Company: Apple
Date: 2008-04-20
Overall rating: 5/5
Employment status: former

Apple employees are the rock stars of retail
Pros: The soul of Apple, and it's strong point, is the people. Everyone you work with is proud and excited to be there. Everyone believes in the product(s) and are extremely knowledgeable about everything Apple. This was the first place I worked where everyone got along, where I made close friends with, and felt proud to be a part of. 

Working at the Apple Store isn't because you want to make money; it's because you want to spread the word about the product because its changed your life and you want to help others do the same. I love it when a first time Mac user comes in and realizes that there is something other than the mainstream PC that will not only work for them, but that they'll have fun with. I can't count the times when a customer makes the switch from PC to Mac (or even Zune to iPod) and they come back just to say "hi" or to tell us how great it's working for them. Apple employees are not regular retail workers. We are the rock stars of the retail world. When a customer comes in and asks where something is, we don't just point a finger in the opposite direction. We personally help out customers according to their needs and find them the best solution. 

It's a common thing to be on a first name basis with regular customers. I love welcoming people back to the store. They're surprised you remembered them from the one time you helped them out, and that you even remember their name and situation. Working with people at the Apple Store is on a personal level, and that is what makes our customer service excellent.
Cons: The only time I felt there was a downside to working at Apple was when it came for a promotion. Granted, working at Apple means growth and moving up. However, I felt that there were several times that there was favoritism going on, as far as promotions. There have been a couple of instances were those being promoted were very close with management, and many felt that the promotion was more deserved to another employee who worked longer or harder. 
Another similar situation that has happened before would be when an employee is promised a certain promotion or is "next in line" for an opening position, and then it is given to someone else.