Former 5 year Apple employee wants to return
I used to work for Apple from 2014-2019 and went from PT BOH specialist up the ranks to FT BOH, Lead and learn experience including in and out of store core facilitator, acting IS full time, acting ops lead, to a multi department LOTF experience journey that had me spend months as a specialist and then months as LOTF for each department including handling CS issues, having 1-1s, being in manager meetings for planning and actioning iPhone launches, Repair room strategies and of course all store inventory counts.
I have always thrived in the fast paced “I can do it!” Environment of the Apple Store. I felt so at home I would do anything asked of me to build “experience” and my managers made me feel that I was fully on track and hitting all marks towards promoting to Lead Ops or Manager at the end of my multi year experience.
However. After 4.5 years with the company 2.5 of those at least in my leadership experience I was disappointed to hear they felt I needed more time
(I asked for direct feedback, growth opportunities, stretch goals at every 1-1 I had the whole time ) and they chose to promote someone I knew had much less experience ahead of me. I was heartbroken and felt driven to quit since I spent so long committing 200% of myself to the store and the staff with the vague promise of being seen and promoted based on my hard work, commitment, and unique abilities.
I even have a matching tattoo with 3 former Apple employees that is the green Boxcutter we used in BOH at the time and all our tats say “BOH LIFE 4EVER” I’m committed yall
I got my 5 year award, asked my management team again what opportunities I should be focusing on, what opportunities I needed to rise to and what I could do to set myself above the rest. I didn’t get any actionable, tangible, measurable answer. I eventually decided to follow my heart and quit Apple to peruse a dream I knew would be fulfilling to me even though it would be a massive pay cut and I’d be leaving corporate safety. Then…COVID hit. I spent 3 years bartending fulfilling my dream and being a pillar of my community when they needed it most. I don’t regret that time. But after Covid you couldn’t predict how much money you’d make every month bartending. I got a regular ass retail job and worked there for years. Then another one. And now….
I really want to go back home to Apple. I know you can’t find an OPs Lead or OPs manager role often. And I may not interview well enough to get those roles anyways. But the thing is if I try to go back as a regular specialist I worry I’ll be overconfident in interviews knowing I’m already experienced and praised for my LOTF role. I also was never a good sales person. I simply can’t upsell someone if I don’t think it’s right ( a grandma coming in thinking she needs a MacBook pro talks to me and then realizes she only needs an iPad Air with accessories)
Please help!
I want to come back to Apple I have a fuck ton of experience at Apple retail and in other luxury retail sales and services (Tiffany &co) and I don’t know where to start applying.
P.s. I have a friend who’s higher up at Apple retail NY that can refer me and put his name on me since we used to be co workers.