Pilot Flying J General Manager Interview Questions
& Process

The process starts with a recruiter phone call, but scheduling it is a nightmare. You give your availability for the next 10 days, they get back saying none of it works, then you give another 10 days, and finally, after a few more days, a date is set for 5 days out. Then there's a very long phone interview, a super long assessment (over 2 hours) with some wild questions, another shorter phone chat, and then you wait for a job preview. The job preview happens with a weird GM, a really nice AGM, and their grumpy-looking staff in the store. After that, you wait for feedback, which you get in a phone conversation. Then it's more waiting to schedule a meeting with the regional managers. This whole thing takes forever (3-4 weeks). It turns out you absolutely MUST be willing to relocate anywhere, like some remote place in Nebraska. I was asked about relocation during the phone part and I never said anywhere, especially not Nebraska! If you aren't willing to move to random, out-of-the-way towns, you won't get hired. I was told by a regional guy that because I limited my relocation options, I wouldn't be hired, essentially. He also mentioned that certain states are 'rewards' for performing GMs. This pretty much ended my interview. Pilot could be a decent place to work, but the recruiters really need to be upfront that you must be willing and able to move to some random town in Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, etc. This would save everyone a lot of time. I feel misled and like my time was wasted.

I went to one of their Retail Manager Hiring Events. A region manager was there so I could do all my interviews in one go. Since I was first, I talked to the Region Manager instead of the GM. She asked a lot of STAR questions and typed notes on an iPad. She also wanted to know the good and bad about all my past jobs to see if I'd have problems with Pilot Flying J. The interview was about 35-40 mins. No surprises. Then I had to fill out an online application and she sent me a link for online assessments. I've taken a ton of these and even studied them in grad school, but this was the hardest one ever. Get ready with pen, paper, and a calculator. It had questions about number sequences, word similarities, ratios, patterns, and analogies, plus a personality part. After that, I shadowed a GM for 4 hours to see if I really wanted the job and to check out my management style. Finally, one last phone call with a Divisional VP/Regional HR and it's done.

I had several phone interviews and then an in-person one. Each person I spoke with asked different questions, basically checking if I'd be a good fit for the team. I liked all the interviews and felt prepared because the recruiter did a great job. I wasn't intimidated at all. Honestly, I think they have the best interview process I've experienced.