Comparison Between Apple and Microsoft: Recruiting and Training, Essay Example

Business success emanates from recognizing an existing opportunity, fostering a firm management team and effectively marshalling the required resources to move on.  This translates to having the right talented human resources at the place and time. However recruiters as fast moving entrepreneurs always have limited to spare for the hiring, recruiting and managing exercise to get that talent.

Each business organization seeks to attract the most competent and qualified human resource to favorably match with the jobs one is best suited for. However, some business enterprises are too extensive to support close contact between the company administration and the general workers. This offers a challenge that can only be solved by engaging recruiting offices or adopting strategies that will be adopted in hiring and training new employees. Depending on the size, objectives and nature of the business organization, these trainers may be differing in their roles and responsibilities and in the method they adopt. Training methods range from on-job training where the job conditions are simulated to the trainees before they are effective put into the real job scenario, apprentice learning, classroom training and finally electronic learning which involves and internet based interactive training through distance learning, satellite training, computer assisted instructional strategies, videos and internet multi program.

Since it is somehow impossible to make concrete judgments founded on just 30 minutes talk, recruiters are now demanding for applicants to demonstrate their prowess and skills through a “job situation”. For example they may be required to demonstrate a departmental meeting. This is also crucial as it equips the interviewee with the correct insight of what the expected job position entails (Serebra Learning Corporation, 2009).

Apple and Microsoft are two distinct powerhouses when it comes to computers and other related household and office electronics. These companies do have some differences and similarities in terms of their products and services. Apple was started off as Apple Computer Inc. but later changed its brand name to Apple inc., currently the company majors on the design and manufacture of consumer and office electronics as well as closely associated software. Basically the company is famous for its iconic products like iPod media player, Macintosh and the recently invented phone. All these brands have been received with excitement by the consumers and improving day by day as time and technology progresses.

Microsoft is an American computer corporation that basically, manufactures, develops and licenses a whole lot of its wide range of software products for computer accessories. Basically the company is highly recognized for its Windows operating systems as a range of its Office series.

Hiring, Recruiting and Training at Apple Corporation

As a company Apple maintain web site containing job information and the current job openings, organized as per geographical location. The company employees from outside via internal and contract based recruitment personnel, but it is also active in promoting its existing staff to senior level positions such as (Assistant managers etc). Recruiting efforts of Apple Company include postings on www.monster.com and email postings. Apple Corporation does not use newspapers and other forms of print media to advertise for job opportunities.

Immediately after receiving the online application together with the applicants resume, Apple Company follows up the same via e- mail to make sure that the person is indeed interested in the company. This gives them the go ahead to organize a telephone interview. The text of the responding mail seems to be standard; computer generated thus only needs to be prompted by the applicant’s application.

Recruiting process starts with rough phone screening, to personal interviews before a candidate is hired and ultimately trained.  Final candidates for employment are subjected to a thorough background scrutiny by Hireright- an agency that offers online based system of interviewing.

Apple employs people who are highly diverse, thus the workforce presents a fair representation in terms of ethnic background, age, gender and culture. For example at Ginza tore in Tokyo, Japan, There is 50-50 gender representation of employees, collectively hailing from 10 different ethnic backgrounds. It is surprising that in as much that their employees perform official and formal duties, Apple inc. does not forbid various hair styles, body piercing, facial hair and very usual to find employees spotting unpopular hair styles.

Ideally in their stores, there are usually one top manager, two subordinate managers, 4 mackintosh specialists, two key holders and about 15 part-time specialists. However depending on the store’s revenue, these posts may not be all filled. Once hired one receives an official Apple Identity Card with comes with a noticeable lanyard to not only accommodate the Id but also several business cards.

Concerning the skills, qualities and knowledge required from potential candidates, it is apparent that Apple company requires the candidates to possess some minimum required knowhow concerning its products, technical information and knowhow of its Macintosh products and systems and of course prior sales and retail experience. However the greatest share of consideration is on the applicant’s attitude, personality and on how they are likely to fit offering the prospective customer with the preferred in- store exposure and experience (ifoApple store, 2009).

