Disney Career Start Program

[coontzy]

I got an offer with "custodial position". Has someone else done this??? Will I be cleaning toilets forever? and how is this going to be a career move for me??? I am almost 21, will have my associates degree in 2 mo., and have 2 yrs banking and 1yr retail experience, and this is the job they offered me. Someone please respond, my parents are saying NO WAY!!

 

[ahoy kristen]

I got an offer with "custodial position". Has someone else done this??? Will I be cleaning toilets forever? and how is this going to be a career move for me??? I am almost 21, will have my associates degree in 2 mo., and have 2 yrs banking and 1yr retail experience, and this is the job they offered me. Someone please respond, my parents are saying NO WAY!!

did you put custodial on your role checklist?

 

[disnutt]

I got an offer with "custodial position". Has someone else done this??? Will I be cleaning toilets forever? and how is this going to be a career move for me??? I am almost 21, will have my associates degree in 2 mo., and have 2 yrs banking and 1yr retail experience, and this is the job they offered me. Someone please respond, my parents are saying NO WAY!!

If you can do a good job with a good attitude in a custodial position you can move up faster/farther than doing a half-hearted job in another position. If you really want to work for Disney and they are offering you this then I would suggest taking it or at least finding out exactly what duties they consider custodial. They may have you arranging schedules or working on supply inventories and not actually scrubbing anything. You may not get another chance or you may get tagged as not a team player for turning your nose up at a respectable job.

Edited to say- Just think of the great press once you're Disney CEO and you can say you started in Custodial Services!

 

[coontzy]

The description says, "cleaning toilets, using chemicals, lifting heavy trash bags, etc. When I had my phone interview the recruiter say's "an often overlooked job is custodial, you get to interact with guests, and there is cleaning..." honestly, I never dreamed they would select me for that role, I can't think this is a good use of my skills, ie:banking, retail, if they are just trying to fill spots and not considering what I would be good at that seems wrong.

 

[tinyt396]

The description says, "cleaning toilets, using chemicals, lifting heavy trash bags, etc. When I had my phone interview the recruiter say's "an often overlooked job is custodial, you get to interact with guests, and there is cleaning..." honestly, I never dreamed they would select me for that role, I can't think this is a good use of my skills, ie:banking, retail, if they are just trying to fill spots and not considering what I would be good at that seems wrong.

What you are overlooking is the fact that you would be working for one of the best companies in the world. After you work at Disney employers can't wait to hire you because Disney is held in such high regards. There have been people on these boards who have done it and have said it was the best experience of their lives. Also when she mentioned the custodial role, did you tell her you would not want to do that role?? If you feel that this is not the role for you then do not take it, but in my opinion, it will give you a great opportunity to network and find out how to pursue a career in this company.

 

[coontzy]

But when people ask "what did you do at Disney?" and I reply "clean toilets, empty trash etc." you can't believe that looks good on a resume, they would hire me if I was going out for a janitor position. The recruiter didn't mention that part of it when I had my phone interview, and the picture they show is of someone with a little broom and dust pan, a perfectly benign shot, so no I wasn't thinking toilets were involved, I have been in public bathrooms, people are disgusting, and Iguess I would be the one called to unclog and clean. I'm sorry I am just really disappointed, I was so looking forward to this and now I am depressed about it, 6 months of latrine duty.

 

[tinyt396]

But when people ask "what did you do at Disney?" and I reply "clean toilets, empty trash etc." you can't believe that looks good on a resume, they would hire me if I was going out for a janitor position. The recruiter didn't mention that part of it when I had my phone interview, and the picture they show is of someone with a little broom and dust pan, a perfectly benign shot, so no I wasn't thinking toilets were involved, I have been in public bathrooms, people are disgusting, and Iguess I would be the one called to unclog and clean. I'm sorry I am just really disappointed, I was so looking forward to this and now I am depressed about it, 6 months of latrine duty.

Oh boy, if that is how you are going to look at it then I do not think you should take the position. Custodial is not just cleaning toilets and if that is what you think you should do some research on these boards and find people who have ACTUALLY done it and find out what it is like. When people ask you what you did at Disney you say, I was in Custodial. And on top of it all, it does not matter what position you are applying for, EVERYBODY in the world knows Disney and knows how great they are at guest service and satisfaction.

