Best Buy and Geek Squad

[bottomticket]

I have an interview with the geek squad in a couple of days, I am quite adept when it comes to working on computers hardware and software but I dont have any certifications I hear that there is a A+ type test along with the interview. Has anyone taken this or knows what is on this test. I dont want answers just trying to be prepared

[bigshotprof]

Don't know nothin' bout no tests, but good luck at the interview!!

[bottomticket]

thanks for the support

[comhcinc]

i think someone here was on that geek squard thing..

good luck, i couldn't be that guy.

[xibalba]

Didn't NJ or someone apply for and get the job but decided to stick with their current job after week?

[bobafettjm]

I could walk into a Geek Squad job if I wanted to as a friend of mine pretty much runs a Best Buy now. However I would have to move to a city 3 hours away that I don't like so I haven't done it yet.

[comhcinc]

some one did. don't remember who.

[ryudo]

If you can change colour setting on a TV you are qualified. Seriously. Even though they ask for more.
They have kids run around change colour settings on TV's so they can slap geek squad label on it.

Anyway best of luck getting the job.

[bigshotprof]

Didn't NJ or someone apply for and get the job but decided to stick with their current job after week?

I think that was genius bar.

[bigshotprof]

If you can change colour setting on a TV you are qualified. Seriously. Even though they ask for more.
They have kids run around change colour settings on TV's so they can slap geek squad label on it.

Anyway best of luck getting the job.

Wait a minute. You can CHANGE the color settings on a TV?

[comhcinc]

Wait a minute. You can CHANGE the color settings on a TV?
what is a "TV"?

[tokenuser]

what is a "TV"?Its that box you watch yur NASCAR on dummy.

[ryudo]

Its that box you watch yur NASCAR on dummy.

I thought that was a cardboard box cutout at the races
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/5426/00052131908610200sg1.jpg

[bottomticket]

So I guess noone really has any information

[ohhoe]

So I guess noone really has any information

No, the Geek Squad is a joke.

But hey, at least you can search people's HDD's for n00dz.

[bigshotprof]

No, the Geek Squad is a joke.

But hey, at least you can search people's HDD's for n00dz.

Of course she means that in a good way, like Knock, Knock, Who's there? I. I who? I just got the job I wanted with the Geek Squad.
Just go in and show 'em what you know.If they have a test req. they will tell you, but don't select yourself out of the running before you get there.

Oh, and if the hot blonde from the Hot dog place comes over, watch out. She's a spy.

[masherscf]

Oh, and if the hot blonde from the Hot dog place comes over, watch out. She's a spy.


Oh hell Naw! You stole my joke!

[tokenuser]

Regardless of the Geek Squad hating, people need to remember that its a job. One that pays money, and gets you a nice employee discount, and often works in well with study schedules if you are in college.

I didn't flip burgers in high school because it was my chosen career path (although I did consider becoming a chef at one point - just not a McChef).

[ariastar]

what is a "TV"?

The old way of watching porn.

[ariastar]

Regardless of the Geek Squad hating, people need to remember that its a job. One that pays money, and gets you a nice employee discount, and often works in well with study schedules if you are in college.

I didn't flip burgers in high school because it was my chosen career path (although I did consider becoming a chef at one point - just not a McChef).

Hell, in today's economy, a job's a job, and Geek Squad is better than most available to young people.

I also considered becoming a chef and spent a little time at Johnson & Wales in Providence.

[popltree2]

To the OP, I have not worked at Geek Squad but rather a company much like them. I didn't have to take a test, but just proved to the person doing the hiring (who happened to be the CTO of the company) that I knew what I was talking about. Tech jobs like that are great for both experience and for something to put on a resume. I don't think I would have gotten the Genius job if I didn't have that experience. I can only reinforce what has already been said in this thread: Use it as a stepping stone for better jobs.

[bigshotprof]

The old way of watching porn.

Sorry. I thought the old way was bedroom windows.

[comhcinc]

Sorry. I thought the old way was bedroom windows.
i thought that was the new way.

[ariastar]

Bedroom Windows - which version?

[tokenuser]

Bedroom Windows - which version? Comes as part of the new Microsoft Home Server.

[llauranzoniii]

I couldn't work there. I can't lie to people and tell them they need Norton or a bunch of other crapware. I'd be fired in a day for giving out websites with FOSS.

[bani-banan]

I have an A+ cert. I would rather have spent the money on an MVP-cert.

Can you answer these questions without using a search-engine?

What is the esthetical difference between a 6 and a 4 pin IEEE 1394 connector?

What's the difference between a crossover cable and a straight cable? (ethernet)

What is the USB 2.0 transfer speed? Answer in MB and Mb

In what spectrum is WiFi (IEEE 802.11)? Answer in GHz

If you can answer these questions, you are A+ Standard qualified.


Bonus questions; There are 11 channels in the 2.4GHz spectrum (13 in EU). Cordless phones use that unmonitored spectrum. Which of the 11/13 channel/s do they use?

