I applied online. The process took 1 week. I interviewed at Apple (Cupertino, CA) in Jun 2008
Interview
The hiring process is very quick, no time is wasted and they like to move forward quickly, if they feel that the candidate is good. There were 2 phone screens and one on-site interview. The first phone screen was 25 min and the second was about 40 minutes.
The on-site interview process was very smooth and well planned. The recruiter and the interviewers were very professional. There were six 1:1 interviews - 5 completely technical. The manager provided great information about the group/what they do and was very polite and professional. The last interview was non-technical with the HR personnel. The HR person was exceptionally nice, providing answers to all of my questions in details.
If you are get an interview call for Apple, make sure that you can defend your resume (whatever you have claimed to know) very well. The company culture is very good. There is a lot of work and great opportunity to grow. The managers are very nice - a lot is expected from you while maintaining good work/life balance.
Interview questions [2]
Question 1
The questions depend on your field of expertise. Make sure you know whatever you have claimed in your resume.
Somewhat difficult, but everyone was extremely nice . I recommend practicing code and a couple behavioral questions. I asked 2 questions both times and they were impressed like that as well. Explaining my thought process out loud seemed to go well.
The guidance provided was very thorough, and I was able to follow the instructions for the interview process without any issues. By taking the time to prepare yourself properly, you should have no trouble navigating the interview and completing it successfully. The process is clear, and with the right preparation, you can approach it with confidence.
I had an initial phone interview for an hour. They asked about previous experience and then interleaved them with some technical questions. Finally, they ask the main interview questions toward the end.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell me about yourself.
Question about design approaches.
Question about designs trade-offs.