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Interview with apple

K

Kaiser Phoenix

Cancelled
Original poster
May 12, 2005
359
0
Hi everyone,

I was invited for a job interview for apple for graduates. I was wondering what kind of questions they might ask at the interview coz maybe some of you work there or have applied etc.

Also should I wear a suit? Or smart casual?

cheers guys
 
Kaiser Phoenix said:
Hi everyone,

I was invited for a job interview for apple for graduates. I was wondering what kind of questions they might ask at the interview coz maybe some of you work there or have applied etc.

Also should I wear a suit? Or smart casual?

cheers guys
Click to expand...

Wow- good luck! I'm so jealous. I would say wear smart casual. Steve hates the stuffed shirt look. Appear to be a creative individual who thinks outside the box. Apple loves that.
 
leekohler said:
I would say wear smart casual. Steve hates the stuffed shirt look.
Click to expand...
I doubt Steve will be your interviewer. ;)

Why not call the human resources department and ask them about the appropriate style to wear?

I suspect that you won't get questions about Apple (so there's nothing in particular to study up on). More likely, you'll be asked about your area of skill, and perhaps about your personal plans and ambitions.

But please do post and tell us how it goes and what they do ask you.
 
Doctor Q said:
I doubt Steve will be your interviewer. ;)

Why not call the human resources department and ask them about the appropriate style to wear?
Click to expand...

You're right of course, but I sincerely doubt anyone at Apple would require a shirt and tie for an interview.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. Apparently there will be a total of 3 interviews with 1 bieng a group discussion type thing. They will drop people at each stage so Im not even sure If ill get one or more interviews but at least I got passed the application stage! They are only employing 15 new graduates this year here in Apple Japan so competition is tough...

Ill let you guys know how it goes, either good or bad! It is this wednesday...
 
leekohler said:
but I sincerely doubt anyone at Apple would require a shirt and tie for an interview.
Click to expand...
You forget that behind the public persona that apple provides, at its core it is a cut throat multinational engineering firm. And with Japan being among the most conservative of countries in the world, (save for mabye the USA and the Poms) you could probably do worse than show up in a well fitting suit.

At the end of the day though if you're presented neat (well shaven, well dressed, showered, etc...) you'll be like everyone else in the room. Thus it boils down to what you know and what you can do, and whether or not what you know and do is what they are after and if so whether or not you do it better than 14 of the other candidates.

Takumi
(not actually from Japan)

P.S: sorry for my use of the word "and" in the final paragraph
 
Project said:
I just had one at Microsoft.... :eek:
Click to expand...

^^^Ewwwww!! *looks at you as if you had ebola*



@Irmongoose: He's not going for a retail job. ;)

leekohler said:
You're right of course, but I sincerely doubt anyone at Apple would require a shirt and tie for an interview.
Click to expand...

I'd take the safe way out and wear a suit. Actually, I'd do what Q said and ask, but if I didn't ask, you really can't go wrong with a suit. But maybe for fun, wear a bow-tie. You can't do wrong if you dress formally, but stand out a "little", can you? At least they'll remember "Bowtie Boy." ;)

And since it's in Japan, definitely get dressed up. I thought the "job hunting season" in Japan was over, but I guess not.
 
Good luck mate...

I hope all goes well. By the way, are you Japanese? If not, how good is your Japanese? What kind of job is it? I heard Apple Japan were looking for 'Corporate Sales Reps' to try to expand their business solutions - in fact, several sales reps at the Apple Stores here sell at the stores between their corporte sales calls.

I have visited the Apple office in Opera City just once. I go to Oprea City once or twice a month to visit a client on one of the other floors. From the 'break area' you can see up onto a balcony with lots of Apple computer boxes - I have been tempted to climb up the wall and take a look to see if they are new Intel towers!! I have also been tempted to sneek into one of the training rooms as well!

And a great view of Shinjuku from Opera City too..

iAlan
(In Japan but not Japanese)
 
Abstract said:
@Irmongoose: He's not going for a retail job. ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah... that's why I didn't lay down the details. But in the process I've seen a lot at Apple Apple (?). I had the impression that they are a normal foreign company in Japan - a stark contrast from Apple Cupertino. They wear suits, the office is boring grey cubicles...

