How to prepare for a Genius exam @ an Apple retail store?

[steamed.hams]

So a Genius is not obligated to write "Genius". He could, you know, write "Technical product specialist" or "Technical support specialist"

During the job hunt, I stumbled upon a wanted ad looking to hire an "Environmental Technician." After 5 seconds of reading the job description, it became clear that it was an opening for a janitor position at a high school.

Sometimes I forget that occupational euphemisms work both ways!

 

[KnightWRX]

During the job hunt, I stumbled upon a wanted ad looking to hire an "Environmental Technician." After 5 seconds of reading the job description, it became clear that it was an opening for a janitor position at a high school.

Sometimes I forget that occupational euphemisms work both ways!

My company is guilty of that. They use the internal titles on external job postings. To the uninitiated, if they are just browsing titles, they can miss many great opportunities or apply on jobs that aren't quite what they think they are.

It's important to read the qualifications/responsibilities carefully for each job posting when looking for work.

 

[steamed.hams]

Hey guys. I've made it through 4 successive interviews, and I have the 5th/final interview later this week. Again, I'm being considered for any/all positions in the store, so I've been doing a fair amount of troubleshooting and reading in the past few days. I went back to Hadar's infamous genius interview article and tried to answer some of his interview questions...


1. What is special about the Mac Pro’s current Ram setup?

Current models have up to 6 individual RAM slots that allow for up to 32 GB of RAM.


2. What is Automator and what does it do?

It's an application included in OS X. It allows you to quickly set up a workflow to automate redundant tasks. For example, you could use it to resize a large set of photos in your iPhoto library, so you wouldn't have to manually adjust each individual file.


3. If a user account keeps crashing on login what do you do?

If you can't make it past the blue screen on startup, you have a few troubleshooting options. First, boot up in safe mode - if you can do this, then it's likely that corrupt fonts or kexts are are causing the problem. If the problem continues, try booting up with the install DVD/disc and use disk utilities to repair the startup volume. If you can't find any disk errors using Disk Utility, then an Archive & Install will likely be your best bet.


4. What are 3 keyboard combinations you can boot your computer with?

Holding C during boot => boot from disc
Holding shift during boot => boot in Safe mode
Holding N during boot => boot from netboot server


5. Are you familiar with OS 9?

I've definitely used it...err....sherlock2 FTW?


6. If a customer asks you to sync music from their iPod to computer, what do you say?

I'd inform them that it's against the rules/EULA to rip music from an iPod to your computer.


7. How do you answer a customer who wants to share music with his friend via iTunes?

I'd tell them that you can only play/sync purchased iTunes content on devices that you own, which includes up to 5 computers. I'd also tell them that Ping would be a good way for the customer and his/her friends to easily share recommendations or new finds.

 

[Lyshen]

Current Mac Pro, depending on physical processor, one or two... will have 4 slots or 8 slots for RAM (Applies for 2009/2010 Mac Pro).

And there are more combinations of startups too, just fyi.

Good job on getting through four interviews, a 5th one though? Crazy.

And I thought having four interviews was bad.... I'm waiting on decision now.

 

[steamed.hams]

Current Mac Pro, depending on physical processor, one or two... will have 4 slots or 8 slots for RAM (Applies for 2009/2010 Mac Pro).

And there are more combinations of startups too, just fyi.

Good job on getting through four interviews, a 5th one though? Crazy.

And I thought having four interviews was bad.... I'm waiting on decision now.

Good luck, Lyshen. Let us know how it turns out! I guess it's all relative because I thought 5 interviews were bad, until I heard that someone in NYC had 6 interviews...for a specialist position!

And thanks for the typo correction, that "...up to 6 slots of RAM" in my last post should definitely be "...up to 8 slots of RAM."

 

[jaydentaku]

I haven't bothered reading the last two pages, but the first page seems to be full of harsh, stroppy, and plainly bad advice.

If you want to go for the job, do so, the only people who know if your right for the job are the employers. If they happen to have asked you to interview, then they think you are capable. If they haven't and you are concerned your skills are not up to scratch, then yes, read and importantly, get practical knowledge.

Unfortunately, the best way to do this, is on the job.

No offence to any apple genii here, but it really does not take a genius to do what they do. You are more than capable to do this job, with the right know-how. Get your foot in the door as the role you originally applied for and ask for training then.

 

[Lyshen]

Good luck, Lyshen. Let us know how it turns out! I guess it's all relative because I thought 5 interviews were bad, until I heard that someone in NYC had 6 interviews...for a specialist position!

And thanks for the typo correction, that "...up to 6 slots of RAM" in my last post should definitely be "...up to 8 slots of RAM."

Thanks!

I do have a question though, after each interview... how was the followup by the Apple management? For me, after each interview they did not followup in a timely manner (date they gave)... I would have to call them to find out what was going on.

 

[steamed.hams]

Thank you, jaydentaku.

Lyshen - I've had to hunt my recruiters/managers down just like you. It seems that my store is used to applicants being a little aggressive when it comes to follow-ups....

So I haven't had a tech screen/test but the lead genius wants to meet with me.

 

[nizz]

How much does an apple genius make?
Surely theres no potential of a 6 figure salary...

Put your masters in chem to use IMO.

 

[steamed.hams]

How much does an apple genius make?
Surely theres no potential of a 6 figure salary...

Put your masters in chem to use IMO.

That's the plan, nizz.

 

[RedTomato]

Mmmm. When I read your first post asking 'what's a logic board' I thought no way. Wrong job for you buddy.

Then when I read that Apple gives training, I changed my mind. A week or two of full time Apple training is enough to learn enough to be a 'Genius'.

