apple case study presentation interview

Interviewing Bring your experience to life. Whether this will be the first interview of your career or simply the latest, chances are there’s something here for you.

Before your interview, be ready to talk about yourself. and be yourself..

Prepare to explain what you do day-to-day in your latest role, and how it relates to the requirements laid out in the job description — how your skills and experience make you a qualified and competitive candidate. Discuss specific examples from your work experience — important projects, challenges you’ve learned from, and so on. The hiring team wants to get to know the real you, so don’t worry about saying what you think they want you to say. For onsite or virtual interviews, plan to wear whatever you think presents your best self in a work context.

Demonstrate your expertise specific to the role.

As part of the interview process, you’ll be expected to share your relevant expertise. For certain roles, you may also be asked to prepare and deliver a relevant presentation, case study, or technical assessment — or to participate in writing or coding exercises. If so, your recruiter will provide more information so you can prepare.

Prepare for a virtual interview with real preparation.

Do what you can to choose a quiet space for your interview. One where you can communicate clearly and, ideally, without interruptions or distractions. Make sure that the space is comfortable for you and sets you up to have a great conversation. On the day of your interview, make sure you have the link to the virtual interview. Preview the link to confirm that it’s working and check that your equipment and internet connection are ready as well.

Ask your recruiter for accommodations, if needed.

At Apple, we’re not all the same. And that’s our greatest strength. We draw on the differences in who we are, what we’ve experienced, and how we think. Because to create products that serve everyone, we believe in including everyone. Therefore, Apple is committed to working with candidates with disabilities and providing reasonable accommodations.

During Your Interview

Start strong..

It’s good to arrive early for an onsite or virtual interview — 15 minutes beforehand is common. Present the best version of yourself. Just be you — how you normally would be at work.

Prepare for questions about how you’ve performed in the past.

By the time you interview, Apple already has most of the basic facts about your work history, so prepare for more open-ended questions about how you’ve performed previously. Here are a few examples of common interview questions:

“Tell me about a time when you had to work with a team to accomplish a goal?” “Give me an example of when you worked under pressure to meet a deadline?” “What areas do you think you need to develop further?”

Ask your own questions.

Toward the end of the interview, you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions. Feel free to use this time to ask about the role in general and what success looks like in that role. You can also ask about culture and community at Apple, and learn how our values may align with your own.

This is about you and Apple — that’s it.

As we mentioned in the email we sent about your upcoming interview, your interviewer is interested in your experience and skills relevant to the role. They’re not interested in sensitive material such as confidential information or intellectual property related to other people or employers. Please be respectful of sensitive material you may have, and don’t share it.

After Your Interview

Next steps..

When your interview finishes, you’ll be given guidance about what happens next. If you aren’t, follow up with your recruiter.

Be patient.

Though the interview process may be over for you, it’s not necessarily over for the hiring team. Allow the interview process to continue as the team considers their part of the experience, as well as all their regular work and travel. If you have any questions about the process, reach out to your recruiter.

Interviewing at Apple: Be prepared for anything

When it comes to tech interviews- Apple's is definitely the hardest. This is the definitive guide on what it takes to pass the interview.

If there’s one thing Apple is known for — other than its wildly popular products — it’s secrecy.

Even internally, employees on different teams don’t ask about each other’s work and some staffers report being forbidden to discuss projects with their spouse.

It’s no surprise, therefore, that Apple also keeps its hiring process hush-hush, and employees rarely speak about what it’s like to work there, even anonymously on Glassdoor.

Back in 1977 when Apple was a one-building startup, there was a sign in the lobby that reportedly read: “ Loose lips sink ships. ”

As the world’s second-largest tech company by market valuation , Apple has its pick of illustrious candidates. The tech giant’s ‘ Join Us. Be You.’ promotional recruitment video calls on “those unfamiliar with convention, unmoved by rules and reborn with every new discovery” to join its ranks.

With an average salary of $124,000, according to PayScale , reimbursements of up to $52,000 a year for continuing education, and the chance to work with some of the brightest minds in tech, Apple’s allure as an employer is undeniable. If you're a hiring manager at Apple, your biggest problem is volume: choosing between so many talented candidates to invite for a phone interview can be brutally hard.

How long is the interview process at Apple?

