[jjtheblunt]

I don't know if we know one another, but the same here: quit my job of many years at Apple (engineering, very good rank, loved Apple) because I also wasn't able to apply my technical skills, and transferring to another department is really hard to time such that it works.

[throwaway7230]

Same here, left same company, for similar reasons. It was also about advancement though. Once you’re at level 4 it takes god like technical skills and a lot of political showing-off to get promoted to level 5 or move into management. If you’re an “up or out” kind of person you’re going to be frustrated there!

Do you remember hearing the saying: “It’s easier to get hired at [other very selective tech company] than to move internally at Apple”? So true!

[compiler-guy]

Diagonal promotion is a real thing across Silicon Valley.

I believe it is because the company that currently employs you knows you relatively well, both your upsides and your downsides, it has seen your good code and your bad code. It has you, and knows your level of work, and assumes you will keep going, regardless.

Whereas the new company has much more limited information and, as it needs someone more, it has to take the plunge.

[minimaxir]

Other people in the linked HN discussion had similar experiences. It's genuinely weird.