Not bitter, but glad for you
To the individual who referenced my use of the word "malleable" a few pages back, and then labeled me as "bitter" indirectly:
Congratulations to you and your brother on successfully obtaining for yourselves the role of Apple At Home Advisor. Given your physical limitations, I know that this opportunity must be ideal for you. Kudos for getting the "cream of the crop" as far as telecommuting CS is concerned.
Allow me to clarify, if you will:
The use of the word "malleable" is absolutely valid in relation to this job. Management looks for signs of "flexibility" in their interviewee which translates to malleability on their end. Be prepared for the very real possibility of manipulation from time to time to suit business needs.
This thread is a bit over two years old, yet it contains the same postings over and over and over again, albeit from different authors. That should tell you something. Given my prior experience in this line of work, I already have a great deal of insight. Even so, opinions formed sans experience would yield the same conclusions: Apple is not conducting this ongoing hiring bonanza to fortify an already large telecommuting customer service base. Rather, it is replenishing its viable workforce by REPLACING existing workers ongoing. Think of how many potential employees go through the four to six week training course with the full intention of quitting after training is complete. Yes, there are those who do that very thing. Now leverage those individuals against those who make it through training to go live for a few weeks at best only to say to themselves "I didn't think it would be like this - I cannot do this work!" Others will be stoked during their entire time in this role, may even love the job, but alas their stats or metrics, including SALES, will be sub par throughout - at some point they'll get the boot. Still others will be unable to balance work and pleasure due to an active social life or other personal demands. They'll miss too much work - see ya! Then, of course, there are those who are able to meet the demands of the job with relative ease but will nontheless buckle under the iron grip of standard Call Center employee policy and procedure. Expendable at all times. When I say "don't count your chickens before they are hatched," that's just a well intended "heads up" for everyone. It's great that folks were fortunate enough to get the gig, and I truly am glad for all. Even so, I can't help but wonder whether or not everyone has taken the time to consider the CONS of the job. Be prepared. Not everyone can do this type of work.
Finally, in regard to "all it takes is a great personality, some technical aptitude, etc" to get the job - that "anyone could get this job if I got it." Hmmmm. That's a bit insensitive. At this very moment, I'm thinking of all the qualified people with winning personalities who SHOULD have gotten the job but did not because - I don't know - the recruiter or manager heard the bark of a dog or the cry of a baby during the interview, and made a snap judgement seeking no further explanation in regard to the issue. Maybe someone else didn't get hired because their credentials represented a direct threat to a managers own employment stability. Perhaps another applicant neglected to put on the required manufactured "front" and was therefore too honest. And of course, the one conducting the interview may well have been your average jerk. Just as it may have been a fluke which disqualified one person, it may have well been a fluke which got another hired. You should consider yourselves lucky, indeed.
I plan on a successful reapplication process, though not in the near future. A 90 day wait seems appropriate - perhaps six months, depending on what I've got going on at the time(s).
Have a nice day!
there's no winning with forum people man. 