# Anyone work for an Apple Store?



## Johnny Melano

Hey, 

Does anyone here work for an Apple Store?

I recently received an email from a recruiter for their new store in Montreal. I was just wondering if any of you who work for the store have any tips or help for the interview. For example, what type of clothing to wear, possibly how much I should ask for in terms of salary without sounding over-board, and maybe what I should expect when getting there.

I'm pretty sure they're inviting a ton of people for this thing so I'm guessing I will pass by multiple managers quickly, if I were to move on.

So yeah, any help would be appreciated! 

Thanks.


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## reddrag0n

I don't work for apple but i am going through the processes of the interview stages. I have told everyone about my endevors on 2 other different discussion boards and you can read what i have gone through and what others have said also.

Apple Meeting forum 1

Apple Meeting forum 2


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## chas_m

I worked as a Genius for one for a time.

Here's a tip on what NOT to do:

DO NOT repeat DO NOT dress like Steve. 

A nice shirt with casual slacks is probably your best bet.

Other than perhaps a more casual dress than one might wear to a corporate job interview, it's not much different. Prepare a two-minute monologue of your life so far with an emphasis on your experience with Apple computers. If you are a musician, or work with video, or have some other Apple-related speciality, mention it.

Be SURE to mention the things you are really passionate about BEYOND computers/technology. Do you volunteer? Sing in a choir? Mountain bike? Love old movies? Mention it. Believe it or not, the managers are actually interested in whether or not you're a well-rounded person. "Dorks" need not apply.*

*Dorks are not the same thing as nerds. Or dweebs. 

Friendly, articulate, passionate about life -- and people -- in general. That's what they are looking for. Not salesmen, not "evangelists," not mac-obsessives. The salespeople at most Mac stores are reflections of the target demographics, not brainiacs with propeller beanies on their heads.


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## Johnny Melano

That's very good to know! I didn't expect them to want a selling machine, lol.

I look pretty snazzy in a pair of clean jeans with my Lacoste dress shirt, would that be too casual? Or are dress pants really a must?


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## HowEver

Oh, and just in case you get the job: I hope you liked your time participating in online Apple-related fora.

Best of luck.


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## Amiga2000HD

Beyond repeating the advice already posted about speaking to your other interests to show well rounded character, I don't have much advice.

However, even though I don't know anything about Apple Store recruiting but if they happen to give you a panel interview, my one other suggestion would be to make eye contact with the different people on the panel at different times throughout the interview. This way, each member of the panel will remember that you're paying attention to all of them.

Good luck with the interview!


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## The Great Waka

I just came from a hiring fair this morning for the Eaton Centre Apple store, the first step of the process apparently. If that's what you are going to, expect to be there with a few other hopefuls (there were 7 of us in total today). It started with a description of what Apple Retail is all about, and the services offered at the store, etc. Then there was a roleplay where we each pretended to serve a customer while a hiring manager took notes. 

The advice from the others here sounds fine. I just wore a nice pair of jeans and a shirt, with a causal blazer. Causal professional is the key with them it seems. Also, they are definitely looking for diversity in skills sets, as mentioned above, so do talk about whatever else you are good at.

Good luck!


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## boxlight

How much do jobs at Apple Store pay.

Can you make $20 an hour?


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## reddrag0n

Ok, that did not go the way i thought it would. I got there with 5 minutes to spare. Had an interview with [***edit ehMax] from the Toronto store and he asked for my resume. I gave it to him. Then from there he asked about my current work situation. I told him i was freelance computer technician and that on my spare time i help care for my friends 80 year old mother. He liked that. Then from there he asked a few questions about the position i was hiring for. I told him i was applying for Mac Genius, but they were looking for the Specialist positions and i told him i could do it. Then he asked if i could do part time instead of full time, i said sure, i am flexible. Then from there he asked me to ask him some questions!! I was shocked!! Ok, the first question out of my mouth was what he thought of Psystar. He had no clue what it was. I told him what the company was and what they were doing. He seemed to not notice what this company was doing with the Apple software on generic PC hardware. He said that if it was that much of a problem, the big man himself *Jobs* would look into it. Ok, i was fine with that. Then from there i complained about the lack of an iSight for the Mac Pro towers since there is one on the laptops and iMacs. He agreed. After that, i asked what he expected from the employees that were to work in the store. He told me that it's not much what they look for, but how the customer would interact with the client. After that, he asked me what the starting wage was that i was expecting. I told him with my line of work right now, anything over $700 a month is fine. He laughed. Then he told me that they would contact me in the beginning of next week. I shook his hand, said thank you and walked out of the meeting with a smile. I hope i go onto round 3.

*** Please do not divulge individual people's personal information on ehMac.ca


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## guytoronto

I interviewed with Apple a while back. I didn't have the qualifications they were looking for to be a "Genius" (they really wanted me to have a Technician certificate), and they couldn't afford me as a generic "Specialist".

Funny thing is, even though I don't have a "Technician" certificate, I often run circles around the official Apple techs I've talked too.


