Last Saturday I received a phone call from the local Apple store inviting me to a "Job Fair" for the following day (Sunday). I had applied with them ages ago just for some part time work (and equipment discounts!).

So at this "fair" (no clowns, no rides, no cotton candy) there were about 12 people including myself hoping to work for Apple... or at least get a second interview. I assure you I was on my best behavior... at least it seemed so in my head at the time. Maybe I was hallucinating. I wore my best clothes and took a shower, I shaved and brushed my teeth and wore deodorant... all those things you learn about to land a job.

During the 1 and a half hours at the store late on a Sunday evening we listened to someone "pitch" how great it is to work for Apple. We watched two videos saying how great it is to work for Apple. Then we got up and talked about ourselves and had to pick ONE WORD to describe ourselves... I chose... "funny"? I don't know... wrong choice? Should I have chosen "Sarcastic"? I think that one was already taken by the manager who I swear the entire time never made one single serious statement. Have any of you watched that old BBC show called Father Ted? In one episode there is a priest who is known as the most sarcastic priest in the world and is very annoying. If you've seen that episode you know what this Apple store manager was like.

Even so, I was very nice and on my best "client meeting" behavior (no sexual comments, no fart jokes, etc, etc). I spoke of my more than 20 YEARS OF USING APPLE PRODUCTS and my "fan boy" devotion to the company. I also said there was no other retail part time job I would ever even consider other than an Apple store.

Later on they teamed us up in groups to "pitch" an apple product. We had about 5 to 7 minutes to pick a product and develop a 2 minute spiel. Guess, just guess who I had on MY team... a "child" who never used a Mac in her whole life... and a freelance designer who doesn't use the web... and had the personality of a cardboard cutout. I took the high road and tried my best to help them find things in the iTouch that they could identify with as part of the presentation. Big mistake... I chose a product that was brand new and I knew nothing about. So in 5 minutes I had to learn how to use it and demonstrate the cool features.

Yesterday I receive a one sentence email that I was not suitable for the Apple team. I wrote back asking for some more specifics. I had at a minimum expected a possible second interview and considered my total lack of retail experience to be against me.

Today I get a call from the young woman who ran the "fair" and this, in a nutshell was why I was turned down:



Okay let me break in here for a moment... I talk too much? Yes, I talk too much. Selling products in a retail chain? Do you want the person who says nothing or the person who gushes enthusiastically and knowledgeably about the product and answers questions thoroughly? Well never mind, I will let that one slide. To be fair I barely spoke. There were 12 other people. I spoke during my introduction... and that was about it. I am very aware of my "excessive verbalness" and made an extreme effort to keep my mouth shut... apparently one of my multiple personalities took over and I must have blacked out.

Wait till you here this next bit:



Okay then. Yeeehaaa. We were on the phone all of 5 minutes and most of that was learning that apparently I am the most obnoxious negative Apple hating applicant they have ever met. If I was ever speechless it was at this moment. I assure you I am NOT exaggerating any of this. I may be paraphrasing but she was being brutally honest. Overly honest. Painfully honest... I just want to cry honest... a warm bath and box of razor blades honest... I almost got the feeling she was enjoying it but that could be my imagination. (I stole the "warm bath" phrase from a politician who said that during an interview about some bill).

On the negativity issue I did make a small comment about being relieved none of the promo videos presented used any Feist songs as a sound track. Some of the group laughed at this joke but it might be that Apple employees are very sensitive about it. I did follow up that I bought the Feist CD for my dad because he is freaking obsessed with that iPod commercial.



I'm not kidding. Talk about honesty.

Having experienced all of this I replayed the evening in mind (like I hadn't done that already). I believe there was really... just one person, the manager, who didn't like me. As I said he was "annoyingly sarcastic" and tried way too hard (unsuccessfully) to be funny ALL THE TIME. Even I take a break every so often. It could be that he felt threatened and the other employees felt that ONE like him was enough and they couldn't stand another sarcastic humorist.

I sort of made a joke about his height... dang... just remembered. During the employee introductions his "one word" description for himself was "short". So I jokingly said mine was "tall" then I changed it to "funny" and waggled my finger at him... in a funny supportive way. He didn't like me I'm sure of it.

