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Final Apple Store Interview Advice?

G

guildenstern

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 23, 2012
11
0
Hi everyone,
I was wondering if anyone had any advice for the final apple store interview for me? Any tips would be greatly appreciated. I'm keeping my expectations low as I think the final interview will be the one where they eliminate a lot of applicants.

Thanks in advance
 
Be confident but don't be cocky and just be yourself, that's it really, keep a nice relaxed approach to it and don't worry too much about it, it's a job interview for the Apple Store, it's cool, but nothing life changing.

If you get it, don't post on MacRumors again, you get fired if they find out.
 
Sprinkle some of that magical fairy dust, and remember your unicorn hat and scarf set. The more snazzily dressed the applicant, the more chance you have! If you don't already have some thick-rimmed black bifocals, consider investing today. In addition, speaking in a strong Bavarian accent regardless of geographical locality will, in 78% of cases, seal the deal.

Remember these facts and employment is but a sausages throw away.
 
You're going to get hit with standard fare competency questions.

Examples:
Describe a situation when you worked without any guidance in an unusual situation.
What are your standards of success in your job?

There's tons of them and tons of sites give examples and example answers, do some mocks while sitting in your chosen interview gear so it feels familiar on the day. Even sit and talk to the mirror while practising if it helps you work on coming across as personable. Just Google 'competency interview questions'.


They'll also throw you some curve balls to test Apple specific interest.

Example:
'If you had to tell a customer of the two greatest things about Apple what would they be'?
'If you had to sell an iMac to a Microsoft user in 1 minute what would you say?'

Good luck!
 
niuniu said:
You're going to get hit with standard fare competency questions.

Examples:
Describe a situation when you worked without any guidance in an unusual situation.
What are your standards of success in your job?

There's tons of them and tons of sites give examples and example answers, do some mocks while sitting in your chosen interview gear so it feels familiar on the day. Even sit and talk to the mirror while practising if it helps you work on coming across as personable. Just Google 'competency interview questions'.


They'll also throw you some curve balls to test Apple specific interest.

Example:
'If you had to tell a customer of the two greatest things about Apple what would they be'?
'If you had to sell an iMac to a Microsoft user in 1 minute what would you say?'

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thank you so much!! I'm looking up competency interview questions now and planning responses for the above two questions. I really appreciate your reply, anymore tips (or questions they actually asked you) would be fantastic.

THanks!!
 
MovieCutter said:
Yeah, that's BS. I worked for Apple for 4 years and posted on MR all the time. The trick is not to tell people you work for Apple.
Click to expand...

A while ago a jobs manual for Apple was posted up on MR, which stated that posting on tech forums about your work with Apple was strictly prohibited.

Obviously the lower down you are the less it matters, but if you came on here saying "Hey guys, I work at the Oxford store and we've just a shipment of new Mac Minis, look look <picture>" You'd be easily caught and fired.
 
Schtumple said:
A while ago a jobs manual for Apple was posted up on MR, which stated that posting on tech forums about your work with Apple was strictly prohibited.

Obviously the lower down you are the less it matters, but if you came on here saying "Hey guys, I work at the Oxford store and we've just a shipment of new Mac Minis, look look <picture>" You'd be easily caught and fired.
Click to expand...

Well yeah, that was my point. It IS "prohibited", but isn't really enforced. Like I said, unless you go posting telling where you work, etc, nobody knows or really gives a crap. My coworkers and I used to surf MR and other rumor sites on the back-of-house Mac all the time when I worked there. And we'd joke about what we read.
 
MovieCutter said:
Well yeah, that was my point. It IS "prohibited", but isn't really enforced. Like I said, unless you go posting telling where you work, etc, nobody knows or really gives a crap. My coworkers and I used to surf MR and other rumor sites on the back-of-house Mac all the time when I worked there. And we'd joke about what we read.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, it read as though you were saying I was talking nonsense*. I'm guessing you worked in a retail store then?

EDIT: *which confused me because you seemed to solidify my suggestion in a round about way :p
 
Things NOT to do:

One tip, so to say. Years ago I was at an interview and was trying to look casual and cools and so I leaned back in my chair and it fell over. POS chair, but they kind of looked at each other and that was it....! So, sit up straight like your mother taught you.

Don't say "uh" a lot.
 
MovieCutter said:
Yeah, retail store. Your post made it seem like managers actively check MR to see if employees are posting. The ones I worked with didn't care.
Click to expand...

Noooo, I just meant if you start divulging details, that's when you will gain attention.

Was the job good? You must be in the best position to offer OP advice to be honest. The atmosphere seems to feels be slightly tense but relaxed at the same time for the staff (in the UK at least). Is that true?
 
I'd say make sure you stress customer service in as many responses as you can. Also, making a reference to the Apple experience can't hurt.

I'm just a noob to Macs right now, but I read about both of these pretty consistently on the forums. Good luck!
 
Schtumple said:
Noooo, I just meant if you start divulging details, that's when you will gain attention.

Was the job good? You must be in the best position to offer OP advice to be honest. The atmosphere seems to feels be slightly tense but relaxed at the same time for the staff (in the UK at least). Is that true?
Click to expand...

It WAS good at the beginning, when they hired guys like me who loved the Apple brand and were told to sell the experience of using a Mac. Now they'll hire anyone based on fashion or just to fill the floor, and it's all strict talking points, acronyms and procedure about how to address customers, selling AppleCare, ProCar, and all the add-ons. It stopped being fun in 2007 just before I left.
 
thanks for all the replies everyone.

Does anyone have any idea if Apple tends to do a lot of its applicant elimination after the final interview? Just want to know my chances.. so nervous :S
 
guildenstern said:
thanks for all the replies everyone.

Does anyone have any idea if Apple tends to do a lot of its applicant elimination after the final interview? Just want to know my chances.. so nervous :S
Click to expand...

Don't be nervous, it'll show, it's a job, that's that, it's nothing to really fret over, if you don't get it it's not the end of your career, just be yourself and don't try and be someone you're not, all employers can tell if you're either lying through the skin of your teeth or trying to be overly different to your natural self.
 
So? Whats the verdict

so? did you get the job? i am also going in for my final 4th interview. it is me and 3 other candidates meeting with the regional manager. but like you said u feel this is where they will be doing the cuts i feel the opposite. we are the remaining 4 out of two hiring groups so about 60 people. i feel that all 4 of us will get a job offer hopefully as long as we don't say something stupid when meeting the regional manager. the "interview" is at a panera bread close to the apple store i am applying to. hope to hear back if you got the job or not.
 
emoneyy59 said:
So? Whats the verdict

so? did you get the job? i am also going in for my final 4th interview. it is me and 3 other candidates meeting with the regional manager. but like you said u feel this is where they will be doing the cuts i feel the opposite. we are the remaining 4 out of two hiring groups so about 60 people. i feel that all 4 of us will get a job offer hopefully as long as we don't say something stupid when meeting the regional manager. the "interview" is at a panera bread close to the apple store i am applying to. hope to hear back if you got the job or not.
Click to expand...
How about you . Did you got the job? And also if you remember what was that interview like ( the final )
 
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