DISNEY INTERN | Application process + advice ✨

Thank. You, Allison, I hope you're having a super, happy day so far so. Today, I am, so excited to share all my tips and experience. And, sharing. My story of how I became a, Disney, intern so. This, upcoming summer, and fall I will be a social media and communications. Intern, at Disney. For. Corporate, their corporate global, talent acquisition, team so, I'm super, excited to, step. Into that role but. I really, wanted to film this video to kind of share the process and my. Experience, with the Pine and just really provide any tips that, could potentially help, you, in your process to gain factor, you come true so. I asked. For your questions, on Instagram and, I wrote down just, a few tips that I have I really, hope you find this, video helpful and, it helps do you pursue your Disney. Career okay, so first, off I kind of just want to share my story in, my experience, working for the company so. When I was 17, years old I auditioned, to be a character performer, in the parks and I got it and ever since then I have been a seasonal, cast. Member character performer, at all Disney World and it has been such a light in my life it has been so. Fun and what. It means to be seasonal, is that, you only have to work 150, hours per, year so. I was, hired at. 17, so I was actually a minor. So. They actually had to hire. Me as a seasonal, performer, because I don't, know different minor in-laws and whatnot that it really has been a huge blessing because, working. Only 8 150. Hours per, year is really really, nice luxury, especially, since I'm in, college and, you, know it just has provided a lot of flexibility, for me and I've been able to maintain, it while I am in college and traveling, and intermediate, all that good stuff so. That's, a little bit how I got my start, at. Disney, and. I said I've been with the company ever since and, the. Past few years I have applied, to, the, internships, because I really knew that was the next step I wanted to take in my career I didn't, apply for any real, world jobs i even. Know disney, internships, a really real, real-world. Job but, i knew, this is what my heart was wanting, and what I really felt would be the. Smartest career move for me, so. This, is. The past few months starting, in about, December. Maybe, even November um, it. Was checking the Disney careers, site. Like crazy and, a. Lot of people asked me how how. Do you find these internships it's really simple, all you have to do is Tampa and Disney internships, in your browser Disney, interns comm, and you will see all of the listings, that they have but, it's super important, that you check, this, constantly. Because they are constantly. Adding. New, positions. And new, roles that might your, interests, may be the perfect fit for you another. One, big tip I actually have is if you. Are let's say in, high, school even or freshman. Or sophomore, and junior started. Looking at the cruder site if you if, you really think this is something you're going to want to do because you're. Able to see the full, descriptions. Of the internships, and you're going to be able to mark. Down what you think you should do to prepare for these jobs because the. Competition's, steep and you want to be able to have, the qualifications. They need and be able to set yourself apart so if you plan ahead and, start, to getting these other experiences that. Put on your resume that. Closely. Aligned with the job description, you're, gonna be a really, really, awesome candidate. So I highly, suggest doing. That uh. Yeah. So you, just go to Disney interns comm look at all the positions and, then see. Any ones that spark. Your interest so. That's exactly, what I did I went, to Disney interns comm, checked. It every day and started applying I made, sure my resume, was solid I had a cover letter to I submitted a cover letter with almost every internship I applied to, it's, not required though and lots, of insurance actually, who get hired don't, submit a cover letter so, it's totally up to you and what you feel like is best, for, writing, position I would assume they would expect.

