Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Phone Interview

Oh boy! It's been quite some time since I posted.Anywho, its a SNOW DAY; that's right a snow day, and I'm in college. Those are rare. We have about 10" now, and it just keeps coming down. So while I'm "FROZEN" in my dorm room, I guess I will blog...
 







I guess I will share my phone interview experience with y'all. Let me just start by saying I filled my app out on Monday, and then did the WBI later that day. Late on Monday or early Tuesday (can't remember) I got an email inviting me to schedule my phone interview!! I was so excited, so I followed all the little links, and I wound up on a page that stated I had one day to choose from and three time slots. ALL PAST 9:00 p.m. So, being the early-to-bed gal that I am, I scheduled my phone interview for THAT Friday at 9:30 p.m. Whew.

The week was jammed full of homework, projects, and a test. I had VERY little time to prepare. What I did do, was make a few notes of some of the basics that my interviewer would probably ask me. All of these questions are pretty "classic Disney": Why do you want to work at Disney?, What are some of your strengths/weaknesses?, How would you make a guests day special?, My top roles, and a few questions I wanted to ask my interviewer. Again, those questions were questions I had read from other blogs/ gotten from a friend who had previously done DCP, etc.

So, while I did not have days upon days to prepare, let me remind you that I have been dreaming of this for my whole life (a year)...I have rehearsed every answer to every question (that might possibly be asked to me) in my head over and over and over again. Looking back, I think I was perfectly prepared in every way. I'll make a suggestions post later and tell you my opinion on gobs of notes plastered to the wall.

Anyways, one thing that helped me ALOT was my mom and a few of my relatives called me to do a mock interview. My great aunt even called and claimed she was Elsa; I got a kick out of that one! This was a great way for me to formally practice how I wanted to say my answers. Sure they sounded good in my head, but could I communicate that to my interviewer? I would strongly suggest this technique, plus it was fun!

On the day of my interview I was a total wreck. I was completely chill until dinner (6:00), and then it hit me: I am about to do the hardest part of the DCP process. I won't lie, it was hard for me to wait another 3 and a half hours. Right before 9:00, by roommates and I did the "Hot Dog" dance from Mickey Mouse Club House...okay not really! But we did do some dancing to 'shake off the jitters'.

9:00: I am in my dorm room, laptop in front of me (video camera on), notes in my lap, and Minnie Mouse ears on:)
9:05: I can barely stand it. I re-read through my notes...make a space for my interviewers name. Check my phone. 9:06. Ughhh
9:12: I can't take it...I get on FaceBook to calm my nerves. I go straight to the Disney College Program page for Fall/ Fall Advantage 2015. Someone had just finished their phone interview, it went great, their interviewer was BZZZZZZ BZZZZZZ. I look at my phone...Unknown. I breathe in. "Hello, this is Cullen!" And we're off (to Neverland?) Nahhh... We are off to a successful phone interview!
                         
My interviewer was the sweetest lady. You could definitely tell she worked for the Mouse, let me tell you! This being my first phone interview, I was extremely nervous. Would it be friendly, formal, professional? I HAD NO IDEA. Once my interviewer started talking to me, though, I am telling you...it was like talking to a friend. Not an "OMG, that is so cute!" friend, but a casual friend who you could talk to for hours. She made me feel super comfortable (my legs were shaking so bad, because I was THAT nervous). Instead of moving from one question to the next, and making me feel rushed, she would talk to me about how I answered the question. She would say like "Yes, I totally know what you mean" and "Wow, that sounds super!". So, she made me feel like I was doing a good job, even if I wasn't. LOL!

She asked me a few of these questions:

- Have you ever lived in a dorm situation? How would handle a roommate situation in which there was an issue (cleaning, sleeping hours, etc.)?

- How would the Disney College Program help you?

- Are there any other job experiences you've had? What has been your favorite job experience? What has been the most challenging?

- Do you work better in groups or alone?

- Would you rather work in an outside or inside environment?

- How would you handle an emergency situation?

- What if you were in a situation where a guest spoke a different language than you?
*I should have made note that I spoke some Spanish here.

- What if a child was too short to ride a ride? What would you do?

- What is your experience with hair and makeup, cameras, life guarding?
* I really want BBB, so I should have told my interviewer that I have done prom makeup and formal hair and makeup for my friends...not that this counts as much as professional experience, but its more experience that I have that I should have told my interviewer.

There were a few other situation questions that my interviewer asked me, but these basically sum it up! I hope you have enjoyed reading this post/ I hope this is helpful for your phone interviews! It's a waiting game now...it could be tomorrow that I hear from Disney; it could be March. Oh the agony! LOL.

Hopefully, my next post is my acceptance and what that entails! If not, I am heading to Disney World for Spring Break here in a few weeks...so maybe what i am packing, what I look forward to doing, what my favorite things are at Disney, etc. Maybe BOTH posts! Oh boy!

See y'all real soon!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

God's Plan for Me



"Our destiny is within us; you just have to be brave enough to see it." -Brave 

Hello there! That quote is exactly what I keep telling myself: the Disney College Program is my destiny. This is my chance, and I just have to be brave enough to take a step off the cliff. Dive on in. Well I did, and I applied for the DCP! Well, let me take some of that back...I am not so sure that I would call this my destiny. It's more like...a God-thing. Yes, I believe that He has a plan for me and whether that be Disney or renting an apartment for college next semester, I trust in Him. (Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lead not on your own understanding)

So, the day the DCP apps dropped was on Monday January 26. I was a mess that day: busy with classes, I hardly slept at all the night before, blah blah blah. Anyways, I came back to my dorm logged onto FaceBook (because what else do you do after a stressful day?) and there it was: START THE NEW YEAR WITH A BIG ADVENTURE! APPLY TODAY! So needless to say my jaw dropped and I may or may not have shed a tear (or ten). The day had finally arrived-and had taken me by shock-the day I had been dreaming of (literally dreaming) for a year now was a click away! All I need is a little direction.

[Second star to the right, and straight on 'till morning] -Peter Pan

Well, Peter Pan's wisdom pointed me straight toward the application: I phoned my mom, even though she was teaching, and shrilled with excitement. She told me to hang up and go fill out the application. So I did just that. Wouldn't you? The application is very basic. Your name, where you go to school, your major, just very basic information (I don't list it all because honestly I forgot!)


After that I got to fill out what roles I was interested in. I made certain to put interest in EVERY role even if I didn't really want the job. At the time I didn't want to do custodial...after reading this AMAZING article I really wish I would have put custodial among my high interests. So, if you apply PUT CUSTODIAL WAY UP THERE! DO IT. They get the most guest interaction, they are constantly moving throughout the parks, they take guests pictures, they give directions, seriously I am kicking myself for not putting this role among my top choices.

The top roles I did pick were: merchandise, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique/Pirate's League, Attractions, Main Entry, Lifeguard, Photo Pass, Hospitality, and Character Attendant. I really hope that I get BBB or Pirate's League, but I will be happy with whatever role I am offered.

Well, that's it for this flight...I never know how to end these things. Maybe I'll start theme-ing them. This one had a Peter Pan 'theme' with a good Brave quote to start things off. Oh well, until next time!

See ya'll real soon!