It appears that the company always aims at equipping its new employees with technical detail, retail selling as well as other customized specifics, although they seem to like applicants who have qualities that emphasize enthusiasm, teamwork and the aptitude to project the company’s corporate philosophy. This means that even an applicant with extensive knowledge and skills about Macintosh products and systems does not automatically get an upper hand compared to another candidate who portrays high personality qualities and attitude.

Although there is scanty information of its employee training program, it is certain that the training and recruitment period is three weeks. During this period, the candidates the subjected a rigorous projects that involves, role playing, classes on the company’s retail philosophy, web- based product and services familiarity access, customer relations and information on basic sales and marketing techniques. Incidentally the information on Apple’s products and services is gotten through its two websites thus there is no in-person and physical product and services training.

Looking at the job description of the vacancies, it is evident that concentrates more in explain the person they need rather that the jobs tasks and responsibilities that the successful candidate will perform. This is aimed at ensuring that the company’s objective of trade i.e. tips- top sales shape is always up held. This offers them also an opportunity to give ideas for improvement.

In Microsoft they make use of their innovative package- Microsoft ® Office Business Edition 2003 to assist in the entire process. Through the adoption the management is able to manage and monitor employee performance in an automated form via Microsoft office.

Working at Microsoft

The interview procedure for new employees is usually grueling and is aimed at getting the best of the candidate’s ability to work under pressing conditions. Each year Microsoft recruits and hires hundreds of graduates and handles them well, meeting all their needs and offering favorable conducive environment in exchange for long working hours and the great turnout expectations. Every time there are numeral job openings for such graduates to apply. Opportunities available are for web developers, project managers, software engineers, software test engineers and software quality assurance engineers. This is quite different what is evident in Apple Corporation. Microsoft majorly targets fresh graduates from colleges unlike Apple which majorly targets experienced individuals.

Project managers are tasked with the obligation of managing the company’s vast resources; physical and human resources. This may include managing Networking projects, It conversions or installations, Software development projects or any other technology or business need that requires to be managed and there are resources to be allocated.

In its talent acquisition, the company Microsoft Corporation adopted personified recruitment aimed at obtaining the best from the pool of the graduates. Contrary to Apple, Microsoft does not major on vast knowledge and experience so as one is a team player and is in a position to effectively fit into its work ethos, culture and philosophy. The company is ready to incur the cost of training the fresh in terns to a level that they will meet the expected proficiency standards as well as job performance goals and objectives. On a lighter not one does not need the computer repair skills and experience, formal Photoshop training and sales and marketing skills to be eligible for application in any of Microsoft’s advertised posts.

According to them, it’s not mandatory for one to understand Microsoft’s company and its customers, one only needs to use its products and possess the will and passion to learn. So long as one has the attention to learn details, possess a collaborative spirit and eagerness to learn, the company is more that willing to perfect the switching once the new intern pops in.

On the Microsoft’s web page, applicants are able to access the advertised job opportunities. This also offers such potential candidates an opportunity to create and upload their resume online through a connection provided on the job opening. The advertised posts can be accessed once one selects the specific geographical location such as state or country, nature of the jobs such as fulltime of part time and the vacancy division.

Using third- party recruiters, the company reaches out and contacts the potential applicants, majority of the applicants do participate in the on-line resume interview process. The recruiting agency contact associations or user groups to obtain e-mail address and names of the applicants which are crucial in replying in case somebody is successful in the first interview. Such recruiters have also some other obligation which includes the identifying of partner recruitment lifecycle as well as identifying capacity gaps. Assisted also by the Microsoft Dynamics CRM,   employment recruitment is crucial to the company since it sit enforces a linear program and leaves every clear (Microsoft Corporation, 2008).

Through the created methodology process, a standardized program is created which enables the interviewees globally to communicate uniformly through an identical taxonomy thus making it easy to perform and discus everyday obligation.

References

ifoApple store, (2009) Apple Store – Email Recruiting. Retrieved on 13 December from http://www.ifoapplestore.com/stores/email_recruiting.html.

Microsoft Corporation (2008) Microsoft Partner Recruitment Efforts. Retrieved 13 December, 2009 from             http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Case_Study_Detail.aspx?CaseStudyID=4000001270.

Serebra Learning Corporation, (2009). Recruiting and Retention: Keeping Your Good Employees. Retrieved on 13 December from http://www.training- classes.com/programs/00/35/3513_recruiting_and_retention_keeping_your_good_employees.php