Apple Family Room Specialist Interview Questions & Reviews
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Updated May 7, 2012 – Interview questions and reviews posted anonymously by interview candidates.
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Difficulty Rating [?] Based on 12 ratings 
“Average” Interview
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Interview Experience [?] Based on 12 ratings
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Family Room Specialist at Apple
Posted May 7, 2012
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2.0
Easy Interview
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Overall Positive Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Mar 2012 (took 4+ weeks)
I applied online, had a phone interview with a recruiter, and then was contacted by a Specialist at the store to schedule a 1:1 interview with the Store Leader.
I prepared by reading everything I could about the Specialist and Genius roles on the Apple Retail website, checking previous interview experiences on Glassdoor, and Googling for specifics on the Family Room Specialist role, because it's not listed on Apple's website for some reason.
The FRS job is designed to be an entry-level job that will enable you to move into a Specialist or Genius role depending on your aptitude for those positions. You do one-on-one training with people buying their first Mac and spend some time on the floor explaining the products to customers. The rest of your time is spent repairing iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch).
The culture at Apple is odd. Their brand image is paramount, so you cannot do anything or present yourself in any way that goes against that. Which is why it helps if you like Apple products. Part of their brand is being the "fun and quirky" computer store, so you have to be extremely enthusiastic about their products in order to keep that up all the time.
Scheduling of interviews and in some cases the interviews themselves are delegated to other employees besides the Store Leader. I received my rejection notice by email and it was sent by one of the other staff members as well.
Interview Questions
Other Details
I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview and a Phone Interview.
Helpful Interview?
Yes |
No
Inappropriate?
Family Room Specialist at Apple
Posted Apr 19, 2012
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3.0
Average Interview
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Overall Neutral Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Nov 2011 in New York, NY (took 2 weeks)
Interview came in 3 parts. First was a large group interview, which actually felt more like an orientation than an actual interview. All of the 30-or-so potential employees introduced ourselves, then sat through a presentation that I could loosely describe as propaganda - video and discussion essentially about why Apple is so great. The segments about the individual positions were much more helpful to me than Apple's sales records. At the end of the 90 minute "interview" was a group activity in which we decided which products were right for a given customer profile.
I didn't think I made much of an impression, but was pleasantly surprised to make it to the next round: A phone interview. The interviewer was very kind, enthusiastic, and the questions were pretty logical, but did require thought - Why do you think you'd be good for this job? What have been your most positive and negative employment experiences? I didn't feel great about how things went, as I don't particularly enjoy phone communication, but the interviewer was very encouraging. At the conclusion of this interview, the interviewer said I was a great candidate and asked to initiate a background check right away. He'd love to have me aboard, and just wanted to get a final, in-person interview in. An unexpected response, but certainly welcomed.
Finally came the 1:1 interview - or I suppose it would be 1:2, as two people interviewed me. Some of the questions here were repeats, but the face-to-face interaction was much more comfortable for me. I was told I would here from them by the following Wednesday, probably sooner. For the first time during the process, I personally felt good about the next step. Wednesday came and went, though, and I had to email the company to get my rejection.
Overall, it was a decent process, but it was odd that my self-assessment was pretty much the opposite of my interviewers. (When I thought I did poorly, I actually moved on, and vice-versa.) I was of course disappointed
to not get the position, and even more so after the heavy implication that a position was mine, but it wasn't a negative experience. The people seemed very nice and, once again, enthusiastic, but there was a sort of Stepfordian happiness to it that didn't always seem 100% genuine. Other than that, the only negative aspect was the fact that they didn't inform me when they said they would. Apple seems like a finely oiled machine, and I did feel like I was left hanging a little bit. They said I could apply again after 90 days, but thankfully another opportunity with a different company came my way soon after. I'm not sure if I would have attempted to go through the process again, but it was worth doing once.
Interview Questions
Other Details
I got the interview through an Employee Referral and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview, a Group/Panel Interview and a Background Check.
Helpful Interview?
Yes |
No
Inappropriate?
Family Room Specialist at Apple
Posted Apr 3, 2012 — 1 of 1 people found this helpful
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3.0
Average Interview
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Overall Negative Experience
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Received and Accepted Offer
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Interviewed Mar 2012 in New York, NY (took 2 months)
The interview process with Apple is always long and drawn out. I have been working with the company for several years and was attempting to transfer into a comparable position in New York City. What should take all of a week or two, took over two months. Arranging interview times is always difficult and spread out. The questions are always fairly common interview questions, "Moment where you achieved success" "Describe a situation where you had to give feedback to a peer or leader that others disagreed with", etc etc. You will always go through three rounds of interviews, they will stack you up through management as you progress. Starting with the leader of the department you wish to work in, then the manager who oversees that leader, then the individual who oversees the whole store. In larger markets it will bump up or stack. You may interview in a panel with the leader and department manager, then the store leader, then a market leader, etc. Traditionally if you make it to the third round of interviews you have a 50/50 shot, most times you're in.
