iPhone Photography School Interview Questions
& Process

First, I did a test editing the last 5 minutes of a 15-minute video. They provided the audio already cut, and I had to clean it up by removing noises, silences, etc. I passed this test, and then they conducted a one-hour online personal interview. This interview didn't ask questions related to the job; it was more like a psychometric test. They asked me things like 'tell me something nice you've done in your life' and similar questions. After that, they decided not to proceed with the next interview, which would have been longer and would have included video-related questions. I think it was supposed to last about 3 hours.

The code challenge they gave me took way too much time to complete — almost an entire week. They wanted a fully functioning custom video player with video downloading/caching and offline playback. I went a bit above and beyond in my implementation, but either way it was way too involved for a code challenge. The rest of the interview process was pretty standard — a bunch of conversations with different people who worked at the company — but during the final interview, I was asked very personal questions about my living situation and household income that strayed well outside of what I would consider acceptable during a job interview and made me extremely uncomfortable.

They had me fill out some basic questions, include a link to my portfolio (which I made as an Instagram account), and send my resume as a PDF. They mentioned that only half of the applicants proceed to the next step. Despite having an HR degree and years of HR experience, including two years as a recruiter, I didn't make it. Given my background and the subsequent rejection, and after looking into what the next stage involves, I suspect this might be a scam.

This company has very high standards, and it’s evident from the guidelines they provide for the test edits. Many people claim the application process is a scam or exploitative, but as someone who has completed it, I can say that's not true. The first test edit is unpaid, which might deter some applicants. However, if you pass this stage, you'll be invited for an interview and then a paid trial period where you'll be reimbursed for any additional editing work you do during the application process. Those who claim it's a scam probably didn't meet the criteria to move forward.