Apple Interview Questions & Reviews
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Difficulty Rating [?] Based on 164 ratings
“Average”
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Interview Experience [?] Based on 164 ratings
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Interview questions and reviews posted anonymously by interview candidates (updated Feb 7, 2010).
| 1 - 10 of 164 Apple Interviews | Sort by |
IPhone Software Engineer at Apple
Posted Jan 31, 2010 — 2 of 2 people found this helpful
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5.0
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Overall Neutral Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Jan 2010 in Cupertino, CA (took 3 weeks)
An internal recruiter approached me about this role. She had an old resume and I gave her a refresh. She was pleasant to talk to. I then proceeded to have a phone screen with the group's SW manager. He informed me it was a position that focused on resolving performance issues, and they're in need of a generalist. I wasn't too confident of my chances, because I know they going to be hard-core about it. We talked about multi-threading issues, like how I'd know my program was in a deadlock situation.
I didn't think I was going to get a callback, but I lo and behold, I did! So I go in the following Monday to the Mothership. I was initially double-teamed by 2 engineers. It was pretty much a train-wreck after they were done with me. They asked me stuff that did not leverage my current knowledge...for example:
1) How would I implement 'ls'? My immediate answer: I don't know about File systems to answer that question adquately.
2) How do programs load and run? I might have touched upon that subject briefly in college. Another I-don't-know answer from me.
3) Is it possible to write a user-level pthreads library. I took a stab at this one, but they picked apart every answer I gave, like vultures. So I ended up crying uncle on that too.
The rest of the interview was much better, but I knew my goose was cooked/fried by then.
I did get the expected no-thank-you note from the recruiter. I did however, write back and relayed to her my awful experience interviewing; that the first two guys either ignored or didn't read my resume...and therefore were ill-suited to interview me.
She was really cool, and felt she took my opinion seriously. We have stayed in touch.
Although, I subsequently took another company's job offer. It was a no-brainer actually.
Interview Questions
Other Details
I got the interview through a Recruiter and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview.
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Advisor at Apple
Posted Feb 7, 2010
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2.0
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Overall Neutral Experience
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Received and Accepted Offer
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Interviewed Jun 2008 in Austin, TX (took 1 week)
Like most, I started at Apple through Volt. Volt does the standard background test and then a skills interview. the skils interview at Volt is silly because it is all about Windows computers, so if you have truly never used a PC it might be difficult no matter how great you are at working on Macs. A few days later, I went to a group presentation and skills test at Apple, where they asked Mac-specific tech questions using a standardized online form. Immediately after, we had quick one-on-one interviews. Standard interview questions. A few days later i received a call from Volt with the offer.
Interview Questions
Negotiation Details
There was no real opportunity to negotiate because it was such a standardized process. I literally had no idea who was making the offer to me, it came through Volt and was just a form from Apple to sign or not.
Other Details
I got the interview through a Staffing Agency and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview, a Group/Panel Interview, a Skills Test and a Background Check.
Helpful Interview?
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Global Supply Manager at Apple
Posted Feb 7, 2010
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3.0
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Overall Neutral Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Jan 2010 in Sacramento, CA (took a day)
I got the opportunity to Interview with Apple through my college's career center. The interview lasted for 30 min. The interviewer asked me only two questions - tell me about yourself and why apple. Then I told me to ask questions. Rest of the interview, I had to really ask questions and drive the whole conversation.
I came to know that this fits with their culture, where you have work in ambiguity and there is no one to help around.
I was not given an offfer
Other Details
I got the interview through a College or University and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.
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Specialist at Apple
Posted Feb 5, 2010
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2.0
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Overall Positive Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Feb 2010 (took 2 weeks)
Once you're in the door (for me a 3 month process) the interviewing process is pretty straightforward. It's your standard application, interview, interview setup. I haven't heard back yet, but I'm pretty positive that I'll be offered a position. I guess my main issue was how long it took to finally score an interview.
Interview Questions
Other Details
I applied In-Person and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview and a Background Check.