Interview Questions
Negotiation Details
There really isn't much room to negotiate with Apple. The people who offer you the job are not the people who make the comp package, so they can't change it. The people who make the comp package don't know who you are and have no reason to wiggle higher to help you out because they like you. It's tough, always try, but you won't get a penny.
Other Details
The interview consisted of a Group/Panel Interview, a 1:1 Interview and a Phone Interview.
Helpful Interview?
Yes |
No
Inappropriate?
Family Room Specialist at Apple
Posted Feb 26, 2012 — 1 of 3 people found this helpful
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2.0
Easy Interview
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Overall Positive Experience
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Received and Accepted Offer
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Interviewed Dec 2011 in Columbus, OH (took 2 weeks)
Requests for interviews for a few Family Room positions were being taken, so I requested to interview for a part-time position. I was scheduled for an interview, and I met with the Lead Creative, Lead Genius, Senior Manager, and Store Leader for my interview. A few unexpected obstacles were presented in the decision making process, but I was offered the position and accepted.
Interview Questions
Other Details
I applied In-Person and the interview consisted of a Group/Panel Interview.
Helpful Interview?
Yes |
No
Inappropriate?
Family Room Specialist at Apple
Posted Dec 26, 2011 — 1 of 1 people found this helpful
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4.0
Difficult Interview
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Overall Positive Experience
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Received and Accepted Offer
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Interviewed Dec 2011 (took 1 week)
I applied on the Apple website. A few weeks later I received an invite to a group interview at a local hotel. Was told to dress casual ("We won't be wearing suits, we don't expect you to!") and to expect the event to last about 3 hours. I wore khakis and a polo shirt, the attire ranged from jeans and a backwards hat all the way to a suit and tie. The majority of people wore jeans and a t-shirt, which is what the current employees wore. Didn't seem to have an impact on success/failure.
The group interview started by having everyone quickly introduce themselves, followed by a video about Apple. After the video they asked some questions, both from the video and about products/history not mentioned. I read the Steve Jobs bio a few months ago, that basically covered everything you could possibly want to know (There was also a 20 question work sheet attached to your application, it had a lot of basic Mac and computer questions). After that they had employees talk about the different positions and roles in a store. We then broke up into groups of 5-6, and spread out. An Apple employee and an iPod guided us through a round robin interview process, where each person got a new question. we ended up answering about 3-4 each (Final Question: Why are you right for Apple?). After that we basically were sent on our way. On the way out they had us check "to see if they needed more information on our application". They asked about 10 of us to sit down and wait, turned out it was to go for our second interview. This was about 2.5 hours in.
The second interview was again a group interview, this time they started to split us into groups based apparently on potential position/full vs part time. They were about 5 of us, and 2 managers. The questions got a little more pointed, along the lines of what type of experiences do you have, tech sales etc. Give an example of.....tough customer, bad experience, basically the usual interview questions. Again finished with "Why Apple, and what do you bring to the table?"
After this was asked to stick around for a 3rd interview. This time it was based on position. Myself and another guy were asked to interview as Family Room Specialists. It was the 2 of us and the General Manager and a current FRS. The questions were again a little more specific, and more tech based. At this point it was very comfortable, and if you get this far you'll know what to expect. Don't assume you're good to go tho, you can still lose it. After this, they told us we would hear back from them within 24 hours either way it went. In all, it ended up being about 5.5 hours spent there, the majority of it actively interviewing.
The next day I got a call asking me to a 4th and final interview with the district manager that Friday. I showed up early, he was running a little behind (about 10 minutes). We went to the Starbucks next to the store and sat at a table. He started by asking me to tell him my story, followed by why I would be an asset for Apple. After that it was some tougher questions, mostly the usual personal invterview type stuff: Describe challenging situations, customers, successes, etc. He also asked some really pointed Apple product questions (Time Machine vs Time Capsule??), as well as what my expectations for the position were. There was a lot of back and forth, very fast paced and focused. At the end, I was told that I would recieve a formal offer on Monday. The other candidate for FRS was interviewing later, and that would determine the specific position.
Monday came, I recieved my offer for the FRS position, and was told to come in later in the week to submit my paperwork. I have a week n a half of shadowing coming up, followed by CORE training for 3 days.
A couple of observations: The whole process was big on how awesome Apple was, so if you can't enthusiastically agree don't bother. Everything was focused on personal experiences and qualities, even for the FRS position which is a hybrid sales/tech position. Getting out of the group process required paying attention, answering in the whole group setting and doing very very well in the small group question part. After that, it was a matter of connecting with your interviewer, listening well, and responding quickly intelligently and confidently. Know your Apple stuff, be your self, and be confident. Cant wait to start!!!
