• Welcome to the Off-Topic/Schweb's Lounge

    In addition to the Mac-Forums Community Guidelines, there are a few things you should pay attention to while in The Lounge.

    Lounge Rules
    • If your post belongs in a different forum, please post it there.
    • While this area is for off-topic conversations, that doesn't mean that every conversation will be permitted. The moderators will, at their sole discretion, close or delete any threads which do not serve a beneficial purpose to the community.

    Understand that while The Lounge is here as a place to relax and discuss random topics, that doesn't mean we will allow any topic. Topics which are inflammatory, hurtful, or otherwise clash with our Mac-Forums Community Guidelines will be removed.

apple store hiring -

Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
hi all,

this is actually my first post here, so bear with me. :) i have read around the site off and on over the years, just for general info about the mac products that i use.

earlier this month, i was contacted by apple to come in for a hiring seminar. after searching around this site, i have assumed that this is pretty common. it was around 30 people with a few employees and some videos / speeches. pretty interesting stuff. lasted about two hours. felt good about the whole thing. admittedly, i'm not a total "mac geek" (mean that lovingly, of course) so the whole hype and aura of the store didn't really psych me out. i felt pretty comfortable and am just looking for some interesting part time work and saw that apple was hiring. long-story-short, a few days later, i received a request to come in for an additional interview. did that. went very well -- was pretty encouraged by the asst manager's feedback. about a week later i got another request to come in for a third (and final) interview with the top manager. went in, was comfortable, went as well as the second. very encouraged. upon leaving i was told i'd be contacted via HR concerning the next step.

about an hour after i got home, i was sent a message directing me on how to start / approve / complete my background check. this was through hireright (the third party that does all of apple's background checks, from what i've gathered). on their website, i punched in the appropriate information and checked the option to receive a copy of my approval signature as well as a copy of the report that they generate on me. this upcoming wednesday will mark two weeks since i've submitted that information. my question is less about "what does apple think of me?! are they not interested?!" and more about protocol: has anyone had similar wait times in hearing back from background screenings, especially those with apple / hireright? i know that most sites say it takes around a week, maybe longer. i have a clean record, not even a parking ticket, and good credit. i don't want to e-mail my point of contact at apple if it would look premature or overzealous, but would it be acceptable, in your opinion, to maybe check in on the process on wednesday? two weeks seems like an acceptable window of time.

this is mainly because i've gotten two previous job offers that need to hear back by the end of next week and i don't want to blow those and hold out for apple.

thanks for reading and for any input!

- bg
 
Joined
May 17, 2007
Messages
43
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Follow up immediately with your contact at the Apple Store by email.

These things take time with Apple BUT you have to be assertive and show your continued interest.
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
Messages
2,073
Reaction score
68
Points
48
Location
Ithaca NY
Your Mac's Specs
13 inch alMacBook 2GHz C2D 4G DDR3, 1.25GHz G4 eMac
Yes/no... that's a little too assertive. You're basically hired. They're running your background check. You've had your final interview. Email them maybe in a day or two just to ask when they are usually completed by. To do it now would come off as desperate.

Jealous, by the way. I'm still waiting for my Best Buy to get Macs in. :-\
 
OP
B
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
thanks for the responses.

darkestritual - yes, i thought to wait until wednesday. that will mark two weeks officially since i've submitted my info and completed my final interview. i certainly don't want to appear desperate, mainly because i'm not. i simply wanted to check in and see how the process was coming along. like i said, i have two other offers that need an answer by the end of the week and, from what i've been told, there's nothing left to do with apple except hear the final word after the background check. i just didn't know if my experience was atypical and needed a follow - up, or if this is just how they do their hiring.

sadly, i also never received (nor inquired about) a solid decision date, so i really have no idea how to gauge how long this may take. i know a lot of people in my position would be saying, "who cares? it's apple!" but i don't want to pass up any more potential opportunities waiting for this one that, for whatever reason, seems to be taking forever. and there's always the risk that it may not pan out, even though i was pretty much told that if i made it to the final interview with the top manager, i was in. i'm not one for putting all my eggs in one basket, even if it is apple! :)
 
Joined
May 17, 2007
Messages
43
Reaction score
0
Points
6
i simply wanted to check in and see how the process was coming along.
Absolutely noting wrong with that. It's how people get employer's attention and get jobs. In this market being assertive should not be confused with being desperate. You want the job? Let them know you want it!

I agree that you're pretty much hired if they went through the whole HireRight thing but it never hurts to let them know you're totally interested.
 
OP
B
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
thanks, zanthe. i agree. besides that, one would have to assume that if you're applying for a job, you're not just applying at one particular place. you'd be applying many places and, if the process takes an extended amount of time like this one, it's not too much of a stretch to assume a person might want a more timely answer.

more than anything, from what i've gleaned from other forums/sites is that the apple hiring process is unlike any other and takes a considerable amount of time in proportion to the position (i.e. retail -- though it is unlike any other typical retail position). i just wanted to know if my situation was atypical, or if others had an extended wait between final interview and a decision (and even moreso concerning the background checks).