You To, at. Least put an effort to write a cover letter if you're going to be in a writing position because, I feel like that's. Kind of one in the same so definitely. Do that can some of the internship, actually. Requiring you to submit. A writing sample or a social, media sample, or other different, portfolio, samples, or they'll, give you some kind of prompt, that you, have to do so. One thing that I really, do suggest you doing, is, printing, out the internship, descriptions, that you are hoping. To get or hoping to apply to or, that you've already applied, to so for me these are all the internship. Descriptions. That I applied to I applied, personally, to about, 20. Positions I think a little bit less maybe like sixteen, or seventeen positions. So. I, definitely. Think, full so what I did actually, is I, once. I applied to a position I copied and pasted, below, old job description, into. A document. And then at the end like, when I started interviewing and I printed, it all out so I would have it in front, of me for my phone screens and initial interviews, because there. Is a chance that your recruiter will ask you about, the, about. The position and ask you what, what. Stood out about this position and why do you want to apply to it so, it really helps, if you have just, a. More. In-depth description, of it because they're not going to send it to you before your interview and, there's. A good chance I might have been removed, from, the career site already so. That's actually a huge tip as well is if you see an internship you like, apply. To it as. Soon as you can like don't, rush it make sure you put in the effort and, you're organized and you have all your ducks in a row and your, application, looks rock-solid but, also don't take weeks. Or a month because, if, it doesn't have a submit, by deadline they, could they could remove the job and you single day and that's happened to multiple than my friends they were, looking at this position to apply to sending, me their resume and such a review, and help them out but, then when. They try to apply it was already gone so you, really want to be mindful if I am mindful of time because as, soon as they feel like they have enough qualified applicants.

It's. Gone because these, people the recruiters and the. Managers they're trying to find people they're, trying to find interns as soon as they can and they're, honestly kind of in competition. With each other as well because once. A. Qualified. Applicant gets taken they can't have them as an intern anymore it's already taken so it. Kind of is a goose, chase like you really just have to be on top of it and proactive, and just get, it done as soon as you can put it on the top of your priority list if, it is a right priority. For you so. I definitely recommend to do that. And. Then of course, before. You even before, the season or when you're a pioneer in started try, to try. To solidify, your resume as, soon as you can so it's already done and ready so. When the internships. Get posted you're ready to apply, automatically. So. For me I sat down with my friend who I just admire and think she's super professional and, all that and. She's actually that does the internship before which is awesome, and I sat down with her and we took lots. Of notes on my resumes, on my resume, to really, enhance it, and this helped me a lot, and, I. Feel. Like, it. Helped me just get, get, my experience, across much better I'll, show you an example so. Last. Semester I interned at Universal. Orlando Resort as. A social media entry and, my. Original. Resume. The, battle and this, is the bullet points I have underneath, it it said. Curated. Social content for Instagram Twitter snapchat Pinterest. In YouTube developed, editorial, calendars, on weekly and monthly basis. Supported. Social content brainstorms, channel management and publishing so. That's what I had before which, is good, I mean it's fine but, since I did all of that stuff in it it's, pretty great but then this is what I changed it to. Manage. Instagram, account with an audience of over 1 million combined. To my photography, and copywriting, skills to, curate social posts for Instagram, Twitter snapchat and, Pinterest developed.

Editorial, Calendars, and scheduled daily content through sprinkler, collected. User-generated content, for, social repost, and mark research utilizing. Shoes so. The, difference between these two descriptions is not my second one is super. Specific I mean, how, many. My. Audience size that I manage I named, the software, that I used so. It was really important. For me to become. More descriptive. And I, feel, like that really helped me as staying apart and it. Was a really good talking, point and my interviews as well because it wasn't just a basic, description I, put numbers, and I put a software, that they found very. Interesting and. Sprinkler. Is a social media platform not. Platform. Software. That doesn't. Use it as well so Universal, and is music so that really helped me that I have that experience with that software all right, so. Definitely try. To enhance, your resume as much as you can of course if. You are in college um. Men. Human men ecologists. Have career resource centers and I, know the. University, of Florida has one and. They. Have mock, interviews, and they have resume, critiquing, they have so many services, for free well included, in your education, or tuition, so. You might as well take advantage of that and in, that written you never know what you learn from that so I highly, suggest doing. That so. I just want to share a little bit about the. Ones I've had to pick some people might think how. Many how. Many internships, is too much to apply to and, how do you know which ones to go for it like how do you know which ones will be a good fit for you and, my. Resistance to that is. You'll. Know if the Job Description gets. You excited if, I. Read an internship dog job. This description. And I just was, getting so excited and certain about, me in that position and, yeah. That was a good one I mean, that is one that I should apply to for sure so. I. Just. Applied, to all. The marketing, and communications and. Social media internships. Because I knew that's where my interests, were, specifically. Social media I mean my background has mainly in social media as well so. It was really important for me to apply to those but. Recently I don't think it's an appropriate at, all to apply to have many, internships. As you think fit your. Qualifications. So. For me any any. Internship. In the communications, field. I feel capable of due to my experience, and in many different internships, and my education so really. If you feel confident, in it and feel like you are a qualified, candidate, you should do it but, I definitely didn't, waste any time on, internships, that just sounded and to me I only have had to learn is that I would be excited or up and I think you should do the same to don't. Apply to internships, just to get an internship apply to internships, because that's what you want to do that's your next step in your career, okay. Next. I, feel like we're talking so bad, I look, talking about this um. Next. I wanted to talk, about, the. Obligation, experience, how long we need how many interviews, I did blah blah blah blah blah, so.

