Q&A With Toyota Financial Services Employees

If you have high-performance scores, you get a variety of options for schedule, though all DFT hours are within M-F, 6am-5pm in the summer and 7am-6pm in the winter. However, because schedules are done in shift bids that are based on API, if you do not have a high score you will not have many options but to take the least desirable shift- typically the closing shift. Some alternative schedules are available, but again, only for high performers. Shift trades are available for anyone who is willing to trade, either a full day, a full week, or the entire shift period for the third of the year.

Much of the questions are scenario based, and the best responses are 'S.T.A.R.' formatted 'Situation, Task, Action, Result'. There are a few questions pertaining to your general experience or background, but most are designed to gauge your ability to work under tight deadlines, focus, commit to problem solving and workplace adaptability.

I was very pleased with my team when I was first hired, they were a great group of people. They taught me a lot, and in certain teams, there is genuine camaraderie and friendship. It varies with the people, but overall my experience has been positive with all the teams I have been on.

Within DFT, it is nonexistent for those who are not supervisors. It has been requested many, many times, but has been 'under review' for over a year now and a conclusion has never been reached beyond that. In the rest of the departments, I understand they are variously able to work from home under differing circumstances.

Yes, TFS drug tested and conducted a background check upon hire.

Temporary college internships are common during the summer in DFT, but I have not been in that program.

HR concerns are generally promptly addressed, usually to satisfaction in resolution. As with all companies, HR is there to protect the company and not necessarily the worker, so it pays to be careful what you bring to them and try and work out what you can on your own. It sometimes is suggested by other employees that some of the management will insist you come to them prior to going to HR, even if the issue concerns them and you do not feel comfortable doing so. This has not been my personal experience, but I have heard it more than once.

'Kaizen', so it's called at TFS. It's a pretty integral part of the culture, they tend to keep searching for ways to better the process, teams, people, procedures, rules and business practices. The upside of this is that they're usually on the frontier when it comes to innovation in tech and management. The downside is that it means things are -constantly- changing, and you have to be extremely adaptable about rules changing one day to the next, and not always being told about it til after the fact.

Success is measured in productivity, quality scores, adherence to schedule, and attendance. It is rewarded well. Growth is measured by your achievements in 'going above and beyond' your job, taking new assignments, stretching to make things better in the processes and procedures, and generally making yourself known for various reasons.

They have an impressive perks package, including an employee lease program that is much cheaper than most any other method of getting a car. The benefits package is very good as well, with good rates on healthcare, dental and vision. Generally speaking, the immediate supervisors are good at their jobs and do not micromanage. If you work in DFT as a funder and are intorverted, you will absolutely love the job. Entire days can be spent listening to music or audiobooks and not speaking to anyone. If you prefer to be chatty with coworkers, that too is tolerated, within reason.

Competitiveness, be creative, be willing to accept all assignments offered, push your limits, and work a ton of overtime. It is never referred to as 'mandatory overtime', but rather it is made clear that if you DON'T show up for the 'All Work' days or work the 10-12 hour shifts when they indicate 'All Work', it will count as an unexcused absence. You will not have much luck advancing with DFT if you prefer not to compete with coworkers, as the environment has become increasingly cutthroat with the addition of awards for highest performance, which includes both productivity and adherence to schedule. If you are more than 7 minutes late to clocking in or returning from lunch, you might as well have left for the day because it will count as a full absence. So you have to be extremely punctual, to a stressful point.