I thought I'd do a blog post on how to get into the DCP. If you do your research and are really genuine then you should be a shoe-in, but here are some tips. :)
Part One: Application
This should be very straightforward. Read the questions carefully and answer truthfully. There are no trick questions in here, it's just filling in personal information. The only time you might need to worry is if you have a criminal record, but that's all. It should be a piece of cake.
Part Two: WBI
The web-based interview is the next step. This part of the application is just verifying that you are the kind of worker that Disney would want to hire. It's personality type questions, and the most important thing is to be consistent. They asked me at least three different times if I was usually on-time, but using different phrasing. So make sure you read these carefully and answer consistently.
My next piece of advice for the WBI is to try to put "strongly agree" or "strongly disagree". Try to avoid the "neutral" zone. They are looking for people who are confident in themselves and their answers, and most people that don't get past this step tend to put neutral for a lot of answers, or don't read the questions carefully enough.
Oh, and also make sure you have enough time to complete it in one sitting because some of it is timed, and there's no going back and do-overs!
Part Three: Phone Interview
Pick a time for your phone interview that won't interfere with anything. I chose 9:15am because most of my hall mates were out or sleeping, so the dorm was quiet, and I gave myself lots of time before my first class which was at 11am. I would also recommend picking a morning time because the recruiters are giving interviews all day long, and by the end they are tired and tend to not give their full attention.
When you first answer your phone, write down the recruiters name (mine's name was Christy) so you can use it later to show them you truly care and were listening.
Many people say to smile when doing your phone interview, but I didn't because it's not natural for me to smile when I interview. I say do what makes you comfortable. If you are more comfortable smiling, then smile! I was able to give better answers when I focused on my answers, not my face. That being said, if you can talk and smile without it sounding forced, do it. Most interviewers recommend smiling, or at least speaking in a pleasant tone of voice! Try exude "Disney". :) If smiling feels too forced, then use your pleasant and professional tone of voice!! Just don't sound tired or uninterested.
MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF ADVICE: when they ask you "why do you want to do the DCP?" DO NOT SAY "because I love Disney". Tell them about how it will help your career, and talk about wanting the Disney name on your resume, those are the people they hire. Seriously. MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF THE INTERVIEW. Also make sure to emphasize your work/volunteer experience and how that relates to your desired roles. If you have a ton of food experience but don't want to work food...talk about the other aspects of the job that might relate to whatever roles you are shooting for. Make sure you have thought about WHY you would be a great fit for your top roles and HOW those roles will help you professionally. They love hearing about how the program and program components will help you professionally in the future!
It's okay to laugh and joke with your interviewer, but remember it is a job interview and to keep the basis professional.
I would recommend looking up potential situational questions they might ask you during your interview so you have a general idea of what you want to say, but don't write yourself a script, you want it to sound natural. It's okay to write down a few bullet points if you find a question that you think could stump you in the interview, but be sure your whole interview isn't scripted out!
ASK QUESTIONS. Have a couple questions written out that you can ask them, some good ones are "what has your experience been with with Disney?" or "what are some good networking opportunities?" or something personal, yet career related. I asked three questions.
At the end try and use their name somehow like "thanks Christy, for taking the time out of your day to talk with me!" or whatever.
Hint: longer interviews are usually a good sign, they mean you gave long answers and asked good questions, but people have been accepted based on all lengths of interviews! Some people have a 45 minute interview and aren't accepted. Just try keep it genuine. You don't need to give super long answers to explain yourself, but you also want to make sure you're giving a good well-rounded answer to their questions.
Helpful tip: Do NOT compare yourself and your interview to other interviews. They accept all types of people with all different backgrounds and interview answers. By comparing yourself to others you will only second guess yourself and stress yourself out!
Finally, join the Facebook page, but don't get super involved. Wait to find roommates until you're actually accepted. The Facebook group can connect you with a lot of cool people, but can also be a negative place if you're obsessive about it! Try keep it cool, and do all the roommate surveys and personal posts AFTER the first round or two of acceptances go out. And honestly? Sometimes the most involved people become super clique-y and are worth avoiding anyway.
That's it :) If you have any questions feel free to post them below and I'll get back to them as quick as I can! I wish you all the best of luck in your application process and hope you have a magical day!!
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