~ bg
 
OP
B
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
bargs - ha! duly noted and not a problem. i actually had a long discussion in my second-phase interview about the stereotypes of apple employees. got a good laugh out of the hiring manager, but considering i don't wear glasses, am an introvert, not going to be demoing or geniusing, and am not asian, i don't think you have to worry.

a lot of people troll forums like this before interviews trying to see if they can absorb anything about the "culture" or "style" of an apple employee beforehand, thinking it will improve their chances. i have to tell you, given my experience in the whole thing, this is a very egregious error and a horrifically overblown stereotype. given the nature of the store and the level of hype surrounding it and its products, naturally there's going to be archetypes that emerge, just due to the sheer visibility. this is also carried on by the fact that there's a current "hipster trend" and people are breaking their necks to fit these molds because they think this will help them out. the truth is, it won't. at my seminar, i was surrounded by a handful of what i would consider "natural" people. everyone else seemed way too enthusiastic and apple-happy to feel comfortable around them. at every turn in the interview process, i was encouraged to *not* talk about apple at all. it wasn't hard. i believe most of why they liked me was because i wasn't passing out in their presence, treating them like kings and also because i have very extensive high-level retail experience, serving the highest clientele. that doesn't make me a fantastic person or someone worth having an ego, it's just the truth. i can handle myself in very high-pressure, high-expectation retail environments. it had very little to do with my "apple culture" or my "apple knowledge". in fact, i flat out told them i use a dell at home and a macbook for the documentaries / albums i self-produce. they're not impressed by flattery.

~ bg
 
OP
B
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
oops, forgot about this posting! since many of you were kind enough to reply / message me on this topic, thought i'd let you all know i didn't have to contact them after all. apple called me last week with a formal offer. slow pokes. ;-)

thanks for all the input. i shall now disappear into the anonymity in which i began. peace!
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
apple called me last week with a formal offer. slow pokes. ;-)

thanks for all the input. i shall now disappear into the anonymity in which i began. peace!

Does this mean you are accepting the Apple offer?

And why are you disappearing...you're welcome here!:)

- Nick
 
OP
B
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
i'm definitely taking the offer. too good to pass up! but i've never been a forum person or a poster of any kind, so i just figure i'll revert back to that naturally.

thank you for the welcome. i'm sure if i have any other questions or concerns, i'll know just where to go!

~ bg
 
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Messages
4,301
Reaction score
124
Points
63
Location
The lonely planet
Your Mac's Specs
Too many...
Sweet! Congrats on your new job!
 
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
1,466
Reaction score
47
Points
48
Your Mac's Specs
2.8 GHz 15" MacBook Pro OS X 10.7.x & some old Macs
Congrats on the job offer. This does mean that you will provide all forum members with your employee discount right? ;D
 
Joined
May 17, 2007
Messages
43
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Nice going!

Kinda sickening what they pay huh? But it's the Apple Experience that's important.

Have fun with the new job.
 
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
446
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
Skamerica
Your Mac's Specs
MB061LL/B & iPhone4
Nice going!

Kinda sickening what they pay huh? But it's the Apple Experience that's important.

Have fun with the new job.

how much do they make ?
 
Joined
Aug 24, 2005
Messages
175
Reaction score
4
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
17" 2.8ghz Macbook Pro, 32GB iPhone 4
Congrats man.

I just went through the process and start June 17th with in-store training...

Right before the iPhone 4 release ;)

Guess I won't be waiting outside this year lol
 
Joined
Feb 27, 2009
Messages
102
Reaction score
1
Points
18
Location
MD/IL
Your Mac's Specs
Macbook5,2, iPad 16 gb, iPhone 3GS 32 gb, Iphone 4
Ouch! I don't know how accurate it is. But a quick google search showed between $8-10/hour. Genius positions obviously a little more.
 
Joined
Sep 26, 2008
Messages
497
Reaction score
12
Points
18
Location
Camp Hill, Pa
Your Mac's Specs
15in MBP - 27in iMac - iPhone
I wish i had more time, i wouldn't mind working at an apple store. Pay might not be great, but I'm sure it would be a fun experience.

I wonder if and what the discount is.

Oh, and congratulation BG. Let us know how everything goes.
You shouldn't disappear BTW :)
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Messages
3,343
Reaction score
213
Points
63
Location
Forest Hills, NYC
Your Mac's Specs
15-inch Early 2008; Processor 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo; Memory 4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 10.7.5
Ouch! I don't know how accurate it is. But a quick google search showed between $8-10/hour. Genius positions obviously a little more.

Depends upon where you live and if you have any prior experience. A friend of mine started working at the Apple store (again) after having moved back from GA to NY and they started him out full time at $14 an hour. There's also a lot of room for growth/to move up. He'll most likely be moving up the ladder pretty quickly, in fact. Most people who work for Apple are either very creative, ambitious or both, and Apple likes that.

And don't forget, the stock options are awesome ! Things like free software and iPhones are only an nice aside.

Doug
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top