I, Applied. To all these internships, and. So. Many and I apply like in the months of December January, February. And. I. Had my first phone, screening on February, 14th, Valentine's Day. I also had an exam that day awesome. So. Um, yeah. So that's what I had my first phone screening and a phone screening is when a, recruiter. Calls you and just it's, about a 15, to 20 minute phone call and they just want to get to know you and make sure that you, really are your resume, basically, they want to make sure you can talk about your experience, confidently. And you can talk about the company confidently. And yourself confidently, so, this is just a preliminary interview, just, to make sure you're not, cuckoo or anything like that but. I definitely prepared, for this a lot I wrote, tons of notes which I'm thankful for because they. Actually the, bonus videos definitely. Shouldn't be downplayed, because, make. Or break it if, you if you're gonna move on to the next stubborn on so but. It was super important, and, took it really seriously so. I got that one my, first phone interview actually was for dissing very tailwinds. Marketing. Intern so, I, had that one and then a week. Later or something, I had. Another interview for, another phone, interview, for, the position that, I did accept so. Both. Of those times I was in limbo for thigh and then for, the one that I did expect I did have another video. Interview with two, people who will be my managers, and, so. That was over. Blue jeans which is kind. Of like Skype, it's the video, interview, software, that Disney music and. That's. The week's about my computer, broke actually my laptop cuz I spilled water on it no. Fun so. It was free you know I was like oh no I can't video. I don't have a laptop but, it's totally fine you can actually do the interview on your phone they have a blue, jeans has an app and you can video, on your phone actually. Right, to the lap, of an iPad, from my library school. Because they have that which is so cool go Gators so. I I did it on my iPad, just so I have a bigger screen to work with and whatnot so, and. In, that I thought that went well um. But. You know you're never sure you never know who else they're at they're interviewing. And. You. Just never know so I just kind of cross my fingers and, then, the following week I was going to. Italy. For spring, break so. I went in to leave have an amazing, time, inally oh, by. The way um when, I found that they wanted to do a video interview after, my phone, screening I checked. My email and I saw that they wanted to do a video interview and then I also. Saw that I didn't get the other internship. The fairytale, wedding one so, I was like oh okay. Thankfully. I saw that I had a video interview so I was excited about that because that's the next step and then I was like oh I didn't get that one so it's kind of like ouch. But, also yay so, I'm glad I saw the email for the video interview first because I was just really excited about that, so. Yeah. Okay back to Spring Break I had I was. In Italy and then someone, I got an email that said hey we want to interview again but this position, can you do blue jeans interview, within. The next couple days no like. Yeah. Just, you know on the other side of the world it's, fine but, yeah. Of. Course, like of course I went to interview and. The. Time difference was crazy because my. Interviewer. She. Is in California. So I, was, in Italy she was in California, so the time difference, pretty. Dramatic, so. She was interviewing, me 2:00 p.m. her time in like 11:30. P.m.. In. Italy. So I'm, just you know in Italy, having. A video interview with her and I thought it went really well I felt awesome after, it which is really great because usually. I don't feel that way history to remove I just, am always kind of second-guessing myself and over. Analyzing, every little thing I said but after that when I just felt really at ease about it and really good about it so I. I. Just. Was thankful, and then cross. My fingers and. Then. The next day I got a call that I got the position which was, so.

