How to Get a Job at Avis
One of the most popular car rental brands in the world, Avis performs hiring on a continual basis to fill customer service, sales, and management positions regularly available at roughly 5,700 locations in more than 160 countries. Applicants looking to work for the leading rental car provider must successfully complete the Avis interview process in order to obtain employment.
General Hiring Practices
Avis hiring managers typically interview each candidate multiple times, with entry-level job seekers usually undergoing initial phone screenings before interviewing once or twice in-person. Applicants pursuing management careers generally participate in two or three Avis interview sessions beyond the opening round of phone interviews.
What Happens During Interviews?
Phone interviews serve as pre-screening conversations used to determine whether candidates advance to face-to-face interview sessions and often last between 20 and 30 minutes. Interviewers normally use the introductory phone screenings to ask basic questions like, "What do you know about Avis?" and "How would past employers describe you?" Applicants often need to establish their suitability for Avis jobs by responding to queries such as, "Why do you think you'll succeed in this customer service/sales/management position?" and "Do you work well under pressure?" Job interviews conducted by phone also commonly include a few situational questions about how to deal with customers in certain scenarios.
The Hiring Process for Customer Service Applicants
Customer service is the basis of many Avis interview questions encountered in-person, as well. Successful phone interviewees meet with Avis hiring managers face-to-face, typically in 1:1 formats, and field questions like: "What was the worst customer you ever dealt with, and how did you handle the situation?", "How would you go about calming an upset customer?", and "Could you tell me about a time when you went above and beyond the required duties to assist a customer?" In addition to series of questions centered on customer service, Avis interviews regularly feature role-playing activities in which prospective employees sell randomly chosen objects, like pens or staplers, to hiring managers. Avis interviewers may also give details about hypothetical customers and ask applicants for appropriate vehicle recommendations.
Additional Interview Questions
Along with responding to queries about dealing with various types of customers, potential managers normally face additional Avis interview questions involving the proper handling of employees. Avis hiring officials like to see how managerial candidates work with direct reports by making inquiries like, "How would you convince a good employee to stay if you knew he/she was thinking about quitting?" and "How have you helped coach an employee who wasn't doing a good job?" Interviewers often present aspiring managers with situations, such as, "A sales associate is calling you on your day off because your location is out of rental cars and customers are irate. What do you do?" which test leadership skills and problem-solving abilities. Managerial applicants commonly have to describe their personal style of management during Avis job interviews, as well.
Avis Rental Sales Associate Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Avis Rental Sales Associate: My job title was a rental sales associate. What I did was I tried to meet the customer’s needs by finding a vehicle that best suited them and their family and what they were there for in that city.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Avis Rental Sales Associate: The pace was fairly moderate to fast. Whenever a flight came in or whenever it was like Thanksgiving or Christmas or something like that, folks would in and they wanted a very specific car. You just have to try to get the crowd down as fast as possible and just maintain a friendly, charismatic tone. Just help those folks get what they need.
Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
Avis Rental Sales Associate: My favorite part was you got to experience the as you had to know what you were selling. You got to drive them. You got to look at them. You got to see the features. They were the newest cars. That’s what I like about them.
Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Avis Rental Sales Associate: I’d go in, clock in, find out how the day was as far as what kind of vehicles we had. We would have Corvettes or BMWs and stuff like that. We’ll try to sell those. See what kind of promotions they had going on for the day. For instance, if we got somebody to a Corvette, we’d probably get a $50 gift certificate or whatnot. From then, I would find out who’s coming in on the schedule as far as customers and stuff like that and what they wanted and see what we had. If we didn’t have what they wanted, try to game plan a way to get what they needed. That was pretty much my day.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Avis Rental Sales Associate: The application process, I went there. I filled it out. I spoke to the person in charge. I made sure that they knew who I was. I spoke to them maybe four or five times within a week. The interview process was really lax. It was a two on one. It was two people there. They spoke to me, asked me some questions and stuff like that, about the type of person I am, am I good with salesmanship, and things like that. Maybe about a week or so later, I got the job.
Interviewer: What did you wear to the job interview?
Avis Rental Sales Associate: A shirt and tie. Shirt, tie, slacks and dress shoes because that’s what you’re going to work in. They want to see that you’re presentable. You know how to dress. You know what kind of things you’re wearing, things like that.
Interviewer: How were you notified that you received the job?
Avis Rental Sales Associate: I actually called them and they told me that they would send me for a drug test to come in. I went in, got my papers and I did that. The drug test took maybe two week but the overall process took maybe a max of like a month, probably a week and a half after I applied to get my interview, maybe two days after that to get the papers and then approximately two weeks to get it all completed.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Avis Rental Sales Associate: The biggest thing is salesmanship and dealing with people because people are frustrated. People want their cars. Sometimes the cars aren’t there on time. You have to learn to be patient and just really address their needs as best as you can. They’re really looking for those types of people.
Isabella Neo Oliphant says:
I went for an interview with Avis last year in February. It was for a call center agent and I did not get the job. According to my observation the interview was conducted in a decent and professional manner. I think the interview went well on my side besides me being nervous but they told me the reason I did not get the job was that there were more candidates with call center experience which I did not have.