One other thing that I overheard that night that only makes sense in hindsight. One of the applicants apparently knew all of the employees. Some of them came up to him while I was browsing the software, not aware I suppose that I was also an applicant and not a customer and told him how much he would enjoy working there and that they couldn't wait for him to start. I figured, oh well, there should be more than 1 position to be filled. He already had the job. Attending the "fair" was apparently only a formality.

Anyway... I now need to contact as many of my friends and family as I can to find out if they all are just pretending to like me. Maybe I am so hideously obnoxious that no one has the guts to tell me to my face. When I walk away do people roll their eyes and groan? I am feeling a bit down to be honest. This "rant" was very negative... but deservedly so considering.

<sigh>

Worst job interview ever. I may have to switch to PC now since I can never show my face at that Apple store again...
... wait... I have a BETTER idea. When I need to buy my next Mac I will be the most obnoxious customer ever. We'll see how well that sarcasm works then buddy.

p.s. If any of you who HAVE met me and AGREE with the Apple store personality analysis... please please... keep it to yourself.

-vern

Screw 'em. They made it easy for you. If they're that obnoxiously honest and they hired you, then you probably would've quit after a few months anyway. The manager probably saw you as a threat......I mean if his superiors put him in charge, they'd wet themselves if they saw you! Yeah, the offence is the best defence.

Still, it would be interesting to drop by the shop and see who they actually did hire.

Maybe you could write to Steve and tell him how some of him minions put you off your granny smiths. If he doesn't do anything, enjoy the Vista.

Wow. That's harsh.

I'm a huge fan of Apple, but going into the Apple stores always gives me the creeps.

As a side-note, I'm sure they're having these job fairs all over the place. Turns out that many of the Apple Stores' employees (the number I saw was 800) were fired for ripping off the company. These employees were dumb enough to apply for the $100 rebate that Jobs handed out to the original purchasers of the iPhone. They were all given iPhones for free and chose this way to say thank you.

I don't think you *want* to be the sort of person that they want to hire, Vern.

The only thing I can say that I believe would be the real reason for not hiring you was "I spoke of my more than 20 YEARS OF USING APPLE PRODUCTS and my "fan boy" devotion to the company." What I have learned, is that they don't want people selling the products (this is any retail store, not just Apple) that actually KNOW what they are talking about. They want someone that says, "I've seen Apple commercials and the products seem to look cool." so they can brain wash you into telling your customers about features that may or may not work. If you have first hand experience with a product, it gives you the ability to say something like, "This product works ok, but the 'jogger' function is pretty much useless" vs, "It has all these features, including this jogger function that I could see myself using all the time.", etc.

Then again, you can always call Apple headquarters and explain how degrading the phone call you just had was, and how you will never buy another Apple product, and that you can't believe they would have employees that would speak to someone like that.

Because the last thing you want is a sales person who talks about the products

jzawacki, I think you are dead on right. I also think I would NOT have been happy working there. I realize now that my "idea" of what the Apple store is like is not the reality. They do want mindless peons to tow the company line.

I like Apple but I'm not really a mindless fan boy. I like Apple products even with all the faults.

-vern

It's on YouTube - he doesn't appear until the second clip...

Part 1 6:10
Part 2 6:42
Part 3 6:54
Part 4 4:15

RIP Dermot Morgan...

I worked the holiday season there last year. When my time was up they notified me by email with no days of work after that. I wrote the manager to see if I could stay part time or if not get a referral. She completely ignored me. I've only been in the store once since then but saw a guy who had low sales had been kept. My sales were pretty good and I was good with the customers. I even applied again for this holiday season but didn't hear back from them. I have no idea what they look for in an employee. Guess I wasn't it either.

Apple has always had better computers and better software, and they got in way ahead of IBM and Gates. But they have a tiny share of the market. There's just one main reason: almost every business decision they make is wrong.

It seems its not what you know its who you Bl ohh nevermind.. I have always had similar situations. I got turned down for a job I was more qulified for then most. It was for security at a casino. I know I answered the questions like they wanted to hear. Used humor which was tasteful. Not to mention I had the qualities they were looking for.

Sorry it didn't work out for you Vern. But to me it sounds like it was for the best.

Vern, people say that about me! Let's start a club?! (I always wanted to be the charter member of a club.)

Here is what you missed:
Working Undercover at the Apple Store

I actually thought of you Martin when I talked to the woman from Apple! The first thing that popped into my head was that her description of me sounded very much like how I think of you... but in a positive GOOD way. Seriously. I know that people "like me" but I also know that I can be annoying at times because of my opinionated attitude about things (aspartame? ).

