Requesting Advice From Apple Employees

[Kunaiii]

I have a five person interview with Apple coming up soon. After applying through their website for open Genius and Specialist positions a few weeks ago, I was completely caught by surprise after receiving the email telling me to come in. Now that I have the opportunity, I of course want to take every measure I can to prepare myself in my pursuit of obtaining a job in Apple retail.

So to that end, I've been doing a ton of research on what to expect during the interview process and what type of people Apple tends to hire, and now I'm also posting on this message board to ask for further advice.

Now, my background is rather decent. I only have a high school diploma, but I have 2 and a half years of retail experience from working at a department store. I'm also very knowledgeable in general technology and computer repair, I'm even A+ certified. However, my biggest and most concerning flaw is my lack of knowledge of Apple products. Obviously, I know what iPhones, iMacs and iPads are, but I've been an Android and PC user all my life. I've used my friends' iDevices on several occasions and have been studying up on them, but I doubt I'll come off as knowledgeable enough to seem like I've always had an interest in Apple products to my interviewers. Additionally, I know these guys are looking for soft skills over tech skills, but lacking hands-on experience with iDevices I feel puts me at a great disadvantage.

So, to anyone who has undergone an Apple interview process, whether you were hired or not, what advice would you have for me? I'm prepared to showcase my vibrant personality, to accentuate my customer service skills, and to display my (albeit inexperienced) knowledge of technology. But, what else should I prepare for, or make sure I offer them?

 

[Mr Rabbit]

I was hired on as a Genius in 2008. I applied through jobs.apple.com, received a call about a week later and went in for the interview. An assistant manager & the Lead Genius came out to greet me and we walked down to Starbucks. They were mostly interested in my knowledge of Apple (the history, product line, retail environment), my communication skills (how would you explain a tough repair) and my technical background. At the end of the interview I was left with a basic technical knowledge quiz that consisted of questions like "What does DNS stand for" and "A Mac is beeping three times, what might be wrong". I filled out the quiz and dropped it off at the store with a different assistant manager.

I got a call a few days later with a job offer to start in two weeks.

Once I was hired my lead made it clear that the biggest thing they were looking for was personality. They wanted someone that truly valued helping people, was likable and who could communicate properly. As a Genius, regardless of how much technical knowledge you have, you'll go through Genius training. Genius training consists of the standard ACMT certification (Hardware / Software / Safety tests) but with Apple customer service centric training added to the mix. It's a 2-3 week process. Because of this technical knowledge coming into the job isn't terribly important. Obviously more experience doesn't hurt, but don't let a lack of Apple specific repair experience deter you. If anything show a thirst for that knowledge and an enthusiasm for Apple's technology offerings.

 

[MCSN]

Post up your experience with android and other devices as in depth experience that you can employ when converting customer's to apple products.