Putting the Disney College Program on Your Resume

So here's a super relevant blog post! I've been spending more time applying to jobs recently than studying for finals...whoops! But here's the general rule of thumb about the DCP on your resume: Disney gets you the interview, but you have to sell yourself to get the job. This of course depends on a few other things as well, but for the most part interviewers and employers are incredibly interested when they see the word "Disney"! They want to know more about you and your job history, because they automatically know you have great customer service experience and should be a great employee. I've actually gotten an interview for every place I've applied for a job, it's just when I get to the interview that things go hit or miss! And we're talking about at least six interviews in the past month or so. So getting the Disney College Program on your resume and having a solid resume is an essential start.

I'm not going to put my resume in here for the sake of privacy, but I made sure that my DCP section was succinct yet thorough. Don't use fluff words in your resume, it's not an essay, it's supposed to be professional! You'd be surprised how many resumes read like a high school English paper. My resume is organized with name/contact info at the top, then my education section, then work experience, and finally community involvement/school clubs/volunteer work. I put the DCP under work experience and chose to list it as a job rather than an internship. You always have time to clarify what exactly it is in your interview! So mine is organized on the first line with "Walt Disney Parks & Resorts", "Orlando, FL" (in the middle), and "September 2014 - January 2015" (on the right). The second line I have my role listed, so "Quick-Service Food & Beverage", and the third line (and below) are my bullet points for what I did/learned. I made sure to include the words safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency, since that was drilled in my brain for how to be a good cast member ;) I used terminology such as "provided excellent guest satisfaction by...", "learned how to efficiently work as a team by...", and "overcame language and culture barriers", etc. My DCP section was 5 lines total, and my other work experience varies from 3-4 lines. I have three other jobs listed under work experience. I also have slightly smaller font for my resume to try fit everything in without looking cluttered!

This is looking super long, so here's a throwback Disney pic to make it look less boring.

My main advice regarding resumes is to stress the customer service aspect, and whatever skills you picked up that will fit the job you are currently applying to. This could be teamwork, language barriers, professionalism, safety, enthusiasm, really whatever fits your job you're looking at. Make sure that you are thorough enough that you cover your bases, but don't overwhelm the person reading it. Make sure it's an accurate and succinct overview, unique/detailed enough to pique interest. Also have at least five people read it from different areas (family, friends, professors, current/past employers, etc.) not just your parents. This will act as a spelling and grammar check, and make sure it makes sense and reads well! Sometimes we cram too much detail in and it ends up looking cluttered, so having other people look at it really helps! Also if your school has a career center, those are incredibly helpful for resumes.

When it comes to the interview you can explain the DCP in more detail, it's a paid internship that gave participants the unique chance to take seminars from Disney professionals, and provided extensive networking opportunities, etc. This is where you can really tailor your program highlights to the job you're applying for. And it's always good to talk about the guest interaction experiences, and things that will vouch for your character/work ethic. Employers aren't JUST looking for relevant work experience, they want to know you'll be a good fit personality wise too!

Okay well that pretty much covers what I've experienced with using the DCP to help me professionally! It really does help you stand out in a pile of resumes, so take advantage of that :) I really hope this was helpful!! Best of luck in your job hunt <3