I would not change who I am just to work at Apple. Just like you would never change who you are just to fit into some one else's definition of a "software company". AM would not be what it is now if you were "like everyone else".

I will just have to accept the fact that I am not going to be an Apple employee... unless I get shock therapy or a brain transplant.

To be honest, I think Steve Jobs himself would not get hired by an Apple Store if he was just some Joe Blow walking in.

-vern

Vern,

You rock in my book. I've always liked reading your posts. They are always funny.

If I had a store I would hire you. In fact, I would probably make you the manager.

Joe.

Sorry you didn't get the job Vern. Maybe they just saw you more as John Hodgman than Justin Long.

Haha. The ads are so good they've brainwashed their own staff. He's a PC....oh oh....he's a Mac....get him!

vern: let me say a few things in defense of the apple store folks:

• you really do talk way too much. actually, you could be mute for all i know, but you sure do type like it's going out of style.
• i've read your emails for longer than most apple store employees have been able to click a mouse (with that one, pitiful little button they have) so they prolly assumed your hardware of choice was actually a timex sinclair.
• 20 years? c'mon... steve jobs has forgotten more about apple than you'll ever know. some might consider that a problem, but the point is... this is the new apple, not ancient history!
• most importantly, you've already proven your ability to escape from small, extremist cults with bizarre world views, so why should they invest all their knit sportswear, glossy fliers and boundless love for all things shiny and translucent on someone who will eventually wise up and make for the hills?

at least martin doesn't make us all dress the same.

-jon

Mennonites can't use shiny things because they are "prideful"... oh wait... that's the Amish...
Actually a lot of the Mennonites live "in the hills" so running there didn't help me much.



p.s. Yes, I am a prolific "writer" when it comes to forums. No one cuts me off and there is all this space to fill up. How can I resist? I admit I talk too much but I can listen just as well. That should be a benefit in retail. As a matter of fact I have to draw people out when they ask me about computer problems because THEY don't talk enough.

"Vern, when I pushed that thing the computer froze. What am I doing wrong?"
"You talk too much."

-vern

Vern you are not a mindless follower... you are a maverick! Why would you want to work in a "drone" shop?!

Vern

Did you wear your avatar suit...I thing at Apple you have to dress in turtlenecks...or turkeynecks

I'm surprised the HR person went into so much (negative) detail about why they didn't hire you. It gains her nothing. It suggests she doesn't understand the boundaries of her job.

She could have just said something like "we had 3 openings and 10 applicants... we had to choose somehow and your demo didn't go quite as well as some others'... "

On the other hand... you did probe for her specific opinion, so i guess you got that.

I left something out of the story.

She dodged my calls.

At the end of the job fair she said they would get back to all of us very quickly... in the next two days because we would do the training the following weekend. We were instructed to CALL THEM IF WE HAD NOT HEARD ANYTHING. I called on Tuesday and was told she starts work at 6 pm. When I called after 6 pm no one at the store answered the phone which I thought was unprofessional to begin with... unless they have caller ID. When I did finally get in touch late Wednesday she was "unavailable" and I left a message. I called again on Thursday... no answer after several minutes. I called again, left the phone speaker on and let it ring for nearly 5 minutes. She was very very nice and told me they were very very busy from all the Apple announcements that week and had not had time to even look over all the applicants and would contact us next week.

Friday... I get this email:



This is not a statement regarding "Apple". This was an "overall" kind of... the whole "business world" statement. I thought it could have been a "mistake" saying "the business" instead of "our business" but my curiosity was peaked. I had to know. Although now I wish I didn't.

I responded asking for more details "just out of curiosity" I said. (considering in my impression they made their decision in just a few hours based on our previous conversation late thursday) I said they didn't need to tell me anything that they didn't want to but I was curious about how the decision was made.

Saturday MORNING I get the "final" call. According to her they knew on SUNDAY that I was not going to get a second interview. She said that the decision was made that Sunday night after we all left... so...

Why did they drag it out all week? Why make up an excuse on Thursday if you already knew... on Sunday? I don't think I was going to receive ANY feedback AT ALL if I hadn't called them... and that also is unprofessional on their part. I hope all the Apple stores aren't like that. Maybe this is one "bad apple" no pun intended because I don't feel punny today.

