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The Pillars of an Award-Winning Program
CarMax was selected as a 2023 Campus Forward Award Winner for their unwavering commitment to seeking out and hiring early career talent, their emphasis on diversity & inclusion, and investments in nurturing and retaining the next generation of talent. Please see below for the highlights of their approach to early career recruitment.
Demonstrated Investment in Early Career Hiring
CarMax is passionate about investing in early career talent because the company recognizes how important it is to recruit and retain new associates with an array of different backgrounds and new perspectives. At CarMax, there is a strong emphasis on associate growth and development. The company’s internship program and entry-level roles are great places to start a career journey. For example, CarMax offers an entry -evel rotational program, which provides participants with robust opportunities to learn and try new skills, so that they can truly focus their careers in spaces that they will love and thrive in.
Innovative and Multi-Faceted Approach to University Recruitment
In an environment that is constantly changing, CarMax’s College Recruiting team works to stay agile through the recruiting seasons. Exercising a hybrid approach, the team attends careers fairs and other recruiting events both in person and remotely to maximize candidate interactions. The early careers team at CarMax implements the company’s value of ‘Putting People First’ into every step of their application process. The team works hard to ensure that students are fully informed about CarMax and the position they are applying for. A few ways the team at CarMax creates a positive experience is by providing Case Interview Prep Workshops, sending candidates interview preparation materials (including Q&A sessions during interviews), and providing interview results within 1-2 business days. CarMax is also giving candidates an opportunity to visit the home office in Richmond, VA to meet with company leaders and experience the company environment firsthand.
Overarching Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
The CarMax culture of diversity and inclusion is built on a foundation of integrity and respect, driven by its core values. The College Recruiting team is passionate about recruiting a diverse group of students, and recognizes the importance of students with diverse perspectives joining CarMax at the early career level. The team works to build relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as organizations such as SWE and NSBE. CarMax associates are continuously learning about D&I through company-wide lessons and team discussions on themes such as empathy, allyship, identity, and more, that influences how they interact with their associates, customers, and communities.
Impactful Internship Program
At CarMax, interns get to experience what it is like to work for a Fortune 500 company in areas such as Technology, Data Analytics, Product, Accounting, and Process Engineering. During the program, interns own projects that make an impact on the business and provide them with opportunities to learn new skillsets. In addition to their projects, interns are immersed in the CarMax culture by meeting with senior leaders, and attending networking events, team-building sessions, and community service events. Interns engage with each other on a regular basis by attending intern-led lunch and learns and events outside of work.
Growth and Development of the Next Generation of Talent
Growth and development are an important part of the CarMax culture. CarMax invests in the retention and success of entry-level hires by providing rotational programs in the Analytics and Technology fields. By going through the rotational programs, associates will have access to top-tier training on the job, and will have the opportunity to work with 2-3 different teams over the course of the program. This not only provides insight into different areas of the business, but allows their hires to try new skills and find what they are passionate about. Even after the rotation programs have been completed, CarMax associates will continue to have mentorship and training opportunities to ensure they are constantly learning and growing.