.

When it comes to innovation, 2024 is a big year for Apple. The company is on the verge of releasing its AI venture, Apple Intelligence, and debuting a new iPhone and new operating technology.

Its latest innovation, the pricey Vision Pro headset, didn't create the splash the company may have wanted. But the Wedbush analyst Dan Ives has said the opportunity for Apple to dominate the world of AI (and for said AI to spark a "golden upgrade cycle" with the newest iPhone) is huge.

Apple's solid legacy is also a lure for workers

Apple's nearly 50-year history has been the source material for several movies, including "Jobs" and "Steve Jobs." It began in a garage in 1976 and now has a market cap of over $3 trillion. The company spent years building personal computers and introduced the iPod in 2001. It swiftly followed up with the iPhone, probably the most recognizable global smartphone, in 2007.

Since then, Apple has released nearly 20 iPhone models, and it has shown no signs of slowing down.

Drew Evans, the chief operating officer of the professional-services company High Trail, described working at Apple as "a résumé builder." Having Apple on your résumé could be the difference between it getting discarded or being seriously considered by recruiters.

"People know that Apple hires strong talent, and having that branding on your future job applications will almost always guarantee a second look," Evans told BI.

And why wouldn't they want an employee who has worked at the same place as the iPhone designer Jony Ive?

"A better, more thoughtful, more beautiful, more crafted, (more expensive) experience elevates Apple above all others," Cenedella said.