Most employees say the interview process at Apple is unstructured (and unpredictable) compared to its peers Google and Microsoft , and the process varies significantly by role. In general, most Apple staffers report waiting 1-4 months between resume submission and receiving an offer, with very little feedback from recruiters in between interview rounds. 

Interview process steps

1. Application

In lieu of requiring a cover letter, Apple asks motivational questions in the application for certain roles. Questions include:

Demonstrate passion for the company and its products , elaborate on how your skills and past experience make you a perfect fit for the role, and how the role fits into your career trajectory. And yes, you can still work at   Apple even if you’re an avid Android user who owns a PC. However, to sign into Apple’s career portal, you’ll need an Apple ID. 

2. Phone Screen (up to two)

Phone screens for corporate roles at Apple are pretty standard: an informal, 30-minute conversation with a recruiter to assess interest and team fit.

• The recruiter will brief the candidate on what to expect from the hiring process.
• The first call may be with an internal recruiter, then a team lead (like Microsoft, Apple hires for teams rather than centrally).
• Prepare to discuss past projects you’ve worked on, as well as your academic and professional achievements. 

👉 Click here to see recent Apple Interview questions.

3. FaceTime Interviews (up to five)

Apple’s next round of 30-minute 1:1 interviews is designed to assess your technical and behavioral skills . Be prepared for probing questions that require a lot of introspection, such as:

One marketing manager who oversees new hires for Apple stores in the Southwest market asks this question of all prospective retail employees.

4. Apple Assessment Center (if applicable)

Some candidates report being asked to use Apple’s Assessment Center as part of the hiring process. It’s a chance to network with Apple employees and learn more about the company while completing exercises. 

• Apple Group Exercise: Group exercises test your ability to work in a team. You’ll be asked to solve problems pertaining to the specific team you’re applying for (Siri, Maps, Calendar, etc.) while being observed by Apple employees. Be prepared to pitch ideas and persuade others while also asking thought-provoking questions.
• Apple Written Exercise: In a written exercise, you’ll prepare a response to an unseen case study problem. You’ll receive a candidate brief with a question/prompt.
• Apple Roleplay Exercise: Interviewing for a job at Apple retail always involves roleplaying potential scenarios with customers. The interview process for a retail job starts with a group interview where candidates are asked questions about Apple products. The group format is intentional in order to test candidates’ public speaking skills. At one point, they’re asked to stand up in front of the group and introduce the person sitting next to them. Candidates then break up into smaller groups and answer typical interview questions such as "Why do you want to work at apple?" and "Tell me about a time you didn't get along with a coworker."

5. Onsite Interviews

Unlike Microsoft and Google , Apple has not cut back on hiring during the coronavirus pandemic, save for a brief pause between March and April. It is unclear whether or not Apple has resumed onsite interviews. Apple announced in June it wanted employees back in the office and is offering COVID-19 nasal swab tests for staffers returning to work. 

Onsite interviews typically consist of six hours of back-to-back interviews, typically with two people at a time.

Lunch is considered an extension of the interview, and may in fact be the most intense part of the interview process, as the candidate gets quizzed by several team members at once. While little has been publicly shared about the interview process, current and former employees report on Quora that onsite interviews tend to focus on technical questions. Software engineer candidates will be asked typical questions about algorithms and data structures and be expected to code on a laptop and whiteboard, and show an understanding of system design. 

Candidates invited for an onsite interview receive a link to Apple Travel and the freedom to book a return flight and three nights accommodation at a hotel near Apple HQ. 

👉 Click here to see recent Apple Interview questions. ​

Work/life balance is difficult to achieve at Apple.

Apple employees are often expected to work long hours, or even pull all-nighters to meet deadlines, so be prepared to put work first. “I've been in meetings at 4 pm where a dozen people decide we are going to all work all night that night in the office on a problem,” one Quora user writes .

“No discussion about "hey, I have to pick up my kids" or "let me call home first" -- everyone nods and agrees, no hesitation.”

Apple hires for specific teams, not centrally.

Apple corporate consists of 10 different teams, from Design to Marketing and Machine Learning & AI. You’ll need to determine upfront which team you want to join, explain why you chose that team and that particular role, and how you’re uniquely positioned to contribute to the team. 

You will have to answer questions like these ones asked recently at Apple...

Whether you're a project manager, senior software engineer or even a family room specialist- everyone gets behavioral questions in their Apple interview.