So yes, try going in smart casual, maybe a whole suit without the jacket.




irmongoose
 
iAlan said:
I hope all goes well. By the way, are you Japanese? If not, how good is your Japanese? What kind of job is it? I heard Apple Japan were looking for 'Corporate Sales Reps' to try to expand their business solutions - in fact, several sales reps at the Apple Stores here sell at the stores between their corporte sales calls.

I have visited the Apple office in Opera City just once. I go to Oprea City once or twice a month to visit a client on one of the other floors. From the 'break area' you can see up onto a balcony with lots of Apple computer boxes - I have been tempted to climb up the wall and take a look to see if they are new Intel towers!! I have also been tempted to sneek into one of the training rooms as well!

And a great view of Shinjuku from Opera City too..

iAlan
(In Japan but not Japanese)
Click to expand...

Well Im Japanese/Brazilian so I speak Japanese and Portuguese fluently, so I shouldnt have a problem there with the language. Im just scared coz I was educated in England and I never went to a Japanese interview or experienced looking for jobs here so Im not aware of any norms or what not. Even the CVs or resumes are different and they require photos here too as well...

Oh well, I sent an email to the Apple HR person and Ill see what he or she says about the clothing...
 
Takumi said:
You forget that behind the public persona that apple provides, at its core it is a cut throat multinational engineering firm. And with Japan being among the most conservative of countries in the world, (save for mabye the USA and the Poms) you could probably do worse than show up in a well fitting suit.

At the end of the day though if you're presented neat (well shaven, well dressed, showered, etc...) you'll be like everyone else in the room. Thus it boils down to what you know and what you can do, and whether or not what you know and do is what they are after and if so whether or not you do it better than 14 of the other candidates.

Takumi
(not actually from Japan)

P.S: sorry for my use of the word "and" in the final paragraph
Click to expand...


Thanks for the advise there. Yes I guess it will all boil down to my skills and if thats what they are after, I guess it wont matter that much if I wasnt wearing a suit...Its not really doing better than 14 but doing it better than about 500-1000 and then, they only employ 15.

They will probably ask me, "why do you wanna work here?"...I wonder what Ill say, I mean I cant say "coz I love apple and i read Macrumors everyday..."
 
Kaiser Phoenix said:
Im not aware of any norms or what not.
Click to expand...
Watch the movie at how-to-bow.com. I'm serious. It reviews meeting people in a business setting (plus how to act when invited to someone's home). Perhaps it's more applicable to an old-style firm than to a Western-connected tech company, but I watched it before my trip to Japan last year and found it to be very informative. And it's fun to watch.

Don't forget your business card!
 
Doctor Q said:
Watch the movie at how-to-bow.com. I'm serious. It reviews meeting people in a business setting (plus how to act when invited to someone's home). Perhaps it's more applicable to an old-style firm than to a Western-connected tech company, but I watched it before my trip to Japan last year and found it to be very informative. And it's fun to watch.

Don't forget your business card!
Click to expand...

The sound they made when walking to very funny! Seems long winded though.
 
Kaiser Phoenix said:
Oh well, I sent an email to the Apple HR person and Ill see what he or she says about the clothing...
Click to expand...
Don't know if I would have done that. Having to ask what to wear probably would not make a good first impression IMO.

Especially since it is Japan and not a simple retail job, I would definately say a suit. And don't do the Japanese style of a black suit with brown shoes or a blue suit with black shoes!
 
Kaiser Phoenix said:
They will probably ask me, "why do you wanna work here?"...I wonder what Ill say, I mean I cant say "coz I love apple and i read Macrumors everyday..."
Click to expand...
I have a feeing that you are a software engineer or the like, and thus for us engineering types there is not 'outside the box'

Everything exists within this box and there is simply noting outside of it

thus you are not a creative person, but a person who can stare at hard code for hours on end, on a 50Hz CRT monitor, make sence of it all and not get dore eyes. And since that is more likely to be the end result of your employment, one should keep this in mind if you ever get far enough for them to pop said question.