-vern

If you have NetFlix, and can watch online, there is a movie from Spain called 'The Method' that I think you'll get a kick out of. It's a bout seven job applicants who compete for one position. It is drama, but you just reminded me of it.

Vern,

if I had to make a list of the qualities I didn't like about you, Like if I were held at gunpoint, say, or would be forced to eat my mother in law's cooking if I failed to comply, your negativity, hatred of all things Apple, and verbosity would be behind your ripped, super human physique, and lush, full head of curls in the top 5.

Thank you...

... uh... I think.

I have to take some time and sort this one out... but I'm almost sure what you said is a good thing... let's see... top 5... so that would mean the others are lower... so carry the 1.... square root of 6.... times pi....



-vern

Ok, I have read this whole thread and all parts of it.
To start right off the bat I would have to say the manager that gave you all that crap had their head so far up their ass they couldn't see the light of day. To be blunt and to the point, No Vern you don't talk too much. Everything you ever spit out is relative to the conversation at hand and very interesting. Being a key member of MAAM, it would be basically pointless for MAAM to have a meeting without you.. Hence, the last meetings reschedule.

I am a fan of Apple products and although that manager person was somewhat of an inconsiderate douche bag, I will still be a fan of apple and their products. Don’t let one rotten apple spoil the whole bunch. I think you will still be an Apple fan… their software is good. Yea, they do design nice stuff… and I know it is overpriced but I will still buy it because there are fewer issues with apple products than PC products. That’s another conversation all together.

So anyway Vern, ignore the bone head at the apple store… you are too talented to be a “Borg” at an apple store. I enjoy going in to the apple stores because I know that I typically know more about the products than the employees and its fun for me to mentally “toy” with them. I sometimes talk with them to see what their experience level is and I have yet to find an Apple store employee worthy of me spending my time holding an extended conversation with… Usually I go to the apple store and I am In-Out…

On the MAAM / Vern side… we all chat for 8+ hours at a time at our meetings… What does that tell you… Aaaa, someone finally worthy of having a detailed, creative, different and intellectual conversation with. Hope my 2 cents made sense.

Okay I'm going to get serious now (yeah right) and reveal my sad inferiority complexes.

I HATE and loath job interviews. I take the rejections way to seriously. These situations really effect me badly. I have been getting over this one with the help of my family, everyone on this forum, and the members of the MAAM group. Thank you all so much for boosting my spirits and pulling me out of the Twilight Zone episode I felt I was in lately.

Thanks everyone. I won't let it go to my head. I really appreciate it though. You have no idea.

Not giving up the Mac. I may not be such a huge fan boy anymore though.

-----

Last night I had a horrible nightmare about this. It was god awful. It was EXACTLY like a Twilight Zone episode. I was stuck in some strange... Apple store/Hospital place. The doctors and nurses were all dressed in black and had all these horrible needles and medical procedures and would laugh at me and make fun of me and make me wait for hours and ignore me. The more I complained the worse it got. I can still see these horrible nurses hovering over me with some bizarre contraptions right out of Hellraiser telling me to stop whining so much. I kept saying "I know my leg is falling off but why are you teasing me about it?!" And all they did was smile at me.

I am hoping this is the one and only nightmare. I hate those things.


p.s. I will admit that watching "Planet Terror" 4 times in one day may have had something to do with my dream. This may explain why the nurses in my dream were so attractive. You see, they have an audio track with live audience reactions. Then they had the director commentary... so then I had to watch it again after all that.... that movie kicks arse... I could do with out all the needles and bloody pustules though.

-vern

Well, I don't know that I'd downplay Apple *that* much... Especially considering Apple is worth more than IBM, Intel, HP, Dell, Sony, etc.