Unreal And, so happy I started, crying. I was thankful, it really was such a big mind to do this and the. Fact that it came true was, just really great and I totally put in hours of work into it so. Definitely. Definitely. A good feeling so, that. Was awesome as, well because I feel like I found out really early, on compared. To a lot of other positions so I have the super thankful for that because it's. Just such a weight lifted off my shoulders, to know what I'm doing after college, so, unless. Such a big blessing um. So. Yeah that's kind of the process that I went through so, now I just kind of want to get into, the Q&A that I asked, on my Instagram. If you're not following me out already definitely, check it out I always asked for questions. And stuff like that on there so be, a good way to connect. So. Let's. See I already answered a few of these oh one. Question is did, you do the college program and no, I did not do the college program since, I did I have been a cast member since I was seventeen I've I've. Already. Been a customer, so I wasn't about to get that up to do the college program, but. I feel like this should be comforting, for some people because some people think it's such a big advantage to do the college program in order to get a professional internship. I actually, thought that myself, um so. I was worried about that but I really. Think there's. People who have never worked at Disney many people who have never worked at Disney and get a professional, internship. They're really just looking for the most qualified candidate. Because at, this point for. Disney interns yeah you're gonna learn stuff yeah they're gonna teach you stuff but also they don't want to teach you at everything they want someone who's talented and, ready to do the job and has. What it takes to do the job so if you've never worked at Disney and you're still completely qualified, you're. Golden. Do I think it helps, to have some.

Experience, With the company absolutely. Because, about the talking point in your you and you can really share your passion for the brand through, that but I feel like you can share that in other ways as well you know so definitely. Definitely. Not a deal breaker and I, never. Did the college program like I said I don't think it's necessary, so if you want to just hold on to a professional internship, go, for that okay. What, are the quality qualifications. To be considered, for the job so. This definitely depends, for every. Single posting, and usually. The internship. Descriptions, are pretty, in-depth, and give you lots of details on what they're looking for so, that's super helpful and for, my job it was just important. That I was familiar with the social media space had experience, in it and could, do a lot of content creation and, planning, and SEO. And all that good stuff so just, look at the job that you're hoping to do and you can plan ahead and start looking now even, because they might even have some posted. Stuff so, someone asked what exactly, is your major so, my major is telecommunication. Production, which is basically. TV. Production, but we do a whole lot of other stuff but. Everything. Is pretty transferable. In the communications, industry I feel. So. So. Even though my major, is chief of production and, I am totally qualified to do social media because of my experience, honestly. In, all, of the interviews that I've had this semester, no. One has asked me about my degree, none. No. One has asked me about school, they've only asked me about my past internships. So. That goes to show you how important they are and what, recruiters, really want to see speaking, of past internships. What. Were your past internships, and did they help you. Absolutely. 100%. So. I've been trained at feeding children everywhere. As a communications, intern, and this was a non profit and then, I interviewed, at. Intern. Intern. And. Then. I interned, at gravitational. Marketing, which. Is a, advertising. Agency, in Orlando, and then I interned. At Universal. With with, the social media department the Universal was definitely mine a hundred, percent my most beneficial. Internship. By a lot so definitely. Try to go for the big dog that's for sure. Okay do, you have connections with leaders. And did this help you very. Good question, so since, I worked for Disney you, would think I would have like so many connections but not really unfortunately. Since, I work hourly, in the parks of entertainment. I really. Didn't know. Anyone with a social media team um. So. For. My position I didn't have any connections, recommending. Me I did have connections, recommend. You for other positions, actually, but ironically, the position, I accepted, and got, offered I didn't. Have any connections, who recommended. Me for that one so that. Goes to show you like yeah and that working in connections do help but sometimes and a, lot of the time you can get it without any connections, out at all so don't let that stress you off how important, do you think GPA, is to get an internship so.

