How Costco Interviews in 2026: Process, Questions & What They Score

You apply through the Costco careers site to a chosen location and role, with work history and availability. Costco's Resources for Applying page says online applications expire after 90 days, that locations hire throughout the year, and that you may be required to demonstrate skills or pass a business-related test for some positions. It also suggests introducing yourself to a manager at your desired location. One guide adds a questionnaire on handling workplace situations. Costco's FAQ says application updates are not sent by email or messaging apps and tells applicants to contact the location. How long it takes to hear back varies by location and season. One guide names September to November as the largest hiring wave, but Costco itself says locations hire throughout the year, not only during seasonal periods.

A manager or recruiter contacts you, by phone or sometimes email, to set up the interview and confirm availability and interest. One guide says the call also covers schedule flexibility and basic work history and runs 10-15 minutes; that figure appears in no other source. Others describe this step only as an initial screening or a scheduling call, and one guide describes the recruiter screening as a review of applications, so not every report includes a call.

Usually the longest interview, with a hiring manager, supervisor or department lead. It covers member service, teamwork and handling stress. Interview length varies by guide: one coaching site gives an average Costco interview of about 45 minutes with roughly 20 questions, without saying it is the first interview or citing a source, and another generic guide gives 20 to 30 minutes for a first round. One guide says a saliva drug swab may be done during the interview.

Some warehouses use group interviews instead of, or alongside, one-on-one interviews. Guides do not agree on where it falls: one lists it before the first manager interview, and a 2016 first-person account by a former front-end associate at the East Harlem, New York store describes it as the main interview, which took a full afternoon, and says she had accepted the position by the end of it. Whether it happens depends on the warehouse and the role.

Not universal; depends on the warehouse

Guides describe one to three interviews in total, with two the most common figure. One guide says the second interview is with higher-level managers judging long-term commitment, consistency and fit. Older supervisor candidate previews say two managers or other superiors interview the candidate and that 2-3 interviews are likely; a January 2023 supervisor preview describes a single interview of 5-7 questions. No public source says who conducts a third interview. The count varies by role and location.

Guides disagree on the order and on whether a drug test is used. One guide says the drug test and background check come before a final offer. Another puts a saliva swab during the interview, a third-party background check after a conditional offer and a urine test at orientation. Another says drug screening applies at only some locations and a background check comes before any final offer, and another says offers are conditional on background and eligibility-to-work checks. Costco says it participates in E-Verify nationwide. The 1-3 week figure (interview to offer, including checks) comes from a single guide; another says the whole process takes about 2-3 weeks. One guide says anyone who refuses or fails the drug test must wait a year to reapply; another says failing it disqualifies you.

New hires receive orientation, training and a work schedule. One guide says orientation covers policies, safety and role expectations. Costco publishes no length and none of the guides cited here gives a supported figure, so it varies by location and role.