Within the tech industry, understanding the movement of talent between major players is crucial for assessing industry dynamics and corporate strategies. A recent analysis conducted by Switch on Business using LinkedIn profiles reveals interesting patterns in employee transitions within the tech sector, with a primary focus on Apple and Google.
The Switch on Business team examined the LinkedIn profiles of employees from prominent tech companies, including Amazon, Adobe, Apple, Google, IBM, Intel, Meta, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, Oracle, Salesforce, Tesla, and Uber. By scrutinizing the current workforce of each company, they were able to trace the history of individuals who had transitioned from one tech company to another.
The data showed that former Apple employees frequently find a new home at Google, making it the most popular destination for talent transitioning from Apple. On the other hand, individuals also moved in the opposite direction, with Apple attracting professionals primarily from Amazon, Intel, and Microsoft.
Intel made it into the list due to Apple’s strategic move in 2019 when the company invested $1 billion to acquire the smartphone modem business of Intel. This acquisition played a crucial role in Apple’s quest to design its radio chips, resulting in a high number of Intel employees moving to Apple.
Analyzing the outbound movement from Apple, Google stood as the top choice for departing employees, surpassing other tech giants by a significant margin. The rankings for the most common destinations for departing Apple employees were as follows:
- Amazon
- Meta
- Microsoft
- Tesla
- Nvidia
- Salesforce
- Adobe
- Intel
- Oracle
Based on the Switch on Business findings, Apple recruits a relatively modest 5.7% of employees from other tech giants. This is in stark contrast to Meta (26.5%), Google (25.1%), and Salesforce (20.7%), which indicates Apple’s distinctive approach to talent acquisition.