Pre-Interview Prep, Part 2

If you recall, I was pretty relaxed about the phone interview. I just treated it like I would any interview - be polite and professional and of course be excited about the job. This seemed to work out well for me. The final interview, on the other hand, I was more concerned about. This was the last step in the Disney application process, so that was pressure in itself. And a face-to-face interview is more formal and usually more in-depth than a phone interview.

 

In the weeks leading up to the interview, I contacted my cousin Brett. It was really he who inspired me to investigate a career with Disney. He's from the U.S. and when he was in college he did the Disney College Program. The second time my family went to Disney for a vacation in 1999, he was there as a college student. I remember thinking as a 12-year-old, maybe I'll work here someday. Almost 14 years later, here I am! Brett enjoyed his Disney experience so much, he's never left. He's managed to build a career for himself there. This is more inspiration for me!

 

Anyway, it was at this time that I decided to call him and let him know what I was doing with Disney. I knew he would have lots of tips for the interview. I'll give you some bullet points (in no particular order) from my conversation with him:

• When answering a question, be concise. Don't ramble. Just stay focused on the question being asked.
• Be confident! Sit up straight and make eye contact.
• Have a good time! Look like you're happy to be there.
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Let the interviewer know you're hungry to learn.
• Tell them you've been brushing up on your Canadian history and culture.
• It's always a good idea to have at least one question for the interviewer.
• Why do you want this job?
• Emphasize your love and passion for Disney.

I felt more confident after talking to him and getting some pointers. I took my notes from my call with him and typed out some in-depth answers to these questions. I put these notes in a folder along with the documents we were to bring to the interview.