Macintosh Support - Becoming a Mac Genius

When you think of tech support for an Apple product, more likely than not, the image burned into your head is the support offered at their Genius Bar. The Genius Bar concept has been around since eight years ago and has been such a runaway image and reputation hit that Microsoft wants to do the same at its new Microsoft retail store, with a Microsoft Guru Bar. Sure, there are those who love the genius concept so much that they would move to a new location just to be close to a retail store and Genius Bar. But how about some of us feel that the real action is in being on the other side of the counter, in being a Genius in the Macintosh support program? How does one become a Genius?

Well first off, why is it that people want to go into Macintosh support as a Mac Genius? To begin with, there is the cachet that goes with being with Apple - some of the cool rubs off - and also the pay you get here is quite unheard of in any kind of tech job. For people who know a lot about Mac computers, are technical but not overly so, and don't have any real work experience, the pay you get here is quite obscene. If you are self-driven and all that, you can be a big hit here. However, a Mac genius is more like a summer job in that there is no real potential for advancement. In some ways it is a dead-end job. And then of course, there is the work pressure. The Macintosh support centers are completely swamped with people needing support, and repairs. All to be handled by too few Geniuses. You can expect some pretty unforgiving work hours and work schedules being one. And of course as a company representative you are supposed to show the world the company's best face. There was a blog run by a disgruntled Mac Genius couple of years ago, where he dished on all the scandalous pricing policies Apple uses like charging several hundred dollars for replacing a DVD drive that would cost you about $20 to do yourself.

So how would you get into Macintosh support as a Mac Genius? Of course you just apply at the Macintosh website. Having a few Apple-specific qualifications will really make you a more attractive find. At the basic level, the Apple Certified Macintosh Technician (ACMT) certification lets you do beginner level hardware and OS X troubleshooting and repairs. Training for this kind of certification, you can get at the Apple authorized Training Center, and AppleCare technician training. ACSP or Apple Certified Support Professional has a higher level of OS X training and the Apple Certified Technical Coordinator (ACTC) and the ACSA Apple Certified System Administrator certifications are for in-depth authoritative knowledge. And you can get started with mobile phones as soon as you sign up and get your Apple Tech ID. It is hard enough to get into the whole Genius role with Apple; here's hoping, that once you get your wish, you find yourself thinking "Be careful what you wish for...".