How Enterprise Hires Employees
In a recent interview with Forbes.com, Marie Artim, Enterprise's assistant vice president of recruiting, outlines the company's hiring and training philosophy.
Employers reject lots of new graduates because of lack of experience. But Enterprise Rent-A-Car sees new college graduates’ newness to the workforce as a positive. The car rental company wants people who are just starting their career. Their philosophy: Bring employees in young, train them in the ways of Enterprise and keep promoting the best of the crop, Forbes reports.
Marie Artim, Enterprise's assistant vice president of recruiting and a graduate of the training program 16 years ago, outlines the company's hiring and training philosophy:
- Enterprise is aiming to hire 8,500 recent graduates this year.
- New hires’ start in the local rental car branches to learn the business from the bottom up.
- Enterprise has a promote-from-within mentality—99 percent of the company's upper management went through the program.
- Enterprise has 225 recruiters who hire regularly for the program, and new people start every single day.
- The management training program pipelines new talent into the company and developes them to take on roles across the organization.
- Everything is on-the-job training—no classroom discussions about customer service, leadership, culture and values.
- The starting salary is based on location. Earnings range from $32,000 to upper 30s.
- Opportunities for advancement come quickly. Gen-Y wants new challenges often.
- Within the eight to 12 months of the training program, there are steps where new hires can get bonuses, recognition and promotions.
- Promotions come in manageable windows of time. At the six- to nine-month point in training, Enterprise takes the trainee to regional headquarters to see other opportunities within the company.
- Enterprise thrives on feedback. There are performance evaluations at 30 days, 90 days, six months and annually for new employees. Plus, weekly one-on-one meetings to go over performance goals and how to learn news skills.
- At the end of the training program, new hires have an interview with the next level of management. It helps determine whether the person is ready to go onto the next level. They take on more responsibility at the branch such as becoming a branch manager.
- Enterprise is a big company, but operates like a small one because it's very decentralized—there are a lot of importance placed on local operations.
More Rental Operations

NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings
With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.
Read More →
Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study
While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.
Read More →
The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals
Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.
Read More →
The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?
For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.
Read More →
ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers
The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.
Read More →
Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service
Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.
Read More →
Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
Read More →
When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →