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## HowEver

$700 a month? You mean a week, right? Or is that part-time?


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## chas_m

guytoronto said:


> Funny thing is, even though I don't have a "Technician" certificate, I often run circles around the official Apple techs I've talked too.


That and five bucks will get you a small Starbucks. 

No offense intended, I have read enough of your posts to know you're not boasting. But that technician certificate (which is WAY too damn hard/expensive to get) is like a PhD is Macitude. In many places in Canada (like Vancouver Island, where we have a grand total of FOUR such people!!) you can essentially write your own ticket in terms of money and employers.

I'm toying with the idea of getting my certificate again; I didn't enjoy tech work as much as demos/teaching but up here (and by "here" I mean all of BC, not just VI) there is SUCH demand ... and as Macs continue to get more popular ...


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## chas_m

I don't know what the current salaries of Apple Store positions are like, but the Specialists got paid decently, Geniuses better and the higher-ups got paid generously in my view.*

*bear in mind I was living in FL where $10.50/hour is double the minimum wage, so my perspective on "generous" may be slightly skewed ... let's say that Geniuses made a _very_ comfortable living if they didn't have girlfriends (and most of them don't).


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## guytoronto

chas_m said:


> But that technician certificate (which is WAY too damn hard/expensive to get) is like a PhD is Macitude. In many places in Canada (like Vancouver Island, where we have a grand total of FOUR such people!!) you can essentially write your own ticket in terms of money and employers.


I know, and I've been jonesing to actually get that piece of paper. Time and money are always the two big factors.


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## gmark2000

I've only been interviewed for an Apple corporate job up in the Markham HQ. They seemed more business-minded up there and uptight.


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## chas_m

Yeah, I should have said -- about the Genius position:

It is incredibly rare for someone to walk in off the street and get the Genius position. Almost all "Genii" are "grown" from within the pool of existing employees (or "recruited" from indie dealers). A brand new store with no other nearby corporate stores might hire someone just based on a resume, but you can expect that guy to be gone pretty quick. A "Mac Genius" is not just a technically-knowledgeable position; it's a high-wire act.

You must have several qualifications:
1. You should be (I'm not sure if it's mandatory now, it was optional when I worked it) technically certified to repair Apple desktops AND laptops. But even beyond that, you must have a passion for keeping up-to-date. I mean you need to be the cleverest of the clever. The bosses do _not_ like to hear reports of Geniuses that don't know what they are talking about.

2. You must be VERY customer-orientated. The anti-social techs stay in the back room. 

3. You must have a track record of keeping your cool in crisis situations (customers making a scene, etc) and demonstrate excellent listening skills. Geniuses cannot get rattled.

4. You must be EXTREMELY trustworthy. The keys to the kingdom will be in your hands.

5. You must also be management material, since that is your only hope of promotion apart from transfer to a bigger store.

6. You must have that "casual professional" look and style down pat. Apple prefers not to have "Genii" who look like they still live with their parents if you know what I'm sayin'.

Try finding all that in one person!!


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## gastonbuffet

i'd walk in the interview with a 3 foot piece of toilet paper stuck to your shoe. a sense of humour goes a long way.


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## reddrag0n

HowEver said:


> $700 a month? You mean a week, right? Or is that part-time?


No, i make $700 a month. That's no joke.



gastonbuffet said:


> i'd walk in the interview with a 3 foot piece of toilet paper stuck to your shoe. a sense of humour goes a long way.


They might actually like that. The guy i had the interview with was actually easy going. Even the Edmonton manager saw me, she was all happy, said hi and shook my hand.


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## The Great Waka

Not to hijack your thread, but I got a call back today (hours after the session) and they want to see me tomorrow morning (I suppose technically today) for stage 2. I'll let you know how it goes.


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## CanadaRAM

Just to amplify what HowEver alluded to -- Apple employees are forbidden to take part in any online discussion of Apple and Apple related topics. And Apple does check. So that means that ehMac will be off limits for posting. 

I have also heard stories about Apple getting uptight about prior posting habits which are critical of Apple... and it's not too hard, with Internet archives and Google, to put together a handle online with the guy who interviewed on Thursday.

Were I you, I would start thinking of this in relation to the posts here and other places.


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## chas_m

This was actually why I left the Genius position I had (which, btw, was back in the very early days, before they'd developed all the guidelines I laid out).

I wanted to help people offline, I wanted to be more active in my Mac User Group, I wanted to write magazine articles (not necessarily about macs) again. Apple was polite but firm as the saying goes, so I left.

Some people would (literally) cut off their arm before they'd walk away from a job with Apple. I've done it twice (same reason both times -- I get restless!). I must be nuts.


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## CanadaRAM

chas_m said:


> Some people would (literally) cut off their arm before they'd walk away from a job with Apple. I've done it twice (same reason both times -- I get restless!). I must be nuts.


You cut off your arm, twice??

Dang, you do a good job typing with your toes...