This is a guess, as all you said was "applying for a graduate position"

Keep the job you are applying for in mind when they ask the question and relate your answer to it, your skill set, your abblity to adapt to new skills/methods etc.., your willingness to lean and be a part of a multinational orginasation.

Takumi
 
Takumi said:
I have a feeing that you are a software engineer or the like, and thus for us engineering types there is not 'outside the box'

Everything exists within this box and there is simply noting outside of it

thus you are not a creative person, but a person who can stare at hard code for hours on end, on a 50Hz CRT monitor, make sence of it all and not get dore eyes. And since that is more likely to be the end result of your employment, one should keep this in mind if you ever get far enough for them to pop said question.

This is a guess, as all you said was "applying for a graduate position"

Keep the job you are applying for in mind when they ask the question and relate your answer to it, your skill set, your abblity to adapt to new skills/methods etc.., your willingness to lean and be a part of a multinational orginasation.

Takumi
Click to expand...


Thanks Takumi for your words of wisdom. Your advise is very sound and as you say it is very important to relate my skills to the job on offer. Keeping it relevant as you say is deadly important.

Though I would have loved to be a software engineer, I am unfortunately not a software engineer but a graduate in an internship currently in another multinational organization. I took a year out to do 5 months in Marketing and the other 5 in the Sales department. I am planning to say that due to my experience, I preferred Sales but I will be a Sales with a marketing perspective as well kinda thing.

Thanks alot to everyone who is helping me here, I feel alot of support and its giving me some positive energy.
 
Kaiser Phoenix said:
I preferred Sales but I will be a Sales with a marketing perspective as well kinda thing.
Click to expand...

If it's sales, then if you speak english as well as you can type it, use that as a selling point for yourself. Present yourself as a potential asset to the company, not a bum looking for a job so he can pay next weeks rent.

Takumi

P.S: Good luck tomorrow
 
Takumi said:
If it's sales, then if you speak english as well as you can type it, use that as a selling point for yourself. Present yourself as a potential asset to the company, not a bum looking for a job so he can pay next weeks rent.

Takumi

P.S: Good luck tomorrow
Click to expand...

Sorry it was on Thursday LOL. What a start, I cant even remember the proper date. After this, there will be 3 more interviews...assuming i get through this one. Sigh...

I speak English, Japanese, Portuguese in that order, fluently. Since I am a Japanese Brazilian Educated in England and the USA. I have an internship under my belt too from a multinational company currently so as you say, that is going to be my selling point! I was surprised that many Japanese had awful english in many multinational companies, I mean it is comprehensible but their accents are jsut awful. Countries like Phillipines have much better english!

Anyway, ill see how it goes!
 
Ok

So basically, I did everything that youre NOT supposed to do. Here is what happened:

Today was the first selection process where you hand in your photos and hear some explanations about the company and then you fill in some stuff.

- I came 15 minutes late to the presentation and came in just when the Chairman of Apple Japan was talking. That was REALLLL bad.
- EVERYONE was wearing a black suit, a white shirt, and I SWEAR the same tie!
Thankfully, I listened to you guyz and got myself a suit just before, a black one and I didnt stand out THAT much apart from coming in late and having to go right to the FRONT.
- I wore a blue shirt.
- They asked to write in Japanese for the paper and I wrote English. This is because they said English was one of the KEY skills one should have before they work here.

Hey, as for consolation, they did give everyone 1 free download from itunes card!

Surprising thing is, I was still invited for the next stage. Which is a Group Dicussion session where they will probably check for leadership etc etc.

That will be on Tuesday next week. At least not all hope is gone but I certainly didnt give a very good impression thats for sure.

Thanks for everyone who replied and took interest in this thread. Im not DEAD yet!
 
hah, well at least it's not totally over. did they invite everyone back for the next phase or no? either way, just plan on making up for your previous phase with the next one. of course, don't go too crazy about it. ;) good luck!
 
Interviews can be pretty nerve-racking. You can spend a lot of time second-guessing yourself afterwards, but it's not worth it.

You have another chance to make a good impression in the next round, so good luck with that.
 
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