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by antonovka 6076 days ago
I disagree. If you've already e-mailed, called, and otherwise attempted to cajole Apple through the usual channels, try the last option left to you before you put hat in hand and go back to your former employer -- go public.

The only thing that breaks down Apple's bureaucratic walls is bad press. Create some now -- and hopefully get access to a real human to resolve your issues. Once you've put this out there, then consider going back to work to tide yourself over.

Sit down -- today -- and write a blog post. Be clear, be concise, and make sure the chronology is clear. Focus on the excitement of making your money, and your difficulties in dealing with Apple's faceless bureaucracy. Whatever you do, don't rage at Apple, use profanity, or write anything that would be construed as blatantly unprofessional.

Once you've written it, ask some (native English speaking) friends to review it. Once you get their sign-off, submit (or ask them to submit) to reddit, ycombinator, etc. If you have any friends in the Apple-related press, mention it to them too.

1 comments

Even if the whole thing gets resolved in the next 30 days (which could happen, but I wouldn't bet on it) then he would still need an additional source of income to live of until then.
News cycles move quickly, and companies like to be able to defuse negative stories by making steps towards resolving an issue before more reporters pile on -- even if it means PR promising something on behalf of the organization. Since it only takes a few hours to put together a post, why not start there?

See what happens, then think about employment. If he goes back to his previous employment (or a new employer), is he simply going to quit again in 30 days when the issue is resolved?

Ok, some alternative to a job that you intend to hold for years then.

Immediate needs need an immediate solution, not one that may or may not happen.

The OP sketches a situation that - if I were Apple - I would approach with some caution.

Technically it sounds like he is trying to evade income tax or something like that (because of all the shenanigans with a foreign company when he could have simply be paid at home).

So they will take this one step at the time. Also, going 'public' on a company for a mess of your own making isn't very nice.

Immediate needs need an immediate solution, not one that may or may not happen.

I'm not sure I see the problem in starting with the step that costs very little (a few hours of time) and could potentially immediately resolve the situation?

There's nothing to stop you from looking into job alternatives, borrowing money from family, etc, in the meantime.

So they will take this one step at the time. Also, going 'public' on a company for a mess of your own making isn't very nice.

Apple isn't very nice. Sometimes you have to play hardball to get the necessary things done.

:s/Apple/Google/G

Hey Google, please change the account associated with this adsense publisher ID please, make it point to my bank account in this here other country and please pay me pronto or I'll go public on you.

Would you make that call ?

And what would you do if two weeks later the CFO of company X is on the line asking where their payment is ?

Hey Google, please change the account associated with this adsense publisher ID please, make it point to my bank account in this here other country and please pay me pronto or I'll go public on you.

It took the original poster 3 months to even get a response from Apple. The issue remains unresolved, and if they remain unresponsive to his plight, it will likely remain so for some time.

Your hypothetical situation is not even remotely equivalent.