General Motors interview questions are competency-based: GM says they focus on behaviours and job requirements, are validated for each position, and help it understand how you uphold its Values and Behaviors. GM asks you to answer them in STAR format with real, job-related examples.
The process details below come from GM's How We Hire page and its careers FAQ, linked as we go. Where GM doesn't say something, we say so.
The General Motors hiring process at a glance
GM says its process "differs from role-to-role" and sets out three tracks:
| Step | Experienced, students and recent graduates | Skilled trades | Production and warehouse |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Apply | Apply online for a specific opening | Apply online | Apply online |
| 2. Assess | Screened for qualifications; you may be asked to complete an assessment | Screened for qualifications; if you meet them, you move to the interview | Application reviewed against the qualifications |
| 3. Interview | Scheduled if you move forward | Scheduled if you move forward | No interview step listed |
| 4. Offer | Offer to the most qualified candidate, then a drug screen and background check | Offer, then a drug screen and background check | Offer if you meet the qualifications, then a drug screen and background check |
On timing, GM's FAQ says it "generally" takes a couple of weeks from application to offer, varying by role and how many candidates apply.
What is the General Motors hiring process?
You apply online, GM screens your application and may ask you to take an assessment, you interview, and the most qualified candidate gets an offer. After an offer is extended, GM asks you to complete a drug screen and background check.
Applying
- Apply for a specific opening on GM's careers site. You get an email confirmation once your application is submitted.
- You can save and come back to an application before the posting expires. Once you submit, you can't change it.
- Check your status on your Workday candidate home page, and withdraw from a role there at any time.
- No matching role? Join GM's talent community to hear about future openings.
- Returning to work after a break? GM says it welcomes career re-entry candidates.
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Does General Motors have an assessment?
Some roles do. GM says that if you meet the qualifications for an experienced, student or graduate role, you "may be asked to complete an assessment". It doesn't publish what the assessment contains, how long it takes or how it's scored.
Prep sites name particular test providers, coding tests and video interviews for GM. GM's careers pages don't confirm any of them, so follow the instructions in your invitation. If your assessment gives you workplace scenarios, our guide to situational judgement tests explains that format, and our guide to psychometric assessments covers the common types.
What is the General Motors interview process?
If you move forward, GM schedules an interview. For most roles, Ev-e, GM's virtual assistant, handles scheduling. GM doesn't publish how many interviews there are or how long they last; your recruiter can tell you.
GM's interview advice, from its How We Hire page:
| When | What GM says |
|---|---|
| Before | For in-person interviews, someone from GM meets you on arrival and takes you to your first interview. For virtual ones, test your internet connection and log in early. Review any preparation material your recruiter sends. |
| During | Questions are competency-based, validated for each position, and cover skills, knowledge, values and behaviours. Use the STAR format with real examples from previous roles. Ask all your questions before the interview ends. |
| After | Send further questions to your recruiter, who will contact you once a hiring decision is made. |
If you need an accommodation for the interview, GM asks you to contact your recruiter, email Careers.Accommodations@GM.com or call 800-865-7580.
What happens after the General Motors interview?
Your recruiter contacts you once GM makes a hiring decision. If you're the chosen candidate, GM extends an offer and asks you to complete a drug screen and background check.
Watch out for fake offers. GM's recruitment scam alert says it doesn't charge fees before, during or after recruitment, doesn't collect sensitive personal or financial information as a pre-employment requirement, and that official communication comes only from email addresses ending in @gm.com.
Common General Motors interview questions and how to answer them
GM says the questions in your interview help it understand how you uphold its Values (Customers, Excellence, Relationships, Truth) and its eight Behaviors. Each question below maps to one of them. Answer with the STAR method, as GM asks.
1. Tell me about yourself.
Give a short summary of your current role, the experience most relevant to this job and why you want to work at GM. Tie it to the team: electrification, software, manufacturing or whatever the posting covers.
2. Why do you want to work at General Motors?
Be specific. GM's How We Hire page points candidates to its work on electric vehicles, autonomous driving and sustainability. Pick the area closest to your role and say what draws you to it.
3. Tell me about a time you did the right thing when it was hard.
This tests Win with Integrity: doing the right thing even when it's hard, being honest and transparent, and never compromising on safety. A real example where you raised a safety or quality concern works well.
4. Describe a time you understood what a customer needed before they asked.
Commit to Customers, in GM's words, means anticipating customer needs and delivering quality and affordability. Your "customer" can be an internal team. Show how you found out what they needed and what changed as a result.
5. Tell me about a time you had to adapt to a big change at work.
This maps to Innovate and Embrace Change: curiosity, trying new ideas, pivoting when needed and learning when things don't work. Include what you learned, especially if the first attempt failed.
6. Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague or manager.
GM's Speak Fearlessly behaviour is about challenging each other respectfully with feedback grounded in facts, debating openly, then moving forward. Show how you used facts, kept it respectful and committed to the decision.
7. Describe a time you had to deliver quickly under pressure.
Move with Urgency means moving quickly and thoughtfully and focusing on what matters most. Explain how you prioritised and what you chose not to do.
8. Tell me about a time you brought different views into a decision.
This tests Be Inclusive: inviting diverse views and encouraging open dialogue. Describe how you made sure quieter or different voices were heard and how it improved the result.
9. Give an example of working across teams to reach a shared goal.
Lead as One Team is about collaborating with context and clarity and succeeding together. Show how you kept others informed and supported them.
10. Tell me about a time something went wrong and you owned it.
GM's Own the Outcome behaviour is about accountability, tackling problems head on and making hard decisions. Say what went wrong, what you did to fix it and what you changed afterwards.
11. Tell me about a time you challenged an assumption.
GM's value of Truth says it pursues facts and respectfully challenges assumptions. Give an example where data or testing changed a plan.
12. What is the most technical problem you've solved in a role like this?
GM says its interviews cover skills and knowledge as well as behaviours. Choose an example from the job description's core requirements and explain your reasoning step by step.
13. Do you have any questions for us?
GM asks you to ask all your questions before the interview ends. Ask about the team's current priorities, how success is measured in the first months, or the development and mentoring GM offers.
How to prepare for a General Motors interview
- Find your track. GM's process differs for experienced and early-career roles, skilled trades, and production and warehouse roles.
- Learn the four Values and eight Behaviors on GM's How We Hire page, and prepare a STAR story for each behaviour.
- Read the job description closely, since GM validates questions for each position.
- Review any material your recruiter sends, as GM advises.
- For virtual interviews, test your connection and log in early.
- Practise out loud. Our list of behavioural interview questions gives you more to work with, and a mock interview helps you tighten your answers.
- Check every recruiter email comes from an @gm.com address.
Practising realistic work tasks
GM's interviews ask how you've handled real situations: safety calls, disagreements, deadlines and change. Cohesyve, which publishes this guide, runs practice job simulations for your role, with a scored report on where you lost marks. It isn't affiliated with General Motors and doesn't use GM's interview questions or assessments.
FAQs
How long does the General Motors hiring process take?
GM says it generally takes a couple of weeks from application to offer, varying by role and the number of candidates. You can check your status on your Workday candidate home page.
Does General Motors drug test?
Yes. GM says that after an offer is extended you'll be asked to complete a drug screen and background check.
What kind of interview questions does GM ask?
Competency-based questions focused on behaviours and job requirements, validated for each position. GM says they help it understand how you uphold its Values and Behaviors, and asks you to answer in STAR format.
Does GM interview production workers?
GM's How We Hire page lists apply, assess and offer for production and warehouse roles, with no interview step. Skilled trades roles include an interview.
Can I edit my GM application after submitting it?
No. GM says you can save and return to an application before the posting expires, but you can't change it once it's submitted.
Does GM charge fees to apply?
No. GM says it doesn't charge fees at any stage of recruitment and only contacts candidates from @gm.com email addresses.
Sources
General Motors' own pages, checked 27 October 2026:
- search-careers.gm.com: How We Hire
- search-careers.gm.com: Hiring FAQ
- search-careers.gm.com: Recruitment Scam Alerts
- search-careers.gm.com: Early Careers
- search-careers.gm.com: Production & Skilled Trades