CarMax Employee Job Reviews in the United States

"Comfortable place to work. Nice atmosphere in forest setting, places to run and exercise. Home office colorful and friendly. Technologically, it is support the business first and so there are some antiquated technologies that have to be supported. Management seems to be fixated on buzz words, whether or not they actually work. So there are a handful of architects that play around with stuff while the rest of IT cleans up and supports the messes they make."

"I have worked at CarMax for a long time and I find myself restless and bored with my current position, but I do not have any interest in moving forward. I have found that I have peaked compensation-wise. Otherwise, the company treats employees well and is very ethical in its approach to sales and customer service."

"I have been at the company for 3 years and it has been a great learning experience. I have wonderful relationships with some of the companies best and brightest managers. They have made my stay a pleasant one. It can be very lucrative if you put in the work. Like anywhere else in this industry, if you hustle you will make money."

"The worst company to work for. They provide training but what it really is, is brainwashing. Everyone of the sales people hates their job. They are 100% commission which means no sale, no pay. The CEO needs to be fired! He is fully responsible for the corporate greed. They are growing and cutting back on the quality. No more 125 inspection. If you do not believe me take a ride and look at the junk they are selling."

"I've worked in sales at CarMax since December of 2012. If you have a family to feed, the 100% commission environment may not be for you. You spend a long time on your feet, so you will need to invest in a pair of comfortable shoes. CarMax Sales Consultants have a very high turnover rate. The pay is less than consistent, and it can be difficult to make ends meet. It is a suitable lily pad job; many professionals who are in-between jobs land here and eventually jump to something else."

"I've worked for Carmax since May 2013. They have great benefits and the co-workers are awesome. I enjoyed the flexible schedule and being your own boss. I would like to progress into a more professional venture and higher salary. I am looking for a company that can offer opportunity for advancement and accommodate with training. I am a quick learner and ambitious about advancement."

"Was micromanaged to the point of exhaustion."

What do you like about working at CarMax?

"The coworkers were helpful, friendly and making the most of a bad situation."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Don't answer the phone when they call to set up the initial interview. If you must interview with this company, ask sales people who have been there for 6 months to 2 years what the actual average monthly pay is, and what the turnover rate is. Chances are both with be significantly different than what your interviewer tells you."

What don't you like about working at CarMax?

"Massive micromanagement. Management's role seemed to consist entirely of making observations, writing reviews based on those observations, then providing the sales people the opportunity to read and sign those reviews."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Pay your sales people something close to an industry standard for automobile sales. This is especially necessary considering your salespeople have to put up with all of the negatives associated with any selling job, as well as with the constant input from management regarding what they should be doing better."

"Employeed over 10 years. Happy to go to work. Proud to tell people where I work."

What do you like about working at CarMax?

"In an industry known for taking advantage of the customer and employees, CarMax maintains high integrity and actually cares about the people who work and shop here. I have been employed with CarMax for over 10 years and am always proud to tell someone where I work. I look forward to going in each morning. I feel appreciated, empowered and challenged. Yes, it pays the bills, but it is much more than that."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"When asked a question during the interview process, give an answer with a clear takeaway as to the situation, your role or responsibility in the situation, what actions you took and the result of your actions. This would seem to be a no-brainer, but it is amazing how many people come into an interview and think that bragging about what a great closer they were or how many hours they worked in their previous job will be enough. CarMax is very concerned about hiring Associates who are a good CarMax fit. All of the questions that are asked of a candidate during an interview are targeted towards discovering that persons strength or weakness in a particular competency that applies to the job for which they are applying."

What don't you like about working at CarMax?

"Any job that deals with the public will have it's moments of frustration, but my frustration is always with the actions and attitudes of the people coming through the door and not with those of the CarMax Company or my fellow employees or managers."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"I have none at this time. Any suggestions that I have had in the past have been greeted with respect and consideration. Not all of my suggestions have been acted upon, but it would be an unrealistic expectation to think that any company could act upon every recommendation of every employee. There are often issues behind the scenes that the person making the suggestion is not privy to."

What do you like about working at CarMax?

