Company: Apple
Date: 2013-08-13
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: former
Experience level: Junior

Both amazing and disappointing, overall a good experience.
Pros: Apple retail is a well oiled machine or at least it was three years ago when I left. As far as retail employment I imagine it is one of if not the best but remember it is retail sales. Apple has a stick set of rules which makes it easy know what you can and can't do. You can have multiple body piercings, ware unique clothing, hair and shoes (as log as you ware the correct official shirt) but you can't be 7 minutes late. The benefits are very good for retail and available to part time employees. Advancement opportunities are there but a little limited. The pay is OK, probably better than most retail stores. The attitude and atmosphere where I worked was awesome.
Cons: Many of the plusses are also cons. It is retail sales and that can only be so good. There is a limited to how many irrational, irate customers you can deal with no matter how good you are. Apples strict set of rules can be rigid and unforgiving. When I started there was a ridged corporate rule concerning tardiness. I saw three very good employees be released in two years over legitimate scheduling mistakes that were more the managers fault than the employee. A beloved creative, a hardworking efficient stock person and an excellent full time specialist with excellent sales numbers released because of ridged enforcement of time policy. I understand these rules have now been changed because of the loss of to many good staff.

Apple seemed fixated on hiring managers with a number of years in retail but they don't differentiate by type of retail. WalMart and Kohles don't train you to run an Apple store.

All the best people seem to be transient at an Apple Store, college students working their way through college or professionals who are between jobs. The talented come and go but so many want to work for Apple the supply of staff seems unlimited. I was fortunate enough to do a couple of new store openings. It was a blast but of the stores I saw open in two years 80% of the staff had turned over. In most cases the best and brightest with the best sales and customer satisfaction were gone. I was between professional positions when I worked for Apple Retail. I started as a part time specialist, was promoted to full time, and then expert, and creative. While a specialist I lead the store in sales, sales metrics and customer satisfaction before moving on to another professional position.