PepsiCo interviews revolve around five leadership principles it calls the GREAT5: Growth, Relationships, Execution, Agility and Thinking. Its applicant help page says that in your interview "we'll ask you to share real examples that show how you bring these principles to life", and that this applies whatever your role.
Everything below about the process comes from PepsiCo's careers site, linked as we go. Where PepsiCo doesn't say something, we say so rather than guess. The interview questions further down are ones to prepare for, built from the GREAT5 definitions PepsiCo publishes.
PepsiCo hiring process at a glance
PepsiCo describes two paths, and says "the steps differ by role".
| Step | Professional roles | U.S. hourly jobs |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Review | Your application is reviewed against the role | Your application responses and assessment results are reviewed against the role |
| 2. First conversation | A short phone or video call with a recruiter | A virtual or onsite interview with the recruitment and/or hiring team |
| 3. Interviews | One or more conversations with the hiring team, asking for GREAT5 examples | Covered in step 2 |
| 4. Decision and offer | The recruiter walks you through the offer | You receive an offer for a role on the team |
| 5. Pre-employment | Not described | Background checks, which differ by role |
| 6. First day | Not described | Your new team leaders contact you with what you need |
PepsiCo doesn't publish how long any of these steps take.
What is the PepsiCo hiring process?
You apply online at pepsicojobs.com, PepsiCo reviews your application against the role, and if it's a match you're contacted about next steps. From there the path depends on whether you've applied for a professional role or a U.S. hourly job.
U.S. hourly jobs cover manufacturing, warehouse, distribution, delivery, transportation, route sales and merchandising. For these, PepsiCo's recruiting chat assistant, askpep, can help you apply and check your status. PepsiCo says askpep is an automated assistant, not a person, and is available to U.S. candidates only.
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How does PepsiCo review applications?
For professional roles, a recruiter compares your application with the job. For U.S. hourly jobs, PepsiCo reviews your "application responses and assessment results" against the role. If it's a match, you'll be contacted.
Because the job description is what you're measured against, read it closely before you apply and make sure your application reflects the duties it lists.
Does PepsiCo have an assessment?
U.S. hourly applicants complete one: PepsiCo's hiring steps for those jobs refer to "assessment results". PepsiCo doesn't publish what the assessment covers, how long it takes, how it's scored or whether you can retake it, so treat any specific question counts you read elsewhere as unconfirmed.
If it shows you workplace scenarios and asks what you'd do, it's a situational judgement format. Our guide to situational judgement tests explains how that format works in general. PepsiCo doesn't name a test provider, and none of our employer-test guides covers a PepsiCo assessment.
What is the PepsiCo interview process like?
For professional roles, it starts with a short phone or video call with a recruiter about your experience and the role, then one or more interviews with the hiring team. For U.S. hourly jobs, you may be invited to a virtual or onsite interview with the recruitment and/or hiring team, who will tell you more about the job and ask how your experience has prepared you for it.
PepsiCo doesn't publish how many interviews to expect or how long they last. It does say "many of our interviews take place virtually". Its set-up advice:
- test your camera, audio and internet connection ahead of time;
- find a quiet, well-lit space where you won't be interrupted;
- dress as you would for an in-person interview;
- keep the job description and your notes nearby, and water within reach.
If the first stage is a recorded video rather than a live call, our guide to one-way video interviews explains how those work.
What is the GREAT5?
The GREAT5 is PepsiCo's framework for "what it takes to be a great leader", and PepsiCo says it applies to all employees regardless of position. Its definitions, in short:
| Principle | What PepsiCo says it means |
|---|---|
| Growth | Curiosity, learning from new situations, pushing outside your comfort zone and helping others learn |
| Relationships | Building trust across organisational boundaries through integrity, transparency and authenticity; being respectful and inclusive |
| Execution | The energy and enthusiasm to motivate others and reach ambitious goals; simplifying complexity to drive quality results |
| Agility | Adapting your style to a changing business, managing pressure, and championing change |
| Thinking | Using external insights (business, customer or consumer, industry, global), thinking creatively and taking a long-term view |
What happens after the PepsiCo interview?
If you're selected for a professional role, the recruiter walks you through the offer and what to expect next. If the role isn't the right fit, PepsiCo says it will keep you updated and encourage you to explore future openings.
For U.S. hourly jobs, an offer is followed by a pre-employment background check. PepsiCo says these "differ by role" and that you'll get detailed instructions on anything you need to do. Then your new team leaders contact you before your first day.
To check where you are, U.S. hourly applicants ask askpep in the chat on pepsicojobs.com. Everyone else uses the portal where they first applied.
PepsiCo interview questions to prepare for
PepsiCo doesn't publish its interview questions. These are built from the GREAT5 definitions and from what PepsiCo says interviewers ask, so each one tells you what to show.
1. Tell me about yourself and why you applied for this role.
Keep it to your last two or three relevant experiences and end on why this job fits. PepsiCo asks you to "share what motivates you, what you're passionate about". Say what draws you to the work itself.
2. Why do you want to work at PepsiCo?
Be specific. Name the part of the business you'd join (snacks, beverages, manufacturing, sales, supply chain) and something you learned from the job description or PepsiCo's own site. PepsiCo's first interview tip is to learn about the company and the role beforehand.
3. Tell me about a time you learned something new quickly.
This is Growth. Pick a moment you were out of your depth, explain how you got up to speed, and finish with something you then taught someone else, since PepsiCo's definition includes "helping others to learn and develop".
4. Describe a time you built a working relationship with someone outside your team.
This is Relationships. PepsiCo stresses trust "across organizational boundaries", so use an example involving another department, shift, supplier or customer, and show how you kept your word.
5. Tell me about a time you had to deliver results under a tight deadline.
This is Execution. Show the goal, what you did to get others moving, and how you made a complicated task simpler. Finish with a measurable result if you have one.
6. Describe a time your plan changed at short notice.
This is Agility. PepsiCo mentions "managing pressure" and "embracing and championing change", so show how you adapted, stayed calm and helped others adjust.
7. Tell me about a decision you made using information from outside your own job.
This is Thinking. Use an example where customer feedback, market information or another team's data changed what you did, and explain the longer-term effect.
8. Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague or manager.
This tests Relationships and integrity. Show that you raised it directly and respectfully, listened, and kept the focus on the outcome.
9. Describe a time you made a mistake at work.
PepsiCo says it wants "the real you". Pick a genuine mistake, own it, explain how you fixed it and what you changed afterwards.
10. How has your previous experience prepared you for this job?
PepsiCo's hourly interview description uses almost these words. Match two or three duties from the job description to things you've actually done. For warehouse, delivery or manufacturing jobs, cover reliability, safety and working to a schedule.
11. Tell me about a time you helped a teammate succeed.
This draws on Growth and Execution together. Describe what you noticed, what you did to help, and the result for them and the team.
12. What questions do you have for us?
PepsiCo calls interviews "a two-way conversation" and suggests asking about the role, the team, the culture and growth opportunities. Prepare two or three.
Answer the "tell me about a time" questions with a clear structure. Our STAR method guide shows how, and our list of behavioural interview questions gives you more to practise on.
How to prepare for a PepsiCo interview
- Read the job description line by line and note an example from your experience for each main duty.
- Write one real example for each GREAT5 principle. Some examples will cover two principles; that's fine.
- Practise the examples out loud, ideally in a mock interview with someone who will give honest feedback.
- Set up for a virtual interview using PepsiCo's checklist above, even if you expect to meet in person later.
- Prepare questions about the team, training and how people grow in the role.
- Ask for any adjustment early. PepsiCo's applicant help page gives a contact for reasonable accommodations at any stage.
- Watch out for fake offers. PepsiCo warns that scammers pose as its recruiters, and that an offer for a job you never applied for is a warning sign.
Practising realistic work tasks
Interviews reward prepared examples. Assessments reward judgement, which improves with practice on realistic tasks. Cohesyve, which publishes this guide, runs free practice job simulations for your role. It isn't affiliated with PepsiCo and doesn't use PepsiCo's questions or assessments.
FAQs
What are PepsiCo's GREAT5 principles?
Growth, Relationships, Execution, Agility and Thinking. PepsiCo calls them its framework for what it takes to be a great leader, and says it will ask for examples of them in your interview whatever role you apply for.
How many interviews does PepsiCo have?
PepsiCo doesn't give a number. For professional roles it describes a recruiter call followed by "one or more conversations with the hiring team".
Are PepsiCo interviews virtual?
Many are. PepsiCo says many of its interviews take place virtually, and U.S. hourly candidates may be invited to a virtual or onsite interview.
How long does PepsiCo take to hire?
PepsiCo doesn't publish a timeline for any stage of its hiring process.
How do I check my PepsiCo application status?
For a U.S. hourly job, open the askpep chat on pepsicojobs.com and ask about your application. For any other role, log in to the portal where you first applied.
Does PepsiCo do background checks?
Yes, for U.S. hourly jobs PepsiCo lists a pre-employment background check after the offer. It says checks differ by role and that you'll receive instructions.
Sources
PepsiCo's own pages, checked 27 October 2026:
- pepsicojobs.com: Applicant help (hiring steps, interview preparation, GREAT5, askpep, application status, scam warning)
- pepsicojobs.com: Careers home