I work on a hardware team at Apple, making about 210 TC as an ICT3 with 4 YOE. I feel that work is requiring me to in way too many hours and is being extremely nitpicky to work on thing that arent very technical/important. I’m getting burnt out/going crazy. Am I crazy to switch to working at Lawernce Livermore National Lab for better work life balance, working conditions, and more intresting work? I dont know exactly what my pay would be, but it looks like I’ll be getting an offer. Am I crazy to switch and loose 40%ish of my pay?? #apple #nationallab #science #carrerchange
I go through this dance every year usually when I’m peak burnt out. There are other places with better WLB where TC won’t take such a large hit.
Where would you recommend where TC wouldn’t take a huge hit but you could work on more meaningful things/have good WLB? Do you hit peak burnout every year before WW (SW) or fall HW? This is my 2nd year at Apple and I’m way more burnt out than my first year
I burnout in July and then again in December/January. And it’s been a pattern for the last 5 years at Apple. Pressure has been steadily going up and it will if you care about promos and TC. An alternate would be to put in some time to leetcode and move to software to get TC,WLB and more meaningful projects as well. For better WLB you can always choose, Intel, Google, AMD for TC. It depends on how you see your TC. I see mine as the final number on W2. But soon I will begin seeing TC in terms of $/hr.
Thanks that’s really good information. Do you generally get unburntout by taking a vacation or does work get more chill for you afterwards
Not really! Pressure just eases up. Everyone is under the pump. It’s easier if you are front loaded in the project. A day or two , even a week slip up there is fine. You need a couple years to adjust, but if you haven’t figured out to be happy by then, it will just get heavier on you. Talk to your manager. Figure out a strategy and give yourself a deadline. Often I go into a mode where I push myself working 14-16 hours on the weekdays but then I take the entire weekend off.
Wow, you take the ENTIRE weekend off and your manager is okay with that?? /s
Always see these WLB posts from Apple folks. Why is it that bad considering the teams are so big at Apple and it has the best hardware talent.
It’s really bad as no one has authority to make a decision when there are issues without going 3-4 levels up the management chain, so smaller things get blown up. Also at Apple when they realize you can take on more work they just give you an additional project instead of hiring more headcount when a new project comes up
I've noticed the same thing. We're understaffed and this is frequently brought up by the managers, but they seem to be powerless to do anything about it or don't want to. I don't know.
That sounds like a trade you need to decide. If my job was as demanding as it is but I didn’t really love the work, I’d find a different job and take a huge pay cut for sure. TC 315k
I agree with you. Some job are just too competitive to some people. If there is no passion, no fun, just work for $$, then yes you get burnt out.
So engineers spend most of the time testing and collecting data to feed to the executives?
Yes. Join some other company.. leverage apple work ex. You will regret being in tech company later. Move within apple..if possible first
First try to find another team within Apple with good wlb. I have excellent wlb.
What team
Went from LLNL to Apple. The wlb can be a lot better but the work at Apple is much more meaningful.
I hope to work at Apple, too! I’m moving to Qualcomm!
How difficult were the interviews? How certain are you that WLB will be better at the national lab?
The interview was alright, had to talk for 30 minutes on some work I’ve done before. But as I used to do research before working at Apple and have published papers before it wasn’t a big deal. I’m almost definitely sure WLB will be better, have friends that work there (none of them work 50-60 hour weeks) and the interviewers were talking up how great WLB is
Thanks. I would suggest go for it if you get the offer.