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## chas_m

Chas de Milo, that's me.


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## jeepguy

reddrag0n said:


> No, i make $700 a month. That's no joke.


It's Alberta, get a welding ticket you'll make at least between $1000 and $1800 a week.


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## ehMax

CanadaRAM said:


> Just to amplify what HowEver alluded to -- Apple employees are forbidden to take part in any online discussion of Apple and Apple related topics. And Apple does check. So that means that ehMac will be off limits for posting.


Yes, Apple does indeed check. I will say, if you are going through the hiring process at Apple, it is NOT a good idea to post specific details about the experience, and it is especially a very bad idea to post names of private individuals on ehMac.ca.


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## mikeinmontreal

In that case, we should encourage Pat McCrotch to apply. He can then get that French keyboard at employee pricing; though he could never, ever post here again.


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## Johnny Melano

Well, I don't post on Mac forums too often, I do read often enough, though.


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## crazy

jeepguy said:


> It's Alberta, get a welding ticket you'll make at least between $1000 and $1800 a week.


In Toronto, sell transit tickets behind a booth and get $20/hr with benefits.  



mikeinmontreal - You make that seem like a bad thing


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## zmttoxics

Hey guys,

I am the (unofficial) official mac expert for the training company I work for (I am a systems admin in case you wondered). The company is now officially training partners with apple.

We are starting with the 2 basic admin courses from apple. You can view them here:
ExitCertified :: Apple Training :: Courses :: Ottawa | Toronto | Montreal | Quebec City | Calgary | Vancouver | Victoria | Winnipeg | Edmonton | Regina | San Jose | Sacramento | Las Vegas | San Francisco

I hope that helps anyone looking to get certified.

EDIT: I edited this post make sure that one gets in trouble with anyone.


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## jeepguy

crazy said:


> In Toronto, sell transit tickets behind a booth and get $20/hr with benefits.
> 
> 
> 
> mikeinmontreal - You make that seem like a bad thing


You forgot, *with unlimited overtime.*

My buddy works there, and he refers to the overtime as his "Toy Fund" :lmao:


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## ZRXer

reddrag0n said:


> No, i make $700 a month. That's no joke.


This is unrelated to the topic, but I honestly can't understand how you could survive in Edmonton if you are paying rent (partial or full) on a place or have a mortgage with that income. I wouldn't think it's possible, especially along with living expenses, utilities......


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## kevs~just kevs

ZRXer said:


> This is unrelated to the topic, but I honestly can't understand how you could survive in Edmonton if you are paying rent (partial or full) on a place or have a mortgage with that income. I wouldn't think it's possible, especially along with living expenses, utilities......


Roommates and a budget go a long way...


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## reddrag0n

> Roommates and a budget go a long way...


Yes, yes it does, my rent is $300, my bills are $55 and my food is $100 i pay per month. So i do survive. Not well, but i do survice. Now enough about how much i make.

On a different note, due to the related Apple interview thread, here are some pics first hand at the West Edmonton Mall store. Located on Phase 2 on the upper level between Geox and the Disney store.
Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 3
Pic 4
Pic 5

And here are a couple of shots through the doors looking inside.
Inside pic 1
Inside pic 2​


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## Silv

RD - how did your interviews go? I wish you the best of luck!


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## reddrag0n

Silv said:


> RD - how did your interviews go?


So far so good. I am just waiting for a callback the beginning of this week coming up.


Silv said:


> I wish you the best of luck!


Thank you.


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## tacsniper

Just got my email tonight for Calgary's Apple store... I am really curious about the pay for Mac Genius/Personal Shoppers. I really don't want to waste both parties time if I can't make more than $16/hr as I need that income to pay for my tuition. If someone is working for either one position can send me a PM that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!


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## monokitty

The Great Waka said:


> Not to hijack your thread, but I got a call back today (hours after the session) and they want to see me tomorrow morning (I suppose technically today) for stage 2. I'll let you know how it goes.


So how did it go? And for which position did you apply for?


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## The Great Waka

Lars: I was hired as a mac specialist. But, I have since left, thus, I am back here. All in all, not a bad place to work, but unfortunatly, it is still retail.


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## spitfire1945

The Great Waka said:


> Lars: I was hired as a mac specialist. But, I have since left, thus, I am back here. All in all, not a bad place to work, but unfortunatly, it is still retail.


can you recall some of your interview moments? I have one in a few days for a specialist.


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## spitfire1945

anybody?


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## The Great Waka

Do you have any retail experience? If so, talk about it, but much more important to them is are customer services experiences. So mention any situations where you went out of your way to help a customer, and they left feeling special or whatnot.


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## unconquerable

*Apple job process!!!*

Hypothetically speaking, after I had an interview with Apple (Assuming it went well and they want to proceed with getting me closer to hired), based on your experience, what comes next? Is there another interview? Are the good interviewees selected for hire and invited for a hire fair? How long did you have to wait after your interview before you were hired?

Your response is appreaciated,

Daniel


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