Apple Hiring Overview For 2023

Is Apple on the Ban the Box list?

Yes, Apple is on the Ban the Box list. As you may know, employers who support this initiative consider an applicant’s job qualifications before their criminal record. In other words, they remove the criminal record box from job applications.

In addition, Apple has signed the Fair Chance Business Pledge. This is more good news! The Fair Chance Business Pledge is just what its name suggests — companies pledge to look at all job applicants fairly, regardless of their criminal history.

Therefore, be encouraged that you can get a job at Apple with a felony!

Does Apple have special programs for hiring felons?

We could find no information about any special programs at the company. However, this is not unusual.

What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?

Our assessment is based on:

1. Apple is on the Ban the Box list and has signed The Fair Chance Business Pledge.
2. The company’s website says they’ll consider applicants with criminal records consistent with applicable law. It’s unclear what this means, specifically, however.
3. We found online comments from employees who say you can get a job at Apple with a felony.

What are some entry-level jobs?

Apple employs more than 30,000 employees in over 250 retail stores across the United States. Some examples of their entry-level jobs include:

• Creative
  • Recommend and sell Apple products to customers.
  • Teach customers how to use products.
  • Train and coach co-workers in product use.
• Specialist
  • Greet customers.
  • Keep merchandise displays stocked.
  • Advise customers, and sell and set up their products.
• Genius
  • Provide in-store technical support to customers.
  • Troubleshoot and diagnose problems, and offer repair or replacement solutions.
• Operations Expert
  • Manage and track store inventory, and organize stockroom.
  • Share product data with management.
  • Ensure customers receive products.

If you’re looking for a long-term career at Apple, it might help to know that they value innovation and teamwork, regardless of what your job is.

For example, this is from their website:

“Every new product, service, or feature we invent is the result of people working together to make each other’s ideas stronger. That happens here because every one of us strives toward a common goal — creating the best customer experiences.”

Tips to get hired here with a felony

You can start by searching for job openings on the company website. Then, create a profile and submit your resume.

Above all, make sure you have a great resume.

• Create a resume that really highlights your skills and qualifications.
• Get resume advice. Have someone in an organization that works with felons read over your resume.
• Make sure you have current and reputable references. A good word about your abilities or character from a person in a position of trust, such as your pastor or course instructor, can go a long way.
• Try preparing for an interview by rehearsing questions and answers with a friend. This can reduce nervousness, and help you show confidence and sincerity when discussing your criminal background.

Of course, you can also take your resume to an Apple store. Here are some tips if you go this route:

• Ask for the hiring manager and leave your resume with them.
• If the manager isn’t available, find out when they will be and return then.
• Introduce yourself to the manager and make sure you ask their name.
• If the store isn’t hiring, ask when you should check back.
• Leave with a handshake, a smile, good eye contact and a ‘thank you.’ Addressing the manager by name shows respect, and also helps you remember their name.

Being confident, pleasant and persistent will help you stand out for the manager when there’s a job opening.

On glassdoor.com, 71% of people said they had a positive interview experience. They described the interviews as average in difficulty.

Also, they gave examples of typical interview questions. These were about your customer service experience, and how you’d handled any workplace challenges or personal adversity. So, here’s the perfect opportunity to be honest about your criminal history and say what steps you’ve taken to move forward.

Yes. Apple will do a pre-employment background check.

They participate in the E-Verify program to confirm that you’re legally able to work in the United States. What they check in addition will likely depend on the position you apply for.

However, for an entry-level job at an Apple store, you can expect them to check your criminal record and confirm what your resume says about employment and education.

Here’s an interesting article about background checks for Fortune 500 companies like Apple. It explains why these companies routinely do background checks and what they check for.

This is what you need to know about background checks:

Employers in some states are only permitted to consider the last seven years for a background check. Here are the states where this applies:

• California
• Colorado*
• Kansas*
• Maryland*
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire*
• New York*
• Texas*
• Washington*

(* sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.)

In other states, employers won’t look at charges where you were found not guilty. These states are:

• Alaska
• California
• Hawaii
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• New York

Be aware, many states will review your whole record in a background check. In these states, this includes any not guilty verdicts:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• DC
• Delaware
• Florida
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Company ratings

Apple has very positive online ratings!

On glassdoor.com, the company gets 4 out of 5 stars based on over 13,000 reviews. Here, 77% say they’d recommend Apple to a friend. Ninety-one percent approve of the CEO who, interestingly, gets the Top CEO award on glassdoor.com.

There are only 230 reviews on indeed.com. However, the rating is high here, too — 4.2 out of 5. Top marks were for culture, pay and benefits, and work-life balance.

The consistently positive ratings across these sites suggest Apple can be an excellent company to work for.

What felonies Apple will not hire

Apple doesn’t come right out and tell us what felony records will keep someone from getting a job here. Read below for the impact your record might have.

What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?

So, does Apple hire felons? Honestly, it looks like yes. However, as you might expect, certain records will hurt your chances. For example, if you have a history of theft or assault, you will have a more difficult time getting hired.

This makes sense when you think about the responsibilities of their entry-level jobs. The company needs to know that they can trust you to handle cash or credit cards, and you won’t steal the inventory. They also want to make sure you can get along with co-workers and be respectful to customers.

Here’s interesting advice from an individual on reddit.com: “Apple does hire individuals with prior convictions. As long as it wasn’t a violent charge like assault and it wasn’t theft or . . . [embezzlement] or anything along those lines, then you as a person and what you can bring to the table for them will outweigh any other charge.”

Does Apple hire sex offenders?

We don’t know for sure. They haven’t made a complete statement on this specific aspect, and there aren’t any online reports.

Does Apple drug test?

There’s no information on the company website that specifically answers this question. Online feedback from employees is mixed; some had to pass a drug test and others didn’t.

However, Apple’s website says the company is a drug-free workplace. What’s more, they clearly lay out the consequences for anyone found to be using drugs on the job. Therefore, it’s entirely possible Apple will do a drug test.

Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences!

Tell us what you know about working for Apple. Do you have some great interview tips?

Any personal experience you have helps.