Just have to bear in mind that 'Genius' in an Apple store means lowest ranked tech helpdesk monkey.

You've shown aptitude, self-directed learning, and motivation, you'll be fine. You have experience of looking after complex lab equipment, you should be able to learn the ropes quickly. Anything too difficult for you, you can pass off to someone more experienced.

Most important in this position is customer skills and empathy. Actual tech skills come second.

I had a dead Time Capsule, took it to the 'Genius', they listened to me, and replaced it politely and quickly, and took out the 1TB drive from the dead TC and gave it back to me, no fuss. (Apple had earlier on the phone said they wouldn't give me the old drive). That impressed me, more than their actual tech skills.

I was hired for my current job, a Windows Server 2008 network sysadmin, despite knowing nothing about Server 2008 and openly admitting that the last Windows system I touched was Windows 95. I got the job cos my boss knew, given my history, that I'd pick it up pretty quickly, plus I could support the staff effectively. He paid for me to take the MCITP Enterprise Admin cert, and I had outside consultants I could ask when things became over my head.

I still don't like Windows, and it still amuses me when I fix staff computers and admin Active Directory stuff and Group Policies on the server using my MacBook, but hey, they pay me, I learn it.

Good luck with your final interview.

 

[steamed.hams]

Must be a pretty bad job market there if a person with Masters degree in Chemistry can't get a job.

I stumbled upon this little gem earlier...

"John Thottahil, 58, of Mundelein, Ill., has been looking for work since losing his position as a vice president of New River Pharmaceuticals after a late 2007 merger. Thottahil, who has a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, says he has sent out thousands of résumés." - USA Today from Oct 8, 2010

 

[RedTomato]

Sending out a resume is pretty much the worst way of getting a job. I recall figures saying only about 1% to 2% of jobs are filled like this.

Most jobs, especially anything above entry level, are given to someone the hirer already knows or has heard of, or has seen their work before. It's all about networking, and reputation.

Most of my jobs I never formally interviewed or applied for - they came to me and asked was I interested in doing X Y or Z for them?

When I do go through a formal process for an organisation or person I haven't worked with before, I tend to to fail to get the job. Then when I look at who got it, it invariably was someone the hirer had worked with before or knew through some other route.

What Colour is Your Parachute is a good book on jobhunting.

x Tomato

I stumbled upon this little gem earlier...

"John Thottahil, 58, of Mundelein, Ill., has been looking for work since losing his position as a vice president of New River Pharmaceuticals after a late 2007 merger. Thottahil, who has a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, says he has sent out thousands of résumés." - USA Today from Oct 8, 2010

 

[bloodredawful]

I am thinking of applying to be a genius (I have 6 years IT support, 4 years a tutor, I reckon I'm qualified enough providing I don't turn drunk to the interview, well actually, providing they don't smell that I'm drunk) because the recession is going to hammer my job next year.

this all seems a bit ucky though. is it very retail? I don't know if I can do retail, I am incapable of trying to persuade someone to buy something they don't need.

6. If a customer asks you to sync music from their iPod to computer, what do you say?

I'd inform them that it's against the rules/EULA to rip music from an iPod to your computer.

stuff like this worries me too. I would totally show them how to do it. don't withold information that can help people, that is the biggest crime you can commit.

 

[calderone]

bloodredawful

It is a delicate balance. You have to be the right parts intelligent and stupid.

With 6 year of IT support, they may not want you. Since you probably "know too much." Your statements about music and selling indicate that you would not be a cultural match.

So you have a choice. Be true to yourself or push aside your ideological differences in order to get the job.

 

[godaz]

UK genius exam?

Dont want to hijack but dont want to start a new thread...

I have been through two stages of interviews and if I make it to the next round they mentioned we would do some sort of test?

Is this the same as the US test?

thanks,

 

[RedTomato]

Or see it as part of your ideological committment to get information out to the people to get yourself into a position where you can do just that ...

Which means giving the 'correct' responses in the interview and being all bunny eyed and bushy tailed and full of 'empathy' and then when/if you get the job, you can show the customers DVD ripping to your hearts content.

Apple (and most other employers) have an interesting way with trick situations where what they are assessing is not what people think they are being assessed on.

Case: One guy went for a genius interview and reported back on his blog. It was a group situation, and they had to pair up and play scripted 'customer' and unscripted 'genius'. This guy saw in his script 'be aggressive' so in the roleplay, he uses a very *fierce* voice and intimidates the 'genius'...

For some reason, he didn't get the job. In his blog, he admits he might have been too aggressive, but he was 'only following what the script said' ...

If you think in this situation the person roleplaying the 'genius' was the only one being assessed, you'd be wrong.

 

[darkplanets]

I'm going to shift gears here for a second.

A couple of questions...

Where did you graduate (grad/undergrad)?
What's your degree title?
What's your specialty/primary field of interest?
What's your academic qualifications?
Did you do research? If so, what research? Any publications?
Are you looking at pharma, small biotech, cosmetics, chemical supply... etc.?
Are you willing to leave the country?

 

[steamed.hams]

Hey guys, thanks for all your help. I was offered a different position at Apple, so I'm signing off the forum for an indefinite period of time!

Thanks again and best wishes,
Steamy

 

[walt227]

I'm going to shift gears here for a second.

A couple of questions...

Where did you graduate (grad/undergrad)?
What's your degree title?
What's your specialty/primary field of interest?
What's your academic qualifications?
Did you do research? If so, what research? Any publications?
Are you looking at pharma, small biotech, cosmetics, chemical supply... etc.?
Are you willing to leave the country?

Bingo. OP was full of poo.