I Honestly don't think it's super important, most of the internships, have a minimum, GPA which you must have so of course like hopefully, you have the minimum but. Um I was never asked about my GPA personally, I think I have it on my resume because I'm, proud of it but I don't, think it's a deal breaker at all and I don't think they'll even ask you about it as long as you have, and, most internships, require. You to submit, a transcript. Too so definitely. Make sure your grades are swimming, and you're proud of them because it, does show a lot of your work I think it's tough but I'm sure they're understanding, - with you have a hard. Finance, or economics class. Like, everyone. Understands, I am in high school about to go to college what should I start doing to set myself apart from other applicants, you go girl that is so awesome. You're already ahead of the game because you're already asking questions, like this and already desiring. To get ahead of the game so you go, but, I would just recommend to. Start, looking at the descriptions, like I said of internships, that your, dream internships, would be and I would start making, a list of all their requirements and see, what you can do to get experience, and math and that'll really help set yourself apart ok this other question is what are some good follow-up, questions, for after, an interview, this, is a very good question I'm trying to find my paper. Here. It is like. My paper that I need. Before. My interview. So. Some questions that I ask after an, interview, are one. Question I like to ask is, how, did you get your start with Disney, this is not some question just so you can kind of learn more about their career journey because typically. With Disney they've probably, started, in a position, that's totally. Different in the position there and now which is kind of neat and then I usually just ask if they have any, critiques. On my resume or anything that they wish I had more experiencing. That. Way I can just kind of see what, I can improve on, and. Then sometimes and if they didn't already tell me I always ask what are the next steps when I can expect, from hearing from. You and just all that kind of thing because I don't like to not, know I want to know when I'll be able to hear.

From Them and, then, sometimes I ask for in pods podcast. Recommendations, or book recommendations. Just so I can see how they stay, in the. Know in industry. I feel like you can get a lot of good tips from that as well how much do they pay on, average so. Reducing. Insurance, I would say that on average I've heard you, get paid at least above. 16. An hour so you do get paid hourly, and then of course you get admission, to the perks and stuff but. Typically, it's above 16, dollars, an hour but I think it depends on which department you work in and what their budgets like how. Long is my internship, or I'll be interviewing for six months, with the potential, of extending. For another, six months so, possibly, a year but so. Let if I'd six months so, the last question I had is can, people from overseas do, internships, and. Honestly. I'm not quite sure of the answer but my, guess. Would be nothing, is impossible and you. Can make it happen if you really really, desire it, so. I know there's the icy pews which, is the International, College program which, is such, an awesome opportunity for people overseas to move 12 to 0 and work here and I feel like through that you can make lots of connections and just get a lot more information about different programs they offer, but. You can always email, Walt. Disney World recruiting, to, ask that and I will definitely try, to get my hands on the instrument status of that, as well and if, anyone, knows answers, to this please, comment below so, we can just help each other out to find that answer but. I think anything is possible if you can dream it you can do it so, even. If you live across the world keep. Chasing your dreams maybe you can make it happen for sure so. That's. All I have for you I really hope this video helped you kind of answer. Any questions, you might be having about the internship, process or, or, anything. Or getting your feet wet with a career, at Disney. And again. I'm really thankful for your encouragement, through, this whole process and, just cheering. Me on it, really does mean a lot to me makes it differ in my life so thank you and I, will definitely keep encouraging. You as you pursue pursue. Your dreams.

2018-04-24 20:13

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