Behavioral interview questions

• Tell me something you have done in your life which you are particularly proud of.
• What are your failures and how have you learned from them?
• What brings you here today?
• Do you think performance should be rewarded over experience?
• If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
• Describe a humbling experience.
• You seem pretty positive. What kinds of things bring you down?
• What was your best day in the last four years? What was your worst?
• Talk about a time where you had to make a decision in a lot of ambiguity.
• What do you want to do five years from now?

Problem-solving interview questions

• If you have two eggs and you want to figure out what's the highest floor from which you can drop the egg without breaking it, how would you do it? What's the optimal solution?
• How many children are born everyday?
• If you're given a jar with a mix of fair and unfair coins, and you pull one out and flip it three times, and get the specific sequence heads, heads, tails, what are the chances that you pulled out a fair or an unfair coin?
• You have a cup of hot coffee and a small cup of cold milk. The room temperature is in between these two. When should we add milk to the coffee to get the coolest combination -- at the beginning, middle or end?
• If you are in a boat with a boulder and you drop that boulder into the lake, how does the water level change?
• If there are 25 teams in a single elimination tournament, how many games does it take to pick a winner?
• If you had a string and wrapped tightly around the world and you wanted to lift it up 1 meter off the ground everywhere, how much would the string have to stretch?
• You are in the elevator with the CEO, and you have one minute to convince him to hire you. What would you say?
• How would you survive on a desert isle until rescue comes?
• If you were a monkey, what sort of zoo paddock would you find most disagreeable?

Technical interview questions

• How would you build the iOS home screen user interface?
• Find the most frequent element in an integer array.
• How do you use a hashmap counter?
• What does asymptotic mean?
• Why can't you use primitives in a hashmap?
• Given an iTunes type of app that pulls down lots of images that get stale over time, what strategy would you use to flush disused images over time?
• How would you design a data structure that is an array, but with so many elements such that the array almost fills up the entire RAM?
• How does ARC work in Objective C, and how is it different from garbage collection?
• Write a program that uses two threads to print the numbers from 1 to n.
• Explain to an 8-year-old what a modem/router is.

The information provided herein is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide tax, legal, or investment advice and should not be construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation of any security by Candor, its employees and affiliates, or any third-party. Any expressions of opinion or assumptions are for illustrative purposes only and are subject to change without notice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results and the opinions presented herein should not be viewed as an indicator of future performance. Investing in securities involves risk. Loss of principal is possible.

Third-party data has been obtained from sources we believe to be reliable; however, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed. Candor does not receive compensation to promote or discuss any particular Company; however, Candor, its employees and affiliates, and/or its clients may hold positions in securities of the Companies discussed.

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Apple Interview Process Guide

Last updated by Swaminathan Iyer on Sep 25, 2024 at 09:53 PM | Reading time: 11 minutes

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17 Apple Interview Questions: Tips + Tricks

April 25, 2023

Apple is one of the most desirable companies to work for, and it’s no wonder why. The tech giant is known for its innovative products, industry-leading customer service, and cutting-edge research and development. However, getting a job at Apple is no easy feat. The company is notoriously selective in its hiring process and has a reputation for asking tough, unconventional Apple interview questions. 

In this article, we’ll explore what it takes to nail the Apple interview, including how hard it’s, how to prepare, and common questions to expect.

All About the Apple Interview Process

There’s a lot to think about if you have an Apple interview coming up, from the process to the number of interview rounds. Here’s everything you need to know about the Apple interview process. 

How many interview rounds at Apple?

The number of interview rounds at Apple can vary depending on the position and the candidate. However, it’s not uncommon for candidates to go through multiple rounds of interviews, including phone screenings, virtual interviews, and in-person meetings. It’s not uncommon to have five or six interviews. 

Does Apple drug test?

Typically, Apple doesn’t require potential employees to complete pre-employment drug test screenings. However, company policy can always change. Apple is a drug-free work environment. 

How many rounds of interviews does Apple do?

As mentioned earlier, the Apple interview process typically involves multiple rounds of interviews, including phone screenings, virtual interviews, and in-person meetings. These interviews can be lengthy. Candidates may be asked to complete a variety of assessments and exercises, including coding challenges, group projects, and case studies.

How hard is the Apple interview?

The Apple interview process is rigorous and challenging. According to former Apple employees, the company’s hiring standards are incredibly high, and only the top 1% of candidates are typically offered a job. 