Current market values:

• Microsoft (MSFT) - $290,326,101,760
• Google (GOOG) - $206,137,075,350
• Apple (AAPL) - $163,814,662,910
• Intel (INTC) - $156,278,400,000
• IBM (IBM) - $154,610,255,550
• Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) - $133,260,024,780
• Disney (DIS) - $67,680,019,880
• Dell (DELL) - $64,241,243,920
• Sony (SNE) - $45,994,645,800
• Yahoo! (YHOO) - $40,641,873,724
• Amazon (AMZN) - $39,037,267,570
• Adobe (ADBE) - $27,031,152,680
• RealNetworks (RNWK) - $998,960,040
• Napster (NAPS) - $152,192,000

Well I am sorry to hear that you didn't get the job.
But, on another note, you do tend to talk alot, if that post was any indication.
Just kidding.
Truck on
Keith

yeah, i agree with you. at school last year one of my teachers called me arrogant. when she told me that, i was just like "wah?" i had an idea of what i was but i looked up the definition cause it was bugging me so much. apparently what she meant was that i don't listen to other people when there trying to direct me. the thing was i never saw my self as that, but i always knew that i was(and still pretty much am) confident and believed i could survive most situations. so when some one said you need to study and get better grades(i had all c's with no effort) i looked on the up side of it, i was already accepted into the school of my dreams, and all i had to do was pass with a 2.0gpa to finish the job. so she thought that i didn't want to listen to her, but really i didn't think i needed to(if theres a difference).

maybe it was all just a simple misinterpretation of you attitude...there is a disorder of not being about to understand facial expressions...

i remember that one year in school some people found me to be very annoying over time, and i never knew why. now i know that i may have bragged to much about my drawing...well maybe not brag but i was always so proud when i drew. and when some one else drew some thing i may have always commented or suggested some thing in a way...

maybe you did just knew too much like jzawacki said...

but i like your big post, at least when you talk 99% of it is not crap...the 1% is taken for the sarcasm

When I was about 10 I was going to a Mennonite church with my parents but my heart wasn't in it.

My sunday school teacher was very very... very... very conservative. During one of the classes I confessed I had never really... read the particular "story" from the Bible we were discussing. Further questioning revealed I didn't actually read the Bible that much.

She called me a heathen. I didn't have to look that word up.

-vern

I bow to the MAGE.








[









quote name='the_black_mage' date='Oct 23 2007, 12:34 PM' post='251368']
yeah, i agree with you. at school last year one of my teachers called me arrogant. when she told me that, i was just like "wah?" i had an idea of what i was but i looked up the definition cause it was bugging me so much. apparently what she meant was that i don't listen to other people when there trying to direct me. the thing was i never saw my self as that, but i always knew that i was(and still pretty much am) confident and believed i could survive most situations. so when some one said you need to study and get better grades(i had all c's with no effort) i looked on the up side of it, i was already accepted into the school of my dreams, and all i had to do was pass with a 2.0gpa to finish the job. so she thought that i didn't want to listen to her, but really i didn't think i needed to(if theres a difference).

maybe it was all just a simple misinterpretation of you attitude...there is a disorder of not being about to understand facial expressions...

i remember that one year in school some people found me to be very annoying over time, and i never knew why. now i know that i may have bragged to much about my drawing...well maybe not brag but i was always so proud when i drew. and when some one else drew some thing i may have always commented or suggested some thing in a way...

maybe you did just knew too much like jzawacki said...

but i like your big post, at least when you talk 99% of it is not crap...the 1% is taken for the sarcasm
[/quote]

I never understood the enforcement of conservatives. The stories from the Bible are to display the morals and values. Calling someone a heathen even when they live by the same morals and values is disdainful and very arrogant.

Wow, this topic has gone off on a tangent.

yeah, well that tends to happen ....

lol a heathen, i'd simply shove that off with a "thats your opinion, i know what i am" then walk off or something ...

No problem, it's MY topic so it's all good!



To be fair to my parents church, what makes it so good is that they have liberals and conservatives as a part of the congregation. They accept anyone really. Made for some good discussions when I was there as a teenager. A lot of the more conservative Mennonite churches aren't that lucky and tend to "split" when there is to much liberalism.

I made a special trip just to hear their new minister on her first day as paster... yup I said her. There were only a few raised eyebrows since the liberals outnumber the conservatives at my parents church. Very strange to go back after more than 20 years. Small annoying children when I left are... like... married with children now... made me feel old.

-vern

Im trying something different , even though I could comment about this or that, in relation to this thread of Verns, I will bite my tongue, smile ...... But would like to ask, Has anyone here seen that documentary, "What the Bleep down the Rabbit hole"? I didn't follow everything said or agree with all I think I understood ,but still, a very thought provoking Docu...

I'm pretty sure this is the film you're mentioning...I liked it.

Hmm.... interesting... er... ideas.... I think?

