I just got off the phone with an Apple recruiter for a Mac Genius position at an upcoming Apple Store. It went well—and here’s why.
As soon as I received the first email from the recruiter, I replied with a polite email written in traditional letter format. I laid out my schedule for the next week briefly. I mentioned how I looked forward to speaking with her. And at the end, I thanked her for her time and attention.
Keep up the contact. Always reply promptly and courteously. You want to be enthusiastic. Apple is looking for people who love what they do. If you don’t love it, you won’t work for it.
A few days of emailing later, the interview arrived. To prepare for it, I jotted down a list of what I imagined my strengths to be. I added notes about things I wanted to mention during the interview. For example, I wanted to touch on my article on setting up an anonymizing proxy for OS X. I also jotted down quick notes on common questions. Some of these are:
- What do you want in a job?
- Where are you currently employed?
- What do you expect for compensation/salary?
- Supply an example of a time you dealt with an angry customer.
- Suppy an example of a time when you went above and beyond for a customer.
That’s just a smattering of questions, but having your thoughts collected for these is crucial. You don’t want to write out the actual answer, but you want to know where you’re going with it.
Another thing to avoid tactfully is the salary question. You need to reiterate that salary isn’t your real concern at this stage of the process. Focus on why you want to work for Apple. After you do that, they’ll tell you what they’re offering.
There is a technical screening portion of the interview. This takes the form of sample troubleshooting problems, multiple choice questions, and identifying acronyms. Questions on how you would handle different types of customers also pop up. Make sure you know your technical stuff in depth before the interview. Notes and a Google window aren’t a bad idea.
You want to project that you live this lifestyle. Talk about ways you do these things in your current job and daily life. Think of the interview as a conversation. They’re trying to catch you off guard, but if you put them at ease and form a bond, you’re halfway home.
At the end of the interview, ask when you can expect to hear back from them and what their hiring timetable looks like. This gives you a great idea how much time you have to work with and shows interest in the position.
Make sure to thank them for their time and the interview. After all, they didn’t have to call you. After the interview proper, send them a follow up email. You want to express continuing enthusiasm for the next interview and remind them why you’re the one they want. Reference points that they made to show that you cared and paid attention. At the end, thank them once again.
As an extra touch, I also attached a copy of the article on proxying with OS X. They might never read it, but it’s a portfolio piece. It has the possibility of moving you up in the pool.
And always, maintain contact and love what you do. That’s why you’re talking to them in the first place.
Think you’ve got a better shot now? Digg it.
