How does Steve Jobs convince Tim Cook to join Apple?

CEO Tim Cook started working for Apple in 1998. He was invited by Steve Jobs to work for Apple while being very successful at Compaq.

CEO Tim Cook started working for Apple in 1998. He was invited by Steve Jobs to work for Apple while being very successful at Compaq. In a recent interview, Cook shared the reason why Jobs could convince him to leave Compaq to go to Apple.

Before deciding to work for Apple, Tim Cook had a direct talk with Jobs, so he understood Apple's ambition to target customers. In that meeting, Jobs also mentioned a high quality computer that Apple is working on but has not yet announced - the iMac. This computer was Jobs's first mark after returning as CEO of Apple in 1997. It was created with the aim of reviving the company after Apple almost went bankrupt in the 1990s.

At that time, Cook felt that he and Jobs would work well together, so he followed his hunch and went to work for Apple . "Suddenly I thought: 'I'll take it. I "" - Cook said - "And there was a voice in my head: 'Go west, young man. West!'".

How does Steve Jobs convince Tim Cook to join Apple? Picture 1

Below is a summary of the interview of the current CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, about the meeting of that fate:

It was a very interesting meeting. Earlier I received a few calls from Jobs scouts. And I answered no, I'm working at Compaq and I'm happy with that job, or at least think so. But they were very persistent. And then finally I thought, I will come and attend the meeting. Steve has created an industry that I'm working on, so I want to meet him. I really want to go to the talk.

I just thought that I was going to talk to him, but suddenly he mentioned his strategy and vision, and said that 100% of what he was doing was customer-oriented. At that time, other companies in the industry all said that they could no longer make more money from individual customers, so they turned to service, storage and business customers. But I always thought that running after the crowd was not a good way, even if it was a bad choice, right? You may lose, or lose, but those are the only options. Only he (Steve Jobs) is doing something completely different.

How does Steve Jobs convince Tim Cook to join Apple? Picture 2

Then he shared with me a bit of design knowledge, enough to attract my attention. And he described me the computer that was later called the iMac. The way he talked, along with the inspiration in that room, only two of us, was enough to make me say that I can work with him.

Then I look at the problems that Apple is having, and I think, you know, I can contribute something here. Moreover, working with Steve Jobs is a privilege only once in a lifetime. And then suddenly I thought, "I'll take it. I'll go to Apple . " Then there was a voice in my head: "Go west, young man, west" . I was still young at that time . and my stomach told me, take that job. I finally decided to listen to my mind.