HN user
Garbage collection is also available to code that executes at the pure C layer as well. I'd stand by my previous statement, and add that most of what ObjC brings to the table is some framework design patterns that you do have to learn, but that can be learned in far less than a week.
I admire you, even if I can't spell your name.
It doesn't matter. ObjC is just C with []s.
This is what Apple looks for in software engineers: Smart, gets things done. (I think Joel Splotskey said it first.)
99% of the software written at Apple is in C or some variant thereof. If your C code isn't up to snuff (EDIT: fixed lousy contraction. English skills aren't as important!), you might be able to get a job working in the build farms, but even those people are good coders doing shit work until they can move up.
All that being said, we have a really hard time finding people that can code their way out of a paper bag in C - so much so that we'll even take people without direct Mac OS X experience if they're talented coders. (I'd still prefer to see true macheads, though.)