The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at CarMax in Aug 2011
Interview
After filling out the online application I was contacted a month later by email. I was asked to fill out around 15 questions and email them back and also fill out another online application. These were all classic screening questions making sure your not completely worthless before they waste more time on you. A week after this i was asked for a phone number for a phone interview, which I had the next day. The phone interview consisted of some situational questions and description of the job and a little other small talk. Very easy going. I was told that she would contact the store managers and get back to me within 5 days. A little more than a week later I was emailed about setting up a face to face interview in the store. I showed up at 11:45 (15 minutes before my appointment) fully prepared only to find out the the guy I was suppose to meet was at lunch and wouldn't be back until 12:30. When he finally came back I had to go through this computerized interview process, which mainly consisted of criminal background questions and 15 different ways to ask if you've done drugs. Next I sat in a room with a guy who asked the excited same questions I had just answered on the computer. After waiting in the lobby for a while 2 guys came and took me into a room and asked me a bunch of mundane situational questions for a list (tell me a time when...). I was then told that they were going to talk and for me to wait in the lobby. A while later 2 more guys came and the exact same thing happen with the questions worded different. This repeated again with 2 more people. I was then told they would be in touch. The interview lasted 3.5 hours. I was contacted by email 2 days later telling me it wasn't going to work out.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell me a time when you had to tell with conflict at work.
I applied online. The process took 3 days. I interviewed at CarMax in Apr 2022
Interview
Applied online. An automated email arrived, asking me to complete an assessment. The assessment was 50% personality traits and 50% basic math. The HR recruiter reached out and scheduled a phone interview.
CarMax Buyers work a retail schedule that includes weekends and holidays. Buyers are required to work a 'rotating schedule' - some weeks it will be evenings and weekends, some weeks it will be days, or both.
Buyers are expected to available whenever CarMax schedules you with no scheduling predictivity. Therefore, do not plan on any other non-work activities which requires being able to plan a schedule more than a week or so in advance. Your time becomes their time 24/7 during store operating hours.
If your life includes scheduled activities outside of work - say, for instance, coaching your child's sports team after school - understand that you'll need to give that up in order to work here. Don't mention those activities during the interview if you hope to get hired.
One of the CarMax core values is 'Putting People First.' There seems to be a conflict between this stated public value and their scheduling expectations for staff members.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Questions were asked specific to my background, as well as the usual generic questions asked at interviews. (What was your greatest success.... Can you think of a time?) One might think they could come up with more original questions.
I applied online. I interviewed at CarMax in Dec 2021
Interview
Phone interview - Approx. 60 minutes asking about background, customer service experiences, and identifying why you would be a good fit. be ready to go into detail on customer service-related questions
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Explain in detail a negative situation with a customer and how you were able to turn it into a positive one.
I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at CarMax in Feb 2020
Interview
About 4 weeks total
Simple application with several test and ability checks.
Followed by phone interview, asked "tell me about a time" questions
In person interview with several mangers of all levels all asking similar "tell me about a time you"
Very relaxed interview, almost no standard "tell me about yourself, what are your strengths and weaknesses" questions. Need to have real world "Managerial" experiences.
*Make sure all your application, phone, resume, and in person experience questions all are the same
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell me about a time you delt with a difficult client
Tell me about a time you went above and beyond
Tell me about a time you had to settle conflict between coworkers