Interview Questions
Negotiation Details
Was told this is the offer, no room for negotiation.
Other Details
I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a Group/Panel Interview and a Skills Test.
Helpful Interview?
Yes |
No
Inappropriate?
Family Room Specialist at Apple
Posted Dec 19, 2011 — 0 of 1 people found this helpful
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5.0
Very Difficult Interview
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Overall Positive Experience
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Received and Accepted Offer
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Interviewed Nov 2011 (took 2 weeks)
After Steve Jobs passed away, I was on Apple's website reading some stuff about him when I saw the career opportunities link and thought I would apply to the Apple store just for fun. I didn't think anyone would call back since I applied to many smaller, less popular employers to work for than Apple and didn't hear anything from them. Surprisingly, I got an email from an Apple recruiter after about 2 weeks inviting me to a hiring event at a local hotel. The interview was a group interview with many others and multiple managers from different stores in the region present. After that interview, I went home and researched and found that the Apple store usually has a 3 interview process. I got a call back after 2 days for my second interview at the actual store. This was with the store manager and since this was a family room position, with the Genius manager as well. After about 2 days, I was called back for the third interview, this time at the store again. This was with 2 other managers, one responsible for the region as well.
After about a week, I got a call back from the store manager telling me I got the job. I was happy to work for Apple and started the job and training about 1.5 weeks later. All in all, it was a tedious interview process but I'm glad I got the job since I invested so much time and money traveling for it. I'm 2 weeks into the job and still in training and it can seem overwhelming at times with so much to learn, but I have faith in God that He'll help me get through it with a positive attitude and that I'll make a positive contribution to the store and company.
Interview Questions
Other Details
I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a Background Check, a Group/Panel Interview and a 1:1 Interview.
Helpful Interview?
Yes |
No
Inappropriate?
Family Room Specialist at Apple
Posted Jul 17, 2011 — 1 of 1 people found this helpful
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3.0
Average Interview
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Overall Positive Experience
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Received and Accepted Offer
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Interviewed Jul 2011 in Washington, DC (took 2 weeks)
I applied online and about a week later I was contacted via email by a store manager at one of the multiple stores I applied to. The email stated that there was an upcoming hiring event that Sunday at 7pm, and that I needed to RSVP as "seats were limited". I gladly RSVP'd and anxiously awaited the date. That Sunday I dressed in a Polo shirt and some casual khaki cargo pants with semi casual shoes. When I arrived, there was a line of about 35-40 people of all ages and ethnicities, dressed in a wide range of attire. One of the Specialist' came out and gave us each a name tag and asked each of us down the line why we were a good fit for Apple as he typed away at his iPad. Next, we were ushered in to a tunnel of shouting, clapping Apple employees. There were stools setup in theater formation around the Genius Bar, I sat in front as I wanted to be noticed and maybe someone would remember my face. First the employees introduced themselves then we proceeded to watch a video of why Apple was so great and were asked a few simple questions anyone could answer as long as they paid minimum attention. Next they split us into groups based upon numbers pre-written on our name tags. At this point the employees are walking around each group examining how well you communicate and work with others. (give opinions but be open. One guy wasn't budging on a position he thought was the best way to handle it but clearly wasn't correct and I could tell the manager watching us noticed) We then presented. Next, we were given applications asking for preferred location, position, availability, future time off, and probably most important, 20 technical questions about Apple and their products. The Manager stated that it didn't matter how many you answer but in reality "why would they even ask them then?" We were then ushered back to our seats for a short Q&A, told that we would be contacted within the week if we were moving on and then allowed to leave.
A few days later (Wednesday) I received a call from an unknown number. He said that he would like to schedule an appointment for an interview the next week. I gladly accepted the earliest time (the next Wed) and thanked him. During this time I gruelingly searched Glassdoor and probably read every entry related to retail. I took down the questions most likely to be asked at the interview and studied them ferociously. When the day arrived I felt ready but still had butterflies. When I arrived it was a 3:1. I greeted each person with a firm handshake and smile. The majority of the questions were more about my background and "Why Apple?" as opposed to "When have you pushed through when something became difficult?" type. We sat and had a more personal conversation with plenty of laughs and smiles rather than "uh huhs" and frowns. This was all at one of those One 2 One tables you see in the stores and lasted around 30 min. Finally i was told i would be contacted soon. Following the interview I felt really confident.