When you buy a 500GB hard drive, and you connect it to your computer - why doesn't it show 500GB, but 488.76GB? (Tip: is has to do with binary)
To add: * The hard drives single partition is fully allocated
* The MBR & Partition tables aren't 22GB.

You will get geek cred from me if you can answer this, OP.


Good luck!

[bigshotprof]

When you buy a 500GB hard drive, and you connect it to your computer - why doesn't it show 500GB, but 488.76GB? (Tip: is has to do with binary)
To add: * The hard drives single partition is fully allocated
* The MBR & Partition tables aren't 22GB.

You will get geek cred from me if you can answer this, OP.


Good luck!

I knew this one!

[bani-banan]

I knew this one!

In case you forgot, and maybe a couple of you are wondering. Here's the answer to that question:

1KB isn't 1000B, but 1024B.

So, according to them, 500GB is 500 000 000 000B, when it really is 536 870 912 000 byte.

When you're shopping for a hard drive, how do you know what you are going to get?

500 000 000 000 (500GB) / 1024 / 1024 / 1024 =~465.661GB

You can't sue the hard drive makers because they actually patented 1000 instead of 1024.

If you buy a 1TB hard drive, you will get ~931GB. you "lose" 69GB.

It's so fun get f-ed in the a- by the corporations.

[ryudo]

^ too many numbers.

Urge to kill rising.

Numbers make brain hurt.

[ariastar]

In case you forgot, and maybe a couple of you are wondering. Here's the answer to that question:

1KB isn't 1000B, but 1024B.

So, according to them, 500GB is 500 000 000 000B, when it really is 536 870 912 000 byte.

When you're shopping for a hard drive, how do you know what you are going to get?

500 000 000 000 (500GB) / 1024 / 1024 / 1024 =~465.661GB

You can't sue the hard drive makers because they actually patented 1000 instead of 1024.

If you buy a 1TB hard drive, you will get ~931GB. you "lose" 69GB.

It's so fun get f-ed in the a- by the corporations.

Eh, I always presume I'll get about 10% less than stated when factoring in not only binary, but set-up space.

[gta_bmx]

the Geek Squad prices are outrageous, but I guess they have to pay BestBuy, health care, salaries, and those VW New Beetles, etc.. And there are a lot of customers with more money than technical knowledge.

Computer Checkup
$99.99

Diagnostic & Repair (Virus & Spyware Removal)
$199.99

(like you can remove viruses! best to do a format and reinstall, which is good for your system anyway, and then start from scratch with a locked down system).

[magunwarrior]

the Geek Squad prices are outrageous, but I guess they have to pay BestBuy, health care, salaries, and those VW New Beetles, etc.. And there are a lot of customers with more money than technical knowledge.

Computer Checkup
$99.99

Diagnostic & Repair (Virus & Spyware Removal)
$199.99

(like you can remove viruses! best to do a format and reinstall, which is good for your system anyway, and then start from scratch with a locked down system).

Fucking nuts, I work for Circuit City, and our Firedog team only charges 60 bucks for a diagnostic.

Those prices for Best Buy could be in home services, which are greatly more expensive, seeing how they may have one on site tech available.

[gta_bmx]

Fucking nuts, I work for Circuit City, and our Firedog team only charges 60 bucks for a diagnostic.

Those prices for Best Buy could be in home services, which are greatly more expensive, seeing how they may have one on site tech available.

Nope, those are for in-store repair. The in-home is an additional $100 added on. $299 for the virus removal in-home ($199 in-store). And $169 for in-home diagnostic ($69 in-store).

What's worth mentioning is that besides being outrageously expensive, the diagnostic service fixes nothing. It's just finding out what's wrong and then giving you an estimate of the REAL charges to fix it. And the virus removal is iffy because some viruses can't be removed. It's best to format and reinstall Windows. Which of course takes a long time. They'd rather just run some utility and call it 'fixed'.

I keep a chart of Geek Squad PC repair prices in my shop, so when I tell someone it'll be $50 to format their hard drive, reinstall Windows with all the updates, and install an anti-virus program, they usually don't say "that's too expensive." Geek Squad charges $130 for OS Install in-store, $230 at-home.

[alaskalonewolf]

Amazing that they're still in business. I've been seeing one store after another close up shop.

[ratabora]

I'm with a friend right now who worked at the Geek Squad and he said while having A+ was a perk on his resume, it was not necessary.

I hope you have good customer service skills, some of my geek squad friend stories are pretty hilarious haha :)

You also have to have a very hardened and black heart, your going to be charging an arm and a leg for a joke service (dusting out a computer and running antivirus for a couple hundred bucks... :( I actually have no idea how much that costs, I just know its a butt ton)

[x-cybertr0n-x]

Im not a big fan of the Geek Squad, but most people who have any intellect with electronics doesn't. Its the electronic illiterate that love them, and if they weren't out there you wouldn't be interviewing for a job.

As far as a test goes, all you can do is your best. Define your expertise in what you know and show that you are always eager to lean new stuff. The way you present yourself to them can go alot farther that what is on paper.

Let us know if you got the job.