Steve Jobs’ First Job Application Is Now Up For Auction

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While Steve Jobs was one of the most influential men alive due to his position as the CEO of Apple, he got his starts in a much more humble manner. A job application from Steve Jobs for one of his original positions is now up for auction, giving insight into the beginnings of a man who would change the world of technology forever.

Steve Jobs’ job application is a single page from 1973, and is certainly sparse on the details. Containing just bare bones information, it’s a wonder that this remarkable Apple CEO was able to secure a position in the tech industry. He got his starts as a technician at Atari, heavily relying on the assistance of a good friend Steve Wozniak. Just a few years later in 1976, the pair set out on their own to launch Apple – a company that would eventually become one of the biggest companies around the world.

The information that Steve Jobs filled out is pretty standard as far as a job application goes. His name, Steven Jobs, is listed along the top. For Education, he wrote Reed College – with English Lit as his major. Steve Jobs’ time at Reed College was short, as he dropped out after only six months in order to help his parents save on money. The lack of finishing his degree didn’t hold him back from securing that first position, however, with the backing of Steve Wozniak launching him on a career that would eventually lead to unprecedented success. He listed that he had a driver’s license, although he stated that transportation was “possible, but not probable.” His skills included Computer and Calculator, and his “special abilities” were “electronics tech or design engineer. Digital – from Bay near Hewitt-Packard [sic]”

Although Steve Jobs did drop out of Reed College before he finished his degree, the importance of education was not lost on him. He was present on campus afterward for over a year, auditing creative courses including classes on Shakespeare, dance, and even calligraphy. While a major in English Literature may seem like a bizarre education for the man who would soon become one of the biggest names in electronics, the creativity and flexible thinking that Jobs was able to take away from his time at Reed enabled him to think outside of the box – eventually leading to the creation of the first iPhone and revolutionizing the way we stay connected.

While the job application isn’t very informative, it’s a solid piece of modern history that gives insight into the early history of one of the greatest names in technology. As such a significant piece of electronics history, the bidding is set to start at over $50000, although it may surpass that by quite a large margin as those interested in the history of electronics seek to get their hands on an early job application from a name as big as Steve Jobs.

While Steve Jobs tragically passed away several years back, his company has continued to surpass all expectations under the leadership of Tim Cook. Profits continue to skyrocket, and Cook has proven to be a worthy successor to Steve Jobs. While Jobs got the company started and his impact is undeniable, it’s clear that Cook is the man to lead the charge forward into the coming generations.

While Steve Jobs did have some technical knowledge – as noted on his job application – his real skills were in the big picture when designing and implementing products that were status symbols as much as they were high-end and functional devices. Under the leadership of Cook, Apple has continued to innovate in the smartphone industry – most recently with the launch of the iPhone X.

The iPhone X brought the world FaceID – a new technology that was a marked improvement over previous facial recognition technologies. With an adaptive intelligence that continues to work despite changes in appearance, such as a new pair of glasses or the growth of facial hair, FaceID allowed the iPhone X to dominate holiday sales and outclass competitor Samsung completely.

The job application in the auction represents the start of a journey that spanned decades – from humble beginnings to the huge presence that Apple enjoys today. If you’d like to take a look at the document, check out the listing on RR Auction.

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