Con-way Freight Interview Questions
& Process

Back in 2012, the interview process for the Manager in Training role was pretty tough. It started with one phone interview and then three more interviews on-site. This Manager in Training role is like an entry-level position for folks with a bachelor's degree, and after about 3-4 months, you'd get promoted to the actual job, which for me was Supply Chain Manager. You should be prepared to share good examples of when you were responsible for a task, especially if you managed people effectively. And definitely bring those referral letters!

The interview process was pretty disorganized. Trying to schedule it was a nightmare, I must have called 6-7 times and it just kept ringing. When someone finally answered, they weren't even from the company I applied to, but Conway Truckload. They gave me the number I had already been dialing. Once I got there, I was passed around to three different managers who seemed way too busy and acted like I was a bother. Then I met with the VP, who spent more time bragging about his 'achievements' than actually interviewing me. He just used a bunch of LEAN buzzwords that didn't answer my questions, even though LEAN isn't really applicable to transportation. It felt like they didn't actually know what LEAN was, but they kept pushing it. The VP even had a sticker of himself as a superhero on his wall. During the interview, someone actually interrupted to ask for chocolate. It was really unprofessional. Even the frontline managers couldn't answer basic questions about the job. It seemed like nobody in upper management understood how their own department worked, and I doubted their intelligence for their positions. For a department as crucial as linehaul, their ignorance during the interview was astonishing. I left with a terrible impression and decided I wouldn't work with them.

You start by applying through the internal employee portal. If you pass the initial screening, you'll have a phone interview with the Director of Operations for your region. If that goes well, you'll proceed to a face-to-face interview with the DOO and potentially the VP of Operations for the Area. My advice is to be political. They will ask about your workplace reputation and how well you engage employees. Be aware, even though they sell you on the process, they often have someone already in mind for the role. The interviews can sometimes feel like a formality to justify their choice.

I got in touch with their regional operations group to see if there were any openings. I actually went through interviews before they even posted the job. I had two in-person interviews. They both went over my resume, asking for specific examples of challenges I faced and how I solved them at each place I worked. The interviewers were looking for concrete examples of reaching goals and handling difficult team members. Both managers seemed to really think I'd be a good fit. Once that was done, they posted the job, told me to apply, and said we'd talk again. I got an official heads-up from corporate HR that I was still in the running. But, because they posted it nationally, someone who used to work there with 8-10 years of experience applied and got the job.