Apportable - Software Developer Apportable Employee Review

I've learned more at Apportable than any other place I've worked about not only software engineering and mobile development but also how to be a good human being (especially to other good human beings). The technology being built is very powerful and it's great to see how it impacts users and clients; it's also fun to work with many different people over the course of even a few months because the team structure is pretty fluid and project-based. The founders are extremely committed to building an engineering-focused company and keeping the hierarchy flat, which definitely takes getting used to if you're more comfortable with having a manager or you're not very familiar with software development and engineering-heavy teams. Team members are generally mid- or late-career; there aren't very many fresh college grads - this means that people by and large have experienced life at more corporate-feeling organizations and appreciate the pros and cons of an open, flat structure. Communication skills are heavily emphasized, which can feel a little onerous at times but ultimately results in higher trust and transparency (it's a good skill to develop overall anyway). It's really easy to approach people, and everyone generally expects to both teach and learn from others on the team, regardless of seniority or experience level. The founders are brilliant software engineers and well intentioned, caring, hardworking people - they very rarely pull the "do it because I said so" card, and they genuinely care about team happiness on an individual level.

The consensus-driven culture and fluid roles that worked well when the company was smaller are starting to show wear and tear at 60 people. It can be hard figuring out, at any given moment, who driving what initiatives or who's on what project or how to make complex decisions when there are lots of potential stakeholders. There are many different projects going on, and the team is very talented at trying to manage the complexity, but it sometimes feels like there isn't a lot of cohesion or clarity around global priorities.

Professional growth: This is a place to become a programming artisan. If there's a technology that interests you, there are many experts willing to teach. Alternatively, there's opportunity to learn. Talent: There's a high bar for talent. You will be helped and challenged by all the people you work with. There's an interesting group of people here with many talents! Autonomy: You're expected to make work-task priority decisions that are in the best financial interest of the company. You have a lot of freedom to make choices as to what you want to work on. Respect: There's a lot of mutual respect at Apportable. You're treated like a responsible adult and are expected to act like one. There isn't really a reporting structure here. Value: You're a valuable part of the company--you begin to have an impact from day one. There's a lot of pressure to succeed and perform. Culture: We are definitely a group of gamers that regularly plays together--Starcraft 2 (the company sport), Dota 2, MTG, Hearthstone, and more. Connections: If you're into indie gaming, you'll get to meet some incredibly interesting people! Perks: Catered lunch, zero-cost healthcare for full time employees, company events, drinks, snacks, albert the apportable dog, company-subsidized exercise, etc.

The area is right on the edge of a not-so-great part of San Francisco. But, the office is moving soon, so hopefully this will be rectified.