Should You Apply To The Disney College Program? PT 2
Applications for the Spring/Spring advantage Disney College Program season opened, To give a little background information on my own ties to the program, I was a participant in two consecutive programs in 2014. I was accepted to the Walt Disney World Spring Advantage 2014 and extended through Fall 2014. There are a few changes to the dashboard display and the option for SMS updates, but other than that the candidate process flow is pretty much the same as it was when I applied 5 years ago.
In the solidarity with all DCP (Disney College Program) hopefuls out there, I am going to post a multi-part series on the process from prospective applicant to participant.
In the solidarity with all DCP (Disney College Program) hopefuls out there, I am going to post a multi-part series on the process from prospective applicant to participant.
This post is part 2, and I will be covering the application and web-based interview. Please note that these posts will specifically focused on the process for a DCP participant not a professional intern, culinary participant, or international Participant because I have never participated in the latter three programs.
So you've decided that you would be a great fit for the Disney college program. Now What?
It's time for you to submit your application! Keep in mind that applications for the Disney College Program only drop twice a year and are only open for a few months at a time.
To participate in the Spring Program, you will need to apply during the Fall semester, and to participate in the Fall Program, you will need to apply during the Spring Semester.
First, visit the Disney Careers website and search for the Disney College Program listing. Next, you can either use a previous created Disney Careers profile or create a new account. Please note that the Disney Careers site does not share the same login information as the Disney Go sites.
Once you have done this, you can apply! The application is pretty much like your standard job application, but no resume is required. There is a section to enter job experience, and although no job experience is required, it is in your best interest to find something to enter in this section. If you have never held an "official government recognized" job, volunteer experience is great to put in this section. Also, consider if you have done any babysitting, dog sitting, car washes, or cleaning, etc. This is all work experience you may not have thought to put down.
On the application, you will be asked to choose your interest in all the roles available to college participants. Putting down interest in Quick Service Food and Custodial will increase your chances because these roles have a high number of available spots, but rank lower in desirability. However, if you have no interest in these roles, DO NOT PUT THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED. The last thing you want is to finally get your dream opportunity to work at Disney, only to be stuck with a role that you hate. Now if you have even the slightest interest in these roles, I would recommend putting down interest. You will have the opportunity to rank each role as high, moderate, low, and no interest.
All of the other questions include typical inquiries about your employment eligibility, demographics, and ability to perform the job tasks with or without accommodations.
After you have completed the application, the next step in the process is to complete a web based interview. Applicants receive this interview at varying times. When I applied, I was immediately prompted to complete the interview. For my sister, it was within 15 minutes. Some candidates may receive the interview on a different day, and some do not receive the interview at all if they have already completed a passing interview within the last 6 months. Some candidates simply don't receive one and don't advance to the next stage.
Here is a little advice I have for the web based interview.
1. Find a quiet place where you can complete the interview
2. Make sure you give yourself at least 30 minutes to complete the interview
3. Be honest - the test is designed to detect inconsistent answers, so being true to yourself is key
4. Piggybacking on number 3, avoid only select answers that you perceive as the most positive. Again, the test can detect candidates that seem disingenuous.
5. Take a firm stance - try your best to answer in extremes by choosing strongly agree and strongly disagree over the answers in the middle. It's okay to sway from this on occasion, but you yield a better result if you firmly choose which side you stand on. Try not to choose neutral answers if possible.
6. The questions are timed, so don't spend too much time on each question. If a couple time out on you it's not a big deal, but don't make it a habit throughout the test or it could be bad news.
After completing the web-based interview successfully, you will a message telling you whether or not you can advance to the next stage. If you pass, you will then be prompted to select a date and time to complete a phone interview!
I hope these tips prove helpful! Happy Monday!