The Big Four, namely Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Apple, are highly coveted by tech professionals. Graduates and skilled individuals aspire to work for these prominent US-based tech giants. However, once they have successfully joined one of these companies, they often ponder over the decision of which company to pursue next and which of the Big Four is most suitable after gaining experience in one of them. Is it considered desirable?
A recent study conducted by Switch on Business analyzed the movement of employees within the tech industry. The study found that Google is the most popular destination for former Apple employees, and vice versa. Interestingly, while many Google employees transfer to Apple, most Apple employees do not come from Google. Instead, they have prior work experience at companies such as Intel, Microsoft, or Amazon. To determine which tech giants attract the most talent from their competitors, Switch on Business used LinkedIn employee profiles to analyze current employee numbers for a select group of companies, including Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, IBM, Tesla, Oracle, Netflix, Nvidia, Salesforce, Adobe, Intel, and Uber. The team then identified employees who currently work for one company but previously held positions at another company from the initial list.
Upon collecting the necessary data, the team proceeded to calculate the number and proportion of current employees at each prominent tech giant who possessed prior work experience at other tech giants. This comprehensive dataset provided analysts with the means to identify the most prevalent career paths within the tech industry.
The analysis uncovered that among the leading tech companies, Meta boasts the highest percentage of employees with prior experience from any other tech giant, as 26.51 percent of its workforce originated from other tech companies. On the other hand, Google has managed to attract the largest pool of tech talent overall, with 24.15 percent of its current employees having previously worked at another tech company. In stark contrast, IBM exhibits the lowest percentage of employees with prior experience at tech giants, with a mere 2.28 percent of its workforce coming from other tech companies.
Regarding Apple’s employee recruitment practices, the Cupertino-based tech giant demonstrates a preference for candidates hailing from a select group of ten esteemed tech companies. These companies include Intel, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, IBM, Oracle, Tesla, Nvidia, Adobe, and Meta.
Based on the analysis, Apple’s decision to prioritize recruiting Intel employees can be attributed to its acquisition of Intel’s smartphone modem business in 2019. This move aligns with Apple’s objective of developing its own radio chips. In terms of employees leaving Apple, the preferred choices are Google and Amazon, indicating an ongoing talent rivalry between the two companies. The top ten destinations for departing Apple employees include Google, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Tesla, Nvidia, Salesforce, Adobe, Intel, and Oracle. However, unlike other tech giants, Apple adopts a different approach by focusing on internal talent development and recruiting individuals from non-technical backgrounds. This strategy reflects Apple’s distinct corporate culture and its commitment to promoting a domestic workforce. On the other hand, Google is also broadening its recruitment efforts by targeting other tech giants such as Microsoft, while giving priority to hiring Apple employees. Reports suggest that Google receives an impressive two million job applications annually, and out of those, approximately 12,018 individuals with previous Microsoft experience have been successfully hired. Microsoft’s reputation for innovation and industry leadership equips its employees with valuable knowledge and expertise in cutting-edge technologies and software development, making them highly sought-after candidates. Regarding employees leaving Google, the analysis reveals that Meta is the most popular choice for those seeking new opportunities, with 3,363 individuals making the transition.