If you scored an interview, you should feel proud, as Apple is selective of who they offer interviews to. 

What does Apple look for in employees?

Apple is looking for individuals who are not only skilled in their respective fields but who also embody the company’s core values, including innovation, collaboration, and attention to detail. The ideal person for Apple will encompass all of these, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

What percentage of Apple applicants get interviews?

Apple does not release information on the number of applicants who receive interviews. However, based on anecdotal evidence and reports from former employees, it’s safe to assume that the number of applicants who receive interviews is relatively low.

What’s the pass rate for Apple?

Because the Apple interview and hiring interview process is highly selective , the pass rate is pretty low. Although this pass rate ranges by year, only about 0.5% of applicants can continue to the hiring stage.

How to Prepare for Apple Interview Questions

Preparing for Apple interview questions (and the interview itself) requires a lot of effort and dedication. Here are a few tips to help you prepare .

1. Research the company.

Make sure you have a good understanding of Apple’s products, services, and mission. You should also be familiar with the company’s recent news and developments. This will give you a better foundation to answer Apple interview questions.

2. Brush up on your technical skills.

If you’re applying for a technical position at Apple, make sure you’re up-to-date on the latest programming languages and technologies. You may also want to practice coding challenges and review technical concepts.

3. Practice your communication skills.

Apple is looking for individuals who can communicate effectively and work well with others. Make sure you’re comfortable explaining complex ideas and working collaboratively with others.

4. Prepare for specific Apple interview questions.

You can prepare for specific Apple interview questions through Yoodli.

Yoodli is an AI-powered interview coach that can help you improve your interviewing skills. Yoodli provides feedback on your communication skills, body language, and more.

For example, you can use the interview simulation function on Yoodli to practice these common Apple interview questions.  It’s a realistic way to experience a virtual interview and prep yourself for the real thing. The best part? It’s completely customizable.

You can select the role you’re applying for, the company, the type of interviewer, and even the questions you’d like to practice (such as Apple interview questions).

Then, use the actionable feedback and guidance Yoodli provides to take your responses to these questions to the next level. It’s also a good idea to implement the STAR method framework when you answer these questions.

You can get started for free at http://www.yoodli.ai .

Common Apple Interview Questions

While every interview is different, there are a few questions that candidates can expect to be asked during an Apple interview. These are the most common Apple interview questions to help you prepare:

• Why do you want to work at Apple?
• What Apple services and products are you familiar with?
• How would you approach dealing with an angry, frustrated, or difficult customer?
• What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?
• Let’s say you were tasked with creating a marketing campaign for a new Apple product. What would your first steps be?
• What’s your favorite Apple device and why?
• Can you tell me about a time when you had to think creatively to solve a problem?
• In 2007, Apple became known as “Apple Inc.” as opposed to its original name, “Apple Computers Incorporated.” Why was this change made?
• What would you say are the most significant challenges facing Apple today?
• Recall a time where you made a mistake that affected others. How did you handle it?
• In your opinion, what’s more important: creating a great customer experience, or resolving a customer’s problem?
• How do you stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends and technologies?
• Why did you apply to this position in particular as opposed to other roles?
• Tell me about a time where you disagreed with your supervisor. What was the outcome?
• What will you most miss from your previous job if you get hired at Apple?
• Can you explain a complex technical concept to someone without a technical background?
• What role do you see Apple playing in the future of technology?

You should also be prepared to ask a few questions after your interview.

What to ask at the end of an Apple interview

It’s always good to ask a few questions at the end of your Apple interview. This shows that you’re not only engaged but also interested in the position and company. Some good Apple interview questions to ask include things like: 

• Can you walk me through a typical day working at Apple?
• Did anything surprise you when you first started working at Apple?
• How does Apple define and measure success?
• Considering Apple as an employer, what’s your favorite thing about it?
• Where do you envision Apple in the next five years? 
• What sorts of resources are available to Apple employees?

The Key Takeaway

Nailing the Apple interview is no easy task, but with the right preparation and mindset, it can be done. Remember to research the company, practice your communication and technical skills, and use tools like Yoodli to help you improve. By doing so, you’ll be well on your way to joining the ranks of some of the most innovative and successful people in the tech industry.

Start practicing with Yoodli.

Getting better at speaking is getting easier. Record or upload a speech and let our AI Speech Coach analyze your speaking and give you feedback.

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