CarMax Reviews

I worked at CarMax part-time for less than a year

Pros – Was able to work part time and earn extra cash. Good training, set schedule, clear job requirements, easy to understand pay scale. Get to drive almost every kind of car out there.

Cons – The hours can get long, especially when you don't have sales coming in. No downtime, always on ready to go, it is a sales job after all.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at CarMax full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – great environment, always training on behaviors, and open communication with management.

Cons – Work weekends, days off are not steady

Advice to Senior Management – Keep up the great work with the team.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at CarMax full-time for less than a year

Pros – Very good company, everyone is helpful and friendly

Cons – The sales is straight commission no base salary.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at CarMax full-time for more than a year

Pros – Busy times equals good pay

Cons – Slow seasons equals bad pay

Advice to Senior Management – Happy with the company so far

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at CarMax full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – A great team of people in the stores.

Cons – Upper Management tends to single out favorites for promotions.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at CarMax full-time for more than a year

Pros – Many incentives to do a good job. CEO really cares about employees. Fun place to work depending on store. You can transfer to many different stores if you move. There are growth opportunities but it's not the same path for everyone. I've known people who moved up way too quickly and those that are over-qualified not allowed to move up.

Cons – Politics. Management sometimes doesn't know what is going on and need more training. Growth opportunities can be stunted for petty issues or things that don't even have to do with an employees job.

Advice to Senior Management – Take more time to learn about what people do at the store level and how they contribute.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at CarMax as a contractor for more than a year

Pros – Forward thinking on some projects that are marketing focused. Some projects get priority and get all the resources to be successful.

The Gym is great.

Lots of good people there.

Cons – Projects related to run-the-shop are too frequently re-prioritized while being worked on. This makes it very difficult to be successful in project implementation. Priorities on IT projects change too frequently. Being told to drop what you're workng on and work on something else multiple times a week makes it impossible to get any work done.

Estimates are thoroughly gathered then the team is told to accomplish the same with less resources. This leads to projects not completed properly and basically the plug is pulled when funding runs out, so whatever is completed is the final product.

They advertise no set paid time off... but there is a number and they wont let you go over that number. Basically you are entitled to that or less but nothing is accrued so you are not truely entitled to any.

Advice to Senior Management – Set realistic expectations of project teams based on the estimates given. If resources are pulled, adjust project timelines. Have a long term strategy and set priorities based on that strategy. Accept estimates for what they are and set priorities on that information instead of forching lower estimates.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at CarMax part-time for less than a year

Pros – Fun atmosphere, friendly employees. Ability to make a TON of cash if you are dedicated and persistent. Good opportunity to learn a lot about different vehicles. A true inside view of the used car industry. Perks of working for a Fortune 500 company including fun events and tasty provided lunches.

Cons – Long days are possible and will happen. Sales managers expect you to take sales calls on your days off and even come in. You may see ten or more customers before you even have the remote chance of making a buck. Numbers, numbers, numbers driven management, be prepared to defend yourself if you have a lousy week / month. Good training, but, you aren't making a dime at training, unless you are still a trainee / hourly.

Advice to Senior Management – Newly promoted managers have little to no personality, it's all regurgitated CarMax University and training seminars talking there, no human behind the comments. Some managers are so driven by the numbers they fail to realize what customers truly want. At times it can feel like sales managers are almost pushing you right to the edge of high pressure sales. A tip for future managers, take it easy on the employees, let them learn the sales process and what works and what doesn't, it may take some time but they will make a sale.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at CarMax full-time for less than a year

Pros – Can be nice if you are interested in the Sales, Business, and Buyers departments. Those three departments can help you get ahead.

Cons – The Operations department that I worked for was indeed very volume oriented even though they said detail oriented first and then volume later. Because I take pride in things that I do, this was not the position for me, at least according to my supervisor.

Advice to Senior Management – Hire Cosmetic Supervisors who know HOW to supervise and WHAT to supervise. My supervisor had been there a year and I knew more than he did in just 2 months. Make sure they do not skip steps to make us detailers cut corners and do things we are not hired to do. Also, the policy in place that says one may not move positions until 6 months of working at Carmax should only be put into place for EACH department, not as a whole. I have a bachelors and a position opened in the buyers department that I was eligible for but I would have to wait 4 more months to apply for it but I was in the Operations department. Each department has a unique set of needed skills and my skills would fit better in the position I wanted rather than the position I had. Plus, if I were to be hired to that position and someone was hired to fill my operations position, then you would increase productivity overall by matching people to areas they are actually good at.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at CarMax full-time for more than a year

Pros – LOVE my co-workers, upbeat enviornment, great employee discount on cars, benefits are OK

Cons – Micromanaged untill you are blue in the face, constant unpaid meetings and trainings, managements expectations on sales people are always unrealistic, no incentives or bonuses for hitting sales goals (unless your in management)

Advice to Senior Management – STOP sneaking up on people from behind for the sole purpose of catching them doing something wrong. Let sales people do their job and stop overloading us with things to do that dont involve being with customers and selling cars. Its almost like Sales people spend more time working on "development" than actually being out selling cars. Thats money out of OUR pockets when you keep us from the selling floor.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend