Best Buy gives you five days for its video interview, and one take per answer

One prep guide says some Best Buy applications include a cognitive section alongside a personality questionnaire. If yours does, our reasoning test is a general warm-up for timed questions, with figures to read from tables and short passages to judge.

Best Buy itself describes no aptitude test. Its stated first step for common store roles is a recorded video interview, and most candidate reports describe a short personality questionnaire, neither of which our test imitates. For most applicants the better use of time is rehearsing video answers out loud.

For some of its most common store roles, Best Buy runs the first interview on Talview, an on-demand video tool. You get five days to finish it, and you can use a computer, tablet or smartphone with a front-facing camera. Best Buy gives you practice questions first to get used to the tool, and then each scored answer is final: you cannot go back and re-record.

That rule rewards rehearsal before you open the link. Write down the five questions you would ask a new sales associate, such as why Best Buy, a time you helped a frustrated customer, and how you learn about new technology. Answer each one out loud, on camera, until you can do it in a minute or so without notes.

• Pick a well-lit, quiet spot, as Best Buy recommends.
• Do all the practice questions, even if you feel ready.
• Start within the first three days so a technical problem does not cost you the deadline.

Best Buy's careers FAQ is specific. People, not AI, make its hiring decisions. You may use AI to polish your resume or to prepare for an interview. You may not use AI during an interview unless it is a disability accommodation or Best Buy says otherwise, and using it without approval may remove you from consideration.

In practice, this means you can ask an AI tool to quiz you or critique a recording, but nothing should be generating or feeding you answers while Talview is recording or while you are on a call. Answers in your own words also come across better on video.

Best Buy's own pages describe interviews, not tests. Candidates, though, often mention a short questionnaire in or after the application, usually described as about 30 minutes or less and focused on teamwork and customer service. One reviewer says it seemed to look for a certain personality type.

There are no right answers to drill here. Answer consistently and honestly about how you actually work. One Glassdoor reviewer advises picking only the strongest agree or disagree options, but that is a single unverified claim, and extreme answers to every statement can make a profile look inconsistent. Our US employer assessment guide describes how retailers use these questionnaires.

Top candidates from the video or phone interview are invited to a final round with the hiring manager and the team, in person or on Microsoft Teams depending on the role. Best Buy says unsuccessful candidates are contacted by phone or email, and final-round candidates are usually offered feedback when possible. Ask for it; it is useful for your next application.

Some roles, not all, require a drug test. Best Buy's policy document says it must be done within two full business days of accepting the offer, so plan that window before you say yes. Best Buy also states that it considers qualified applicants with criminal histories in line with local, state and federal law.

The Talview video interview is for some of Best Buy's most common store roles. Best Buy says most other roles, including leadership and corporate positions, start with a phone interview with a recruiter instead. Technical roles such as Geek Squad agents may ask for hands-on experience or certifications, and the job posting is where those requirements appear.

Guides estimate about two weeks from application to offer for store roles, often faster before the holiday season, and longer for corporate jobs. Best Buy says applicants must be at least 16, with higher ages for some positions, and that a current employee can refer you before you apply.

These come from anonymous reviews, university careers pages and prep guides. They often disagree, and Best Buy has not confirmed them. Read them as leads, not rules.

• Candidates on Glassdoor describe a short personality questionnaire in or after the application, often about 30 minutes or less, focused on teamwork.
• A 2024 prep guide describes personality, cognitive and culture-fit sections totaling about 60 questions and over an hour, which most candidate reports do not echo.
• Guides estimate roughly two weeks to a month from application to offer for entry-level roles, with seasonal hiring moving faster.