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Mac Specialist (Apple Store) at Apple
Posted Feb 3, 2010
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2.0
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Overall Positive Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Nov 2009 in Irvine, CA (took 2 weeks)
When I was interviewed with Apple, I met with both the manager and an assistant manager at the same time. I was asked questions like, "why do you want to work at Apple," "what is your overall goal at Apple," along with questions about experience, like, "describe your most stressful work situation, and how you handled it." The interview process was very friendly, very open and I felt comfortable answering all of their questions. This was my second Apple interview, so I kind of knew what to expect. If you get an interview with Apple, just be yourself because you can't really impress them; they already know the type of person they're going to hire.
Interview Questions
Other Details
I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a Group/Panel Interview.
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Specialist at Apple
Posted Feb 1, 2010
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4.0
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Overall Neutral Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Feb 2010 (took 2 days)
I am only partway into the process. It was a group interview with 5 other applicants. It felt very cutthroat because you had to present yourself as more deserving, smarter, and a better fit for the position than the five other people. They asked us about four or five generic questions about certain situations where we had to perform or stand out in previous positions. The only part about the interview that relieved some tension was that if you didn't want to answer immediately you could wait and listen to what the other applicants had to say.
Interview Questions
Other Details
I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a Group/Panel Interview.
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Software Engineer/Technical Writer Internship at Apple
Posted Jan 31, 2010
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3.0
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Overall Neutral Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Jan 2010 in Cupertino, CA (took a day)
The interview started out with behavioral questions such as tell me about yourself, why do want to work at apple and then continued into technical questions first about C, such as what is a variable, a function, simple stuff but it needed to be explained very throughly. The interviewer then asked me about C++, what is an object, a class, encapsulation. The interview then asked me if I had heard any news about Apple or if they had been in the news lately since the day I interviewed, Apple released the iPad. I was then asked to send some writing samples and I am currently waiting to hear back. The interview was not hard, but you needed to be able to explain the technical questions and how a programmer would use them.
Interview Questions
Other Details
The interview consisted of a Phone Interview.
Helpful Interview?
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Apple Genius at Apple
Posted Jan 31, 2010
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3.0
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Overall Neutral Experience
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Received and Accepted Offer
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Interviewed May 2008 in Arlington, VA (took 3 weeks)
Apple takes it's sweet time with the interview process. I applied online and heard from them probably a month later. I applied as a Genius as I've been using Macs for 15 plus years. They instead hired me as a Mac Specialist. THe first contact was a regional interview over the phone followed by an overt he phone test for the genius openin. I was then recommended down to the retail level where I was interviewed in person and several days later they got back to me with an offer. Two days of 8 hour training with all the other new hires at a local hotel. (paid $8 for training then $10 at my regular rate).
Interview Questions
Negotiation Details
Not much negotiation unless its another title you are going for in terms of pay. They know how much they are going to pay you based on the market they are in. For example in Richmond, VA they offered a few dollars less considering the lower cost of living than DC. Fun company to work for more than anything they are looking for customer service, their attitudes is they will train you. They like to think they are customers friends and not sales people. They want you to "Attach" products to the sale not up sell. For example a Student might need Microsoft office with his new MacBook. I rate it neutral because it's very clear that they want you to fit them not the other way around. They are going to do things their way. And if they weren't fun and nice people they could otherwise be creepy. It's the culture. They want good personality.
Other Details
I applied In-Person and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview and a Background Check.
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Financial Analyst Internship at Apple
Posted Jan 30, 2010
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3.0
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Overall Positive Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Nov 2009 in Cupertino, CA (took a day)
Contacted via campus jobs website after submitting a resume. Filled out an online profile. It was a behavioral interview although a few questions were asked about Finance as a profession. Work culture seemed pretty laid back and the interviewer was an alum from my university. A lot of the time, I was given the opportunity to just discuss items on my resume.
Interview Questions
Other Details
The interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.
Helpful Interview?
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No
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Marketing at Apple
Posted Jan 28, 2010
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3.0
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Overall Negative Experience
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Interviewed and No Offer
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Interviewed Mar 2009 in Cupertino, CA (took 2 months)
Initially, interviews seemed relatively normal. However, after the first 3 phone interviews, I began to find that pretty much everyone was on a 'high horse' about themselves and the company they worked for. They were so full of themselves that I barely was even able to discuss my own qualifications for the position. Further, they interviewed me for 6 rounds after finally getting dinged. Talk about a waste of time...don't bother wasting your time and energy on these egomaniacs.
Interview Questions
Other Details
I got the interview through a College or University and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview and a Group/Panel Interview.
Helpful Interview?
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No
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