An Apple HR representative contacted me and told me the Touch Screen group was interested in hiring new grads with a strong background in EE. The position was an Analog EE position; I mentioned my background was in Digital EE. She informed me that this was not a problem. I was then sent a pre-interview exam to complete within 24 hours. On the exam were analog circuit analysis questions (RLC and op-amps), a probability question, and an open-ended economics question. I felt good about the exam, and a few days later Apple contacted me saying they’d like to proceed with an onsite interview. We scheduled a date.

Four days before the interview, I received an email disclosing what I should study to prepare for the interview. On the list: transistors/resistors. Transistors had not been on the pretest. I entered full study mode.

The day of: My first interview started with, “So why do you want to work at Apple?” I’m tempted to say, “Actually, you guys want me,” but I start off on a good note and talk about the exciting technology, the chance to work with brilliant people, and my potential to really grow and excel in such an engineer-friendly environment – pretty good, I think. Next, he said, “Your background is DSP, so why are you interviewing for this job.” Again, I’m tempted to say, “Well, I don’t have a job yet; I am really smart and I could do well – I think – doing just about anything, so I figure why not check out my options.” Instead, I went on to talk about my passion for EE and my general obsession with science and engineering (honest), and that it was difficult for me in grad school to choose an area at all because everything excited me. Again, true and tactful. He understood. We talked about my background. I described my research and went over some coursework. Then, on to the “technical” part.

My first technical question was to solve an Op-Amp circuit. I told him I had to solve the circuit. He stepped back and let me work. I solved it slowly but surely. We moved on to discussing touch screens; we had a nice technical discussion about it. It ended well, and he gave me a business card.

Next, my second interviewer arrived. He again asked me why I wanted to work at Apple and why I was applying to this job. I bit my tongue about clarifying that I didn’t apply for the job. We discussed background and research and then moved on to the technical questions. He put up a slightly more complicated Op-Amp circuit. Sheesh, I thought. I solved it, but the whole thing had taken a while. He decided to ask me something that “I should be really familiar with.” He then went on to ask the most ill-posed question I have ever heard. It came with a correspondingly bad block diagram.

I have thought long and hard on the discussion that followed and have decided that he didn’t know enough to ask a good question. I think he skimmed a wiki article on DSP and thought he knew enough to interview me well.

My next interview was with HR. They gushed over how smart I was, how much “Apple” wanted me, etc. It was overall pleasant and a nice break, though I wondered who "Apple" was and when I would get to meet him...

An engineer came to interview me over lunch. He fixated on my background and how this position was not a good match. I tried to stay positive, but he was relentless. I think he hated me. I guess he got tired of reminding me that I was a poor match for this position and moved on to asking about my research. I told him what I did, etc. His exact words were then, “Well, I am skeptical about that.” How do you politely say, “Sorry you don’t understand it; maybe you’d like me to teach you something for the next 4 hours?” I knew what I did; the conferences that published my work knew what I did, and the team of doctorates that passed me on my M.S. defense knew what I did. I really don’t care if this guy thinks it’s legit. I felt very uncomfortable, very defensive, and started to wonder how I had even gotten there. I thought these people wanted to hire me; I didn’t come here to beg for a job.

He drew an op-amp circuit. He didn’t like how I was solving it, which wasn’t wrong; it was just not how he preferred. He interrupted my train of thought, but I managed to get the correct answer. He then moved on to stats questions. I did poorly here. This man was not nice, and I didn’t want to be near him.

Finally, a new interviewer. He asked me another (you guessed it!) op-amp circuit.

He tried to meet me halfway by asking a DSP question, but I really wished these guys would stop doing that. He received a text message and then asked me a question about the seasons. Meeting on more neutral ground was comfortable. This guy was nice, and I wouldn’t mind working with him.

My interview ended, and he graciously told me that we were done interviewing, but HR would be in touch with me about DSP positions.

We politely said goodbye, then I got the hell out of there.

Overall, it was weird. I am glad I did it, glad I didn’t get the job, and glad to be interviewing with other companies.

Use DSP to improve the output of a noisy DAC.