No offense but I tend to distrust stuff like that "Bleep" thing. I just don't go in for that new age stuff.

The film makers also seem to be afraid to say what the film is actually about. You really have to dig through the web site to find any good description of it and even then it isn't really clear. I went to Rotten Tomatoes to cut through all the mumbo jumbo and find out what the "bleep" it was about. By the way.... RT has it at only 34% and have it listed under the genres... "Science fiction" and "Time Travel".

Hard to judge it without seeing it... if I ever get a chance to check it out I will.

I do however love Marlee Matlin. She was in that show "My Name is Earl" for a few episodes. Absolutely hysterical.

-vern

what the bleep seems as much a documentary as the matrix... but we were talking about cults.

anytime anyone tries to tell me how the world/universe/afterlife/toaster works, i know they're insane, and to be avoided at all costs.

all i know is that we live in an unknowable world.

-jon

I did notice a bit of a bias towards that on Rotten Tomatoes. I wonder if the films creators want that film to be listed under "Science Fiction" At least they were honest enough to mention on their web site they were rejected at most of the film festivals they tried to enter. Probably due to the category they chose. I don't think Tarantino entered Resevoir Dogs as a comedy.

Oh good grief... Ramtha is in this film. Maybe it is a comedy!

Want to see a fantastic Science Fiction/Drama about time travel and quantum physics see "Donnie Darko". I think it has a similar... vaguely similar... concept behind it but it is fiction and very well done. Great sound track.

-vern

I really should have said this was presented as a documentary, the Matrix was not if I recall correctly. The "Show" (LOL) I mentioned had a few folks in there that "I" consider a bit "nutty" but I don't scare easily , simply, the show was still interesting, (to me) I like to know what others believe or are considering. As far as cults, I look at all religion(s) as cults.

Vern, I also have some native American (Cherokee) in me and unfortunately also have that same lip and brow frown as you have. I can see your picture and can tell you have native American traits in you. I know I am totally going to blow your mind on this. One of the traits that we have by DNA is the small turn of the mouth going downward that most people mistake for a sad frown, and the excessive frown on the forehead. Ever wonder why people think that Native Americans are unhappy looking or always serious looking? You can feel happy as peach pie, but still be perceived as being negative.

I get pissy when my former boss kept drilling me, daily, to put on a happy face. So I made a mask with a happy face for one day and wore it.

I went to my bank and on the wall there was a sign that said "smile when your on the phone, because people can hear you smiling" I ask if anyone send this to Dilbert? I think he would have a field day with this.

As for talking too much? come on man! You know you talk too much. Not a bad thing tho. As for salesman skill goes, you have to listen more than talk. That remark about you cutting her off in your phone conversation was a bit much. I'm deaf and I do that too much. I sometime rely on what I think the person is going to say as a way to compensate what I may have not heard, and repeat part of the conversation. As to prevent having a long conversation about something I may have not understand. I don't know how old she was, but I think this may have a lot to do with being a fast society, and anyone working in that fast technology are certainly vulnerable of being a fast society. Quick to turn channel or turn anything you don't have an interest in hearing off in second. Never developing tolerance for all people.

You are definitely old school charm from the country side, and not anything like a fast city slicker. Not sure if you talk too much or too long and slow.

In the radio business, a good station hires people that talk normal and not like an announcer from an action pack movie trailer. Not sure you hype your voice after several caffiene induce potion?

I should be clear that I have no "native american" ancestry as far as I know. My only "documented" connection were two very distantly related Mennonite brothers from my mother's side of the family who were captured by native Americans. One returned years later to carry on the name. The other stayed and became a part of the tribe... at least as far as anyone knows for sure.

This story is told on my mother's side of the family and as far as I know from family historical research is true. However it doesn't give me any legitimate claim to Native America culture. It is really the only "exciting" story I have from my family's past so I like it very much. Might make a good movie some day.

I apologize for any confusion.

-vern

where did you get your sourly looking lips from? I am looking at the avatar as best as I can and this is what I get.

Vern- We are ALL square pegs in a round peg world...I don't think the Apple store would hire ANYONE off this list. And Apple's stock will prolly fall just to put salt in your wound.

I am a known Apple hater...but recently I bought my Dawnie an iTouch and I gotta say...it's pretty sweet. It's right in-between the iphone and the ipod. Surfing the net on it is pretty cool.

