Tim Cook reveals the four qualities he looks for in new Apple employees

Apple seeks employees with creativity, curiosity, expertise, and the ability to collaborate, with Mr Cook saying it’s a ‘very good formula’ for the company

Adam Smith
Tuesday 04 October 2022 13:06 BST
Comments
(Getty Images for Vox Media)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Tim Cook has revealed the four traits he looks for in prospective Apple employees during his 11-year tenure as chief executive of the smartphone giant.

Mr Cook told graduates from the University of Naples Federico II, in Italy, that Apple seeks employees with creativity, curiosity, expertise, and the ability to collaborate.

“It’s been a very good formula for us,” he said, as quoted by CNBC. “It’s not like somebody goes in a corner or closet and figures out [how to build technology] by themselves.”

Mr Cook said that Apple looks for “the fundamental feeling that if I share my idea with you, that that idea will grow and get bigger and get better, and that [collaborative] process is how Apple creates products.

We look for people that think different — that can look at a problem and not be caught up in the dogma of how that problem has always been [solved],” he continued.

“It’s a cliché, but there are no dumb questions. It’s amazing when somebody starts to ask questions as a kid would do.”

However Apple, like many other technology companies, has been slowing down hiring amid an economic turndown that could become a recession.

The slowdown in spending was not a companywide policy and would only affect certain divisions, Bloomberg reported, and should not affect the launch of its mixed-reality headset, something that is scheduled for 2023.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent at the time.

Google, Meta, which runs Facebook and Instagram, and Tesla have also slowed down hiring, with Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg saying in July that the economic downturn might be one of the “worst … we’ve seen in recent history” and that “realistically, there are probably a bunch of people at the company who shouldn’t be [at Meta]”.

He continued: Part of my hope by raising expectations and having more aggressive goals, and just kind of turning up the heat a little bit, is that I think some of you might decide that this place isn’t for you, and that self-selection is OK with me,"

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in