The Interview, Part Deux
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
What probably puts people on the edge the most, at least initially, is the telephone interview. It’s the make or break moment of one’s candidacy in the program.
I’ve been through this process twice, and today I’ll be talking about my recent interview, just this past Friday. I think a lot of people worry unnecessarily about the interview process- even though it is a pretty informal and pleasant one. There are a lot of little nuances that I’m sure Disney interviewers pick up on, but ultimately speaking, it’s just a way to evaluate two things: one, whether or not you can provide good guest service and conflict resolution, and two, whether or not you will stick to the commitments you make if you are offered a role in the program (ie: arrive for and stay the duration of the program- through thick and thin).
I feel my interview on Friday went very well. It took about twenty-five minutes to complete, and was pretty painless (the most painful part was the timing- the interview was scheduled for 10:30 PM EST). Having done it once before, I was a little more prepared and knew what all would transpire. The first part of interview was just reviewing my application and my current status. After that the interviewer, Jamie, started our conversation. We talked about my previous experience with Disney and other employers, what I hope to get out of the program by doing it once again, and some role-specific questions. It was actually a bit funny, since I mentioned my previous location at one point during the interview, and she immediately remembered that the college recruiting team had eaten there this past summer, probably while I was on duty- we likely crossed paths! We both had a laugh on that one.
Needless to say, I left with a pretty good feeling of my standing with Disney and had some inclination that I (hopefully) will be offered the role of my choice this coming term- Full Service Food and Beverage back at my old location. Despite my status and like anyone else though, I get to play the waiting game, and have to wait for a packet to come in the mail, hopefully receiving a role offer where I want to be.
Now that you’ve heard about my interview, you might be wondering what could increase your odds of having a successful interview. On Friday, I’ll be posting some tips that should help anyone in the process of interviewing for the program.
Coming on Friday: Interview Tips
Coming up next week: The Waiting Game, “The Big Blue World”
Labels: College and CareerStart Programs • The Interview •
