1. What is a Consultant at Autonation?

As a Consultant at Autonation, you are the primary driver of the automotive retail experience. You serve as the face of the dealership, guiding customers through one of the most significant purchasing decisions they make. This role goes far beyond traditional customer service; it is a high-impact, consultative sales position that directly fuels the revenue and operational success of the store.

Your impact in this role is immediate and measurable. You will be responsible for managing both internet leads and walk-in traffic, matching clients with the right vehicles, and navigating them through the complexities of automotive financing and sales processes. Whether you are working at an Autonation Ford, Volkswagen, or any other branded dealership within the network, your ability to build rapport and close deals shapes the customer's perception of the Autonation brand.

Expect a fast-paced, highly competitive environment. The Consultant role requires a unique blend of sharp interpersonal skills, relentless work ethic, and adaptability. You will be stepping into an ecosystem where performance is heavily rewarded, but the demands on your time, energy, and resilience are substantial. If you thrive in high-stakes environments and possess a true entrepreneurial drive, this role offers exceptional earning potential and a clear pathway into dealership management.

2. Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparation for an Autonation interview requires a shift in mindset: you must treat the interview process itself as your first major sale. Your interviewers are evaluating you not just on your answers, but on your presence, persistence, and ability to navigate pressure.

Focus your preparation on these key evaluation criteria:

• Sales Acumen and Process Knowledge – Interviewers want to see how you structure a sale from the initial greeting to the final close. You must demonstrate an understanding of how to qualify a buyer, handle objections, and guide a negotiation.
• Resilience and Work Ethic – The automotive industry demands long hours and a thick skin. You will be evaluated on your grit, your ability to handle rejection, and your readiness to operate in a "sink or swim" environment.
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills – Your "phone voice," your computer proficiency, and your ability to build immediate trust are critical. Interviewers will look for a confident, engaging personality that can adapt to different types of customers.
• Culture Fit and Drive – Autonation values highly motivated, goal-oriented individuals. You must show that you are hungry for success, motivated by performance-based compensation, and capable of thriving within a competitive dealership culture.

3. Interview Process Overview

The interview process for a Consultant at Autonation is highly interpersonal and typically involves a gauntlet of conversations with various dealership leaders. You should expect to meet with multiple managers—often including the Sales Manager, Internet/Used Car Manager, and the General Manager. This process can sometimes happen entirely in a single day, or it may be spread across a couple of days depending on manager availability.

Expect a straightforward, sometimes blunt interviewing style. Dealership managers are busy and focused on results; they may test your composure by asking direct questions about your work ethic, your ability to handle long hours, and your financial motivations. The process is designed to be a realistic preview of the dealership floor. If you successfully navigate the managerial interviews, you will often receive an offer on the spot or within a few hours, contingent upon standard onboarding procedures like background checks and drug screenings.

This timeline outlines the typical progression from your initial application or recruiter screening through the multi-manager onsite interviews. Use this visual to anticipate the rapid pace of the final stages; you must be prepared to close the deal with the General Manager as soon as you clear the initial sales manager hurdles.

4. Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

To succeed, you must understand exactly what the management team is looking for during your conversations. Below are the core areas you will be tested on.

Sales Strategy and Process Handling

Your ability to control a conversation and guide a customer through a structured buying process is paramount. Managers will often ask you to role-play or walk them through a typical sale to gauge your instincts. They want to see if you understand the psychology of a buyer and how to maintain momentum in a transaction.

Be ready to go over:

• Lead Conversion – How you handle internet leads versus walk-in traffic, and how you get a customer to commit to an appointment.
• Needs Analysis – How you ask the right questions to match a customer with a vehicle that fits their lifestyle and budget.
• Objection Handling – Your strategies for overcoming common hurdles, such as price concerns or trade-in valuations.
• Closing Techniques – Advanced strategies for asking for the sale and transitioning the customer to the finance office.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through how you would handle a customer from the moment they step onto the lot to the moment they drive away."
• "A customer tells you the price is too high and they want to think about it. How do you respond?"
• "Pitch me this pen (or another object in the room)."

Resilience and Dealership Readiness

The reality of automotive sales is that it requires immense stamina. Managers will be explicitly blunt about the demanding hours and the "sink or swim" nature of the training. They are testing your reaction to ensure you won't quit when the job gets tough. Strong candidates do not shy away from these warnings; they embrace them as the cost of high earning potential.

Be ready to go over:

• Schedule Flexibility – Your willingness to work weekends, holidays, and extended shifts to close deals.
• Handling Rejection – How you bounce back after a customer walks out or a deal falls through in finance.
• Self-Motivated Learning – How you plan to get up to speed on vehicle features and dealership CRM tools quickly.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "You will be expected to work long hours and weekends. Are you prepared for that?"
• "Tell me about a time you failed to reach a goal and how you handled it."
• "How do you stay motivated during a slow week on the lot?"

Personality Profiling and Communication

Autonation places a heavy emphasis on hiring the right personality type for the business. You need to possess a strong, clear "phone voice" and the ability to project confidence. Furthermore, modern car sales require solid computer proficiency to manage customer databases and follow-up tasks.

Be ready to go over:

• Rapport Building – Your ability to find common ground with anyone quickly.
• Professional Persistence – How you follow up with prospects without being overly aggressive.
• Digital Fluency – Your comfort level with CRM software and digital communication channels.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about your greatest professional achievement."
• "How do you organize your daily follow-up calls with potential buyers?"
• "Why do you think you have the right personality for the car business?"

5. Key Responsibilities

As a Consultant, your day-to-day routine is a mix of proactive outreach, customer relationship management, and active selling. You will start your day by reviewing your CRM, following up on internet leads, and contacting previous customers to generate referrals. When you are not on the phone or computer, you will be on the floor or the lot, ready to greet walk-in traffic.

You will guide customers through the entire Autonation sales process. This includes conducting vehicle walkarounds, accompanying customers on test drives, and presenting pricing options. You are the bridge between the customer and the dealership's internal teams; you will work closely with the Used Car Manager to appraise trade-ins and the Finance and Insurance (F&I) Manager to finalize the purchase paperwork.

A significant portion of your responsibility involves continuous self-education. You must stay updated on the latest vehicle models, features, and manufacturer incentives to provide expert advice. Ultimately, your job is to create a seamless, transparent, and exciting buying experience that turns first-time buyers into lifelong Autonation customers.

6. Role Requirements & Qualifications

To be a competitive candidate for the Consultant role, you need a specific blend of drive, interpersonal skills, and basic technical competencies. While a college degree is rarely required, a proven track record of hard work is essential.

• Must-have skills – Exceptional verbal communication, a strong and professional phone presence, and basic computer proficiency (ability to learn and manage a CRM system). You must also possess a valid driver's license and a clean driving record.
• Experience level – While prior automotive sales experience is highly valued, it is not always mandatory. Autonation frequently hires candidates with backgrounds in retail, hospitality, or general sales, provided they demonstrate the right personality and work ethic.
• Soft skills – Relentless persistence, high emotional intelligence, the ability to read people, and extreme resilience to rejection and long hours.
• Nice-to-have skills – Prior experience with automotive CRM tools (like VinSolutions or eLeads), bilingual abilities, and specific brand knowledge relevant to the dealership you are applying to.

7. Common Interview Questions

Your interview will feature a mix of behavioral questions, scenario-based sales tests, and direct inquiries about your work ethic. The questions below represent patterns seen in Autonation interviews. Use them to practice delivering confident, concise answers.

Sales and Scenario Navigation

These questions test your instincts on the floor and your understanding of the sales cycle.

• Walk me through a typical sale from start to finish.
• How would you handle a customer who says they are just looking?
• What is your approach to following up with a lead who hasn't responded to your last three calls?
• How do you build value in a vehicle before discussing the price?
• Sell me on why you are the best fit for this dealership.

Drive and Work History

Managers want to ensure you have the stamina and motivation to survive the dealership environment.

• Why do you think you can do this job?
• This job requires horrific hours and working weekends. How does that fit into your lifestyle?
• What is your greatest professional achievement?
• Tell me about a time you had to learn a complex process quickly with little training.
• What are your financial goals for your first year here?

Personality and Fit

These questions assess whether your demeanor aligns with the aggressive, fast-paced culture of auto sales.

• Why do you want to work in the car business?
• How do you handle working with a manager who is very blunt or demanding?
• Describe a time you dealt with a difficult or angry customer.
• What motivates you more: helping people or making money?

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many hours will I actually be working? Expect to work 50 to 60+ hours a week, especially in your first year. Dealerships operate on evenings, weekends, and holidays. Managers will explicitly warn you about the "horrific hours" during the interview—they are not exaggerating, and they want to see that you are unfazed by the commitment.

Q: Is the training really "sink or swim"? Yes, in many locations. While Autonation provides corporate onboarding and basic sales training, the day-to-day reality on the floor requires you to be highly proactive. You must take the initiative to shadow top performers, learn the inventory, and master the CRM system independently.

Q: How long does the hiring process take? The interview process is usually very fast. You may meet with all necessary managers in a single afternoon or across two days. If they like you, verbal offers are often made on the spot. However, the official onboarding—which includes a background check and drug test—can take a week or two to clear before your official start date.

Q: Do I need prior car sales experience to get hired? No. While it helps, managers are primarily looking for the right "personality type for the business." If you have a strong work ethic, a great phone voice, computer proficiency, and a hunger to make money, they will teach you the automotive specifics.

9. Other General Tips

• Treat the Interview Like a Sale: From the moment you walk in, you are being evaluated on your salesmanship. Greet everyone confidently, maintain strong eye contact, ask closing questions at the end of the interview (e.g., "Is there any reason you wouldn't move forward with me today?"), and follow up aggressively.
• Show Thick Skin: You may encounter managers who are intentionally rude, blunt, or seem disinterested. This is a common stress-test in automotive interviews to see how you handle pressure and rejection. Stay positive, keep your composure, and keep selling yourself.
• Dress for the Floor: Appearance matters immensely in car sales. Wear a professional, well-tailored suit or high-end business professional attire. You want the General Manager to easily visualize you greeting their top-tier clients.
• Emphasize Your Financial Drive: Dealerships want hungry salespeople. Do not be afraid to admit that you are highly motivated by money and the uncapped earning potential of the Consultant role. It shows you have the drive necessary to survive the long hours.

10. Summary & Next Steps

Securing a Consultant role at Autonation is your gateway into a lucrative, fast-paced career in automotive retail. The role demands high energy, incredible resilience, and a natural talent for building relationships and closing deals. By understanding the multi-manager interview gauntlet and preparing for the blunt, high-pressure questions, you will set yourself apart from the average applicant.

This compensation data reflects the highly variable, performance-based nature of the role. Your earning potential is directly tied to your hustle, your ability to master the sales process, and the volume of units you move.

Focus your final preparations on perfecting your personal pitch, structuring your answers to demonstrate resilience, and practicing your closing techniques. Remember that your interviewers want you to succeed—they are actively looking for the next top performer to add to their floor. Approach the interviews with confidence, treat every interaction as an opportunity to showcase your sales acumen, and leverage the insights available on Dataford to refine your strategy. You have the drive and the tools to close this deal.