1. I worked in IS&T group at apple. This IS&T is totally different from the main Apple. I have often heard this: "Those who don't make it into the infinite loop, end up at IS&T". In other words, IS&T is a second rate citizen at apple. Of course, IS&T supports many IT services (jobs, recruiting, payrolll, mail, directory, sales, GBI). For instance, online and retail stores are supported by IS&T.
2. You see 3 contractors for every employee in IS&T. And IS&T has global contracts with Infosys, TCS, Wipro, etc; the latter companies supply 1 online resource for every 4 offshore resources. In many application support groups, you find the dumbest of the dumb among the people that global offshoring companies have placed.
3. Too much politics and too many lifers in IS&T. The only game in the town for IS&T is to how to brown nose each other. Yes, there are too many Indians there; as a consequence, you find smart people among them, and dumbos as well.
4. Advice to prospective employees: if you are talented, and if you can find a better job, just avoid any and every group in IS&T. Someone may say "Oh, apple gonan help you on your resume"; it is half true. If you are smart, talented, you don't to worry about the apple factor on resume.
If you get a job in the core engineering groups, go for it. If you are interviewing in IS&T, just avoid any offer and go and work elsewhere, and increae your skills.
5. If you are applying for some project manager, manager, teamleads (for app support, etc), of course, you won't have much choice. I don't complain if you go for IS&T: but it is a great place to learn politicking. This politicking has led to more offshoring; why? The more employees you get, the more you need to fight for bonus for your group; so, it is better to offshore, and keep less number of employees, and get more bonus.
6. You are not going to get any quarterly bonus; however, people in core groups get such bonuses. Some people don't get first year bonus in IS&T. And the bonus is like 7 to 10 percent. Don't come here, hoping that you gonna get similar wages in core engineering groups.