I think you 'dodged a bullet' by not getting hired...when I went to buy the iTouch I called the Apple store and the guy there was sour and disgruntled...so I went to Best Buy where a cute young goth chic told me all about the iTouch quite professionally.

dido John

Vern
oh the BS of the commercial world of selling something ...

in the reviewing your interview, maybe they sensed you can think for yourself and that's bad in the world of selling

maybe it's better you found out what type of mindless clones they are now
and didn't have to seat there and listen to more of it

and when i comes to you going in to buy something else the customer is always get what they want or buy it online lol



i don't use any Mac products, but back about 15 years ago in school learning photoshop our school had 2 computers set up ( only 2 for 13 students ..3 year of photography )

so i was learning 2 things

first, how photoshop works

second, the different PC and Mac setups for the photoshop programs ( shortcuts where different )

also you had to the 2 computers for different tasks

1 if need to scan in our 4x5 negitive in to digital we need to use the mac

2 if we wanted to put the file onto film again ( we print our work out on phot paper ) we need to us the PC

i neven knew there was a huge world of people who argued over which was better until years later

to me they are the same, a COMPUTER with software and the internet


steve

Interesting how everyone keeps referring to "they", "the Apple Store" etc... Guys! There is no they or them, it all comes down to one person who decides on which applicant to accept and which one to reject. It all depends on that individual's perceptions, ethics, and prejudices. The consequence is that the store, or the company being represented by that person, will benefit or suffer depending on his/er standing.

Go to another Apple store, do the same thing, and you could get hired. It's a crap shoot I tell ya!

I plan to do this. Apparently when I applied I was applying only to the one store because I chose it from a drop down list. I was under the impression that my application would be on the Apple jobs site for anyone to see. There are I think at least two other "larger" Apple stores in my area... a bit more of a drive but I it might be worth it for my self esteem to give them a shot... then again it might be worse for my self esteem... but at least I won't be so shocked. My only concern of course is that whatever this store thought of me goes into some sort of "permanent record" with my application.

p.s. It is such a sunny beautiful day today... See? I'm not negative dammit all to heck!

Funny... when I told the woman at Apple that most people think I am a very happy go lucky fun person... in general... she said being happy had nothing to do with it... I was still very negative and unlikeable. I suppose like a serial killer who enjoys their work. You can be happy and still be a miserable bastard at the same time... I'm not a serial killer I swear. Maybe I should put that on my application?

-vern

Vern, Vern, Vern.

Have ya not learned anything, Laddie?

A desireable salesperson has excellent listening skills. And in the case of Apple - may have to either look "cool" or artsy. A good salesperson focuses on the customer and figures out what the customer needs, wants and motivates them. They problem solve with the customer - after fleshing out what problem the customer is trying to solve. They build a rapport with the customer (if they can get past the "just looking"). You can use humor, to ease tension between you & the customer - but not everyone has the same sense of humor. And sales people don't always make a sale. And they suffer thru customer abuse, and try not to take it tooo personally.

The manager (and staff) were your first customers.

You have to sell yourself to get hired. But not by focusing on yourself. Figure out their motivations, needs. Each one is different (tho I'm sure there's probably a profile of MacNuts in some marketing vault somewhere). You may have to "act the part" if you reallllly want/need the job. Do the research to figure out who they want/need to present their image, sell their products. And figure out if you'll really be happy being that person (to get hired, and to stay hired). Blech.

And as for the negativity - I think they were picking up on the cynicism. (from your comments - I've never met you - so I'm guessing).The "honest feedback woman" was right, it isn't about being happy. Wha? You wanted her to be dishonest? Customers will also be brutal.

For Apple - It's about being always enthusiastic about everything especially Apple stock! And saying Cool. Over & over & over. And saying how great it will look, and match your very cool other gadgets, and will make everyone think how cool you are. And how great it will LOOK in your very cool house with it's very cool decor. Image. Oh yes - and wear a black turtle neck, or get some piercings, tatoos...

Trust me. I would never be hired by Apple if I were being myself. As witnessed by my very cynical comments about Apple.

But I might be able to act the part to people who didn't know me better. Nah. I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face.

ps. I've never been in an Apple store (and I live 2 miles away from Apple headquarters). And I find the Apple commercials very funny - but I sure identify more with the PC guy, and find him much more likeable and appealing. The commercials just convince me even more that I don't want any Apple products at all.