See The Letter Every Apple Employee Gets On Their First Day
Silicon Valley companies like Facebook and Google are famous for rejecting the “stuffy” corporate culture of other industries. Now, a recently leaked letter from Apple is sparking a discussion about the importance of first impressions when starting a new job.
According to Forbes’ Kevin Kruse, every employee at Apple receives the above letter on their first day at work, telling them that they have arrived at a place where they can aim big and pursue their “life’s work.” Kruse commends Apple on welcoming new team members so warmly, something many companies overlook as new personnel are thrown into the deep end without much introduction. But he does criticize the company for using an impersonal form letter, and for subtly establishing the expectation of long hours (“The kind of work …you’d sacrifice a weekend for.”)
What struck me immediately, however, is that not every company is Apple (or Facebook, or Google, etc). Many of us wish our life’s work was being a rock star or video game designer, but with the state of the world, we are really happy to have any job. In other words, not every employee wants their day job to be their “life’s work”; and not every company can afford to pursue the kind of expansive innovation, not to mention the elite employee perks, of Silicon Valley.
What do you think? What was your first day at work like?
