A few months after I applied online I received an email from a odd email address @apple.com that read, "I reviewed your resume and would like you to attend one of our upcoming hiring events for the Apple Retail Stores. We’ll be sending you an email invitation that provides additional details, including the available event dates and times for you to choose from. We look forward to meeting you soon." I was skeptical because the email looked fake, but it wasn't. Shortly after I received a follow-up email that read, "We recently sent you an invitation to our hiring event with Apple Retail. This is an invitation-only event that you were selected for based on your resume that you used to apply for positions with Apple. We would love to meet you and tell you more about opportunities at Apple Retail. For complete job descriptions for positions at an Apple Retail Store, visit www.apple.com/jobs and click Retail." I then followed the link to choose a specific time slot available out of the 2 days they were doing the hiring event. I got reminder emails before the date and could change my RSVP if I needed to. I arrived at the interview at a hotel meeting room where there were a few Apple employees giving out a form and nametags for us to fill out. The form just asked what positions you were interested in, whether you wanted full or part-time for them, what products and programs you had knowledge in, and your availability. We walked into the room to clapping and music (it was funny.) They then showed a video about Apple (pay attention to the numbers,) had each person introduce themselves to the class and say what one of their most interesting jobs was, and then we had a q&a slideshow. They would show a picture of music devices and ask who could name all the products on the screen (e.g. ipod shuffle, ipod nano, ipod touch, & ipod classic.) then it would move to to the computers, and then the other products. It was pretty easy if you are a mac fan. Then they would ask general trivia questions about apple like when apple produced the first computer, the first ipod, the first iphone, etc. Then after all that we broke out into groups (with 1 manager) where we were passed around an ipod touch with traditional interview questions on it that we read to the group and anyone who raised their hand first answered the question. My tips: be outgoing, passionate about apple products, personable, friendly, talkative (but not interruptive or annoying), listen, participate the best you can, and smile a lot. If you sit there and watch you won't get the second interview. Apple looks for a specific TYPE of personality to work for them. I got the second interview. Will you??

We were interviewed in a group setting as a "conversation". It was difficult to get a word in as one of the interviewees took over every questions. They should try to give each person a chance to speak.