Two days later (Friday) I received a call early in the morning asking if i was able to come in later that day. I, happy to even receive a third interview accepted and again prepared with the questions I had written down from earlier. When I arrived I was told that I would be interviewing with the Region VP and two other Store Managers. This heightened my already present nervousness. I sat down with two other candidates as well. We greeted each other and began the interview round-robin style. Unfortunately I was first, so i had to think quickly and did not get to build off others answers. Almost every question asked was posted somewhere or another on the site. Ending the interview the manager said he would be in touch with us VERY soon.
* One question asked was "What Apple products do we own?" The last girl answered with the most remarkably dumb answer ever, and i was surprised that she had gotten this far; although they do state that you do not need experience with their products. She said that she had been an iPhone user since 2001!!!! All three managers faces kinda winced when that came out her mouth as did I and she continued without a hiccup.
The very next morning again from an unknown number around 10am I received a call stating that they would like me to undergo a background check. I had no worries as I have nothing on my record (1 point on my license for speeding) and have never partaken in drugs of any kind. I filled out the form from a third party investigator and waited. 5 days went by and i began to get a little worried, so I called and asked about it. The manager said he would give me a call back. a few hours later he called back and offered me a full-time Family Room Specialist position. I was extremely happy!
As others here have said just be yourself and be sociable. if you're kind of an introvert like me, just let go of your fears for a days and just say what you feel and you should be good.
Interview Questions
Negotiation Details
Wasn't much room for negotiation
Other Details
I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview, a Group/Panel Interview, a Presentation and a Background Check.
Helpful Interview?
Yes |
No
Inappropriate?
Family Room Specialist at Apple
Posted Mar 12, 2011 — 0 of 1 people found this helpful
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1.0
Very Easy Interview
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Overall Positive Experience
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Received and Accepted Offer
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Interviewed Nov 2009 in Lynnwood, WA (took 4+ weeks)
Long interview process because they had a bunch of people get hired, go to Genius training get their ACMT then quit and go work somewhere that actually pays a technician what they are worth not 12.00 an hour, ugh.
Interviewed with the store's people manager, store leader, and market leader.
Negotiation Details
Negotiate everything you can because you will never make it in pay raises. Even though Apple is making record profits they are just giving 4% pay raises annually. And unfortunately this is based on team performance not individual contribution. So if you have a couple of douche bags on your team you will never get more than 4% MAX.
Other Details
The interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview, a Group/Panel Interview and a Background Check.
Helpful Interview?
Yes |
No
Inappropriate?
Family Room Specialist at Apple
Posted Jan 10, 2011
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3.0
Average Interview
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Overall Neutral Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Jun 2010 in Philadelphia, PA (took 2 months)
Being former Apple employee I knew what to expect, the skill test, the group interview and all that. What I did not expect was the recruiter. He was based in New York and it was really hard to get in touch. He never responded to any emails, he sent broken links for the background check and it took him literally 3 days to send a working one (after telling me to please fill it out asap). Then after all the hassle (which was after the 1:1 interview with the store manager) I have never heard back. He promised that he will get in touch with me after the background check. Nothing. Zero. No email, no phone call. Nothing. Not even responding to my inquiry about the status of my application. I find that extremely rude and inappropriate. But I know that I made great experiences with Apple before.
Interview Questions
Other Details
The interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview, a Group/Panel Interview, a Presentation, a Skills Test and a Background Check.
Helpful Interview?
Yes |
No
Inappropriate?
Family Room Specialist at Apple
Posted Dec 16, 2010
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2.0
Easy Interview
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Overall Neutral Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Sep 2010 in Atlanta, GA (took a day)
I had applied on the Apple website about a year and a half before I was contacted by an Apple recruiter. I don't know of any way to speed up the process--it's very mysterious to me.
Apple called this a seminar--it was held in a hotel meeting room in Sandy Springs, three groups of about 20 each in a day cut into three sessions. We were told to dress casually in black.
First they had the whole group watch a movie about working in an Apple store, then we introduced ourselves and said why we wanted to work for Apple. Then we were divided into smaller groups of four and one of the recruiters asked us questions, telling us that we didn't have to know the answers, but they were really looking for good "Apple" people.
Next we were broken down into groups of two and were asked questions about how we would handle problems in the store, what our greatest strength, how we would upsell Applecare, stuff like that. Next we were put back into our original group of four and were asked trick questions.
My group was uber competitive--with this economy, everyone there was visibly nervous about finding a job. People kept bragging about their technical prowess or dropping names of other people they knew who worked in a certain store. They didn't seem like friendly Apple people to me and more like IT folks, in actuality. I felt really intimidated and didn't present myself well, obviously. I've reapplied but doubt I'll get another chance.
Interview Questions
Other Details
I got the interview through a Recruiter and the interview consisted of a Group/Panel Interview.
Helpful Interview?
Yes |
No
Inappropriate?
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