"The co-workers all were very good about making the best of a bad situation."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Don't believe half of what the interviewer tells you. IE- you won't be working 44 hours a week unless you're happy with a minimum wage income. If you intend to pay your bills, you'll be working 50+ hours a week. It's also extremely unlikley that you'll be making $50,000 per year, regardless of how many hours you work. And when you ask them what their turnover rate is, count how many times you need to ask them before you receive a specific number."

What don't you like about working at CarMax?

"Incredible level of micromanaging, endless hours spent training, which was code for doing anything remotely related to Carmax while waiting for a genuine customer to walk through the door."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"The sales function aspect of the job HAS to be re-thought. If the sales force is paid on strictly a commission basis, then penalizing someone for clocking in at 9:01 rather than 9:00 makes no sense. This is especially true when the event taking place at 9:00 is an unpaid sales meeting that consists of watching a role play video of a likely sales scenario...the same video that we've watched 11 times that month. It doesn't do much good to have sales managers spend most of their time in their offices providing feedback and reviews for sales people, when the rest of the sales force is out on the floor, frequently needing a sales manager's approval to take the next step in a sales process."

"Crippling management that can not think. Mindless robots that follow the script."

What do you like about working at CarMax?

"Do not like anything about this company."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Yes - get a job somewhere else."

What don't you like about working at CarMax?

"Let's face it, if this company was doing well the employee turnover would not be so high. Yes the car industry has a high turnover but at CarMax it is extraordinarily high. Many people are looking for jobs to get over these hard times however the CarMax way is not your answer. While training they build themselves up by presenting you with brainwashing videos over and over and about the forth week of training you better be ready to drink the cool-aid. No support system the management, has no clue about any company resources and if you have question about benefits they tell you to call an 800 number and speak to a third party provider that has no clue. Do yourself a favor and find a job at McDonalds at least they do not lie about the job and its benefits or the hours you will be working."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Upper management have no clue about running a company. They have come to their positions by favoritism - no previous experience required - and they try to justify their position by making up new rules and guidelines that are worthless at best."

"Compensation, work/ life balance, culture & values and CEO are all a BIG mistake."

What do you like about working at CarMax?

"Nothing at this time, all activities are for corporate greed."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company. I would not recommend it."

What don't you like about working at CarMax?

"Overworked, underpaid, lack of respect from managers. Reactionary at solving problems. Company has no concept of proactively seeking improvements and better practices. Not clear how they have survived this long. Terrible employee turnover due to lowest compensation possible. Hiring signs are built in to the building."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Publicly traded and as long as they keep bottom line, management will stay the same. It's a matter of time though. They have cut so much to keep bottom line looking profitable it has resulted in hurting many people and word is getting out."

"Bad senior management, bad local management, bad experience overall."

What do you like about working at CarMax?

"None that I can think of but give it 4 years and then maybe we will have some pros."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Don't do it, you will regret it, not a good place at all."

What don't you like about working at CarMax?

"Sales consultants are FREE labor. They are used to dealing with any area of the business that is lacking."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Management should be fired and hiring people that can do it."

What do you like about working at CarMax?

"Friendly environment and culture of team work, honesty and integrity."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"My advice is that you have to prepare. The interview is long and grueling, but in the end it all worth it."

What don't you like about working at CarMax?

"While the company is a great place to work, the management tend to keep small IT department and contract out most of the jobs."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Having a solid long term IT department will help the company in reducing turnarround of some of the employees."

"It was not bad at all, it was close to home and had great hours."

What do you like about working at CarMax?

"It was close to home and had great work hours."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Well, it's not a bad company but it seems to be clicky and you have to hit their click."

What don't you like about working at CarMax?

"I was hired in to take the place of the new manager, and my techs would always go over my head, they worked with the other guy for 10 years."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Do not favor your tech that you have known for years over new people that are doing their job properly."

What do you like about working at CarMax?

"Always meeting new people and building a new relationship and networking."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"When interviewing, do not be scare to speak your mind."

What don't you like about working at CarMax?

"Everyone is for themselves, and lack of trust of management towards employee."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Build a better relationship between management and employee, and understand them better."