 

[coontzy]

Please if anyone has had this position explain to me the duties. Tell me how you liked it, was it a good job, that is all I wanted to know. I tried a search under "custodial" and found nothing about this role. So if anyone knows about it please reply.

 

[tinyt396]

Please if anyone has had this position explain to me the duties. Tell me how you liked it, was it a good job, that is all I wanted to know. I tried a search under "custodial" and found nothing about this role. So if anyone knows about it please reply.

Try asking on the College Program Questions Part 2 board, you will probably get a better response from people on that one. I know Joanna has done custodial and she could answer a lot of your questions.

 

[disnutt]

But when people ask "what did you do at Disney?" and I reply "clean toilets, empty trash etc." you can't believe that looks good on a resume, they would hire me if I was going out for a janitor position. The recruiter didn't mention that part of it when I had my phone interview, and the picture they show is of someone with a little broom and dust pan, a perfectly benign shot, so no I wasn't thinking toilets were involved, I have been in public bathrooms, people are disgusting, and Iguess I would be the one called to unclog and clean. I'm sorry I am just really disappointed, I was so looking forward to this and now I am depressed about it, 6 months of latrine duty.

OK-full disclosure here- I stumbled upon this thread and thought it would be great to still be in college and able to do this program. I'm now 43, married with kids and working in a job I think is OK and pays really well but I'd jump at the chance to scrub toilets at Disney with the opportunity to get in the system and move up in the company rather than be doing what I'm doing today! If only I didn't have a DH who doesn't want to live in FL! sad1:

If people ask what you do you say, "I work to keep the high standards of Walt Disney World and ensure Guest satisfaction." Disney is famous for doing what ever they do better than anyone else. Overall they have some of the nicest public restrooms anywhere. If you work there I believe you will be rewarded for scrubbing a toilet better than anyone else does. The clean bathrooms contribute to my sense that I am getting a quality product when I spend my money/time at WDW.

I'd rather tell someone, "I got to scrub toilets at WDW for 6 months, make sure that my stations were the best out there, make mothers with kids have a feeling that they don't need to fumigate themselves after using the potty, and I also got to learn about the business of Disney and here's how I can apply that to every other position I ever take." than to tell them, "I turned down the opportunity to work at Disney because they weren't letting me use my 'skills'." (Sounds whiny to me.)

As an old lady here I'd advise you to grab your chance and make the best of it. You never know what you'll get if you do but if you don't you know you'll get nothing. Go work as a teller at First National Bank or on the sales floor of Macy's if you want to use the 'skills' you've got. If you want to get new skills that you WILL be able to apply in any future jobs, get interesting stories to tell, and be the envy of your friends take the opportunity you've been given.

Good luck,
Kiena

Edited to say- Hope your parents don't get mad at me for saying this but I think turning down any opportunity to work at one of the most recognizable companies in the WORLD is a STOOOOPID move. If you can get a good recommendation from someone at Disney then you can use that in ANY company for ANY job. Companies PAY Disney to teach them how to do customer service. You'll be bringing that to them FREE! Do what ever job you are given with pride and a can do attitude and you will go places. See my siggie line!!

 

[ahoy kristen]

i didn't get my letter today. :[ i rushed home to get the mail too!


any day now.. i kind of feel like the longer it takes, the more chances of me not getting attractions..

 

[joepic]

But when people ask "what did you do at Disney?" and I reply "clean toilets, empty trash etc." you can't believe that looks good on a resume, they would hire me if I was going out for a janitor position. The recruiter didn't mention that part of it when I had my phone interview, and the picture they show is of someone with a little broom and dust pan, a perfectly benign shot, so no I wasn't thinking toilets were involved, I have been in public bathrooms, people are disgusting, and Iguess I would be the one called to unclog and clean. I'm sorry I am just really disappointed, I was so looking forward to this and now I am depressed about it, 6 months of latrine duty.

are you kidding me? you checked it off - not even reading the description... I'm sorry, it's your own fault.

However, I don't know why you're fretting so much. If I had the opportunity for a paid internship in Disney, I would jump right on it. As long as you go in with a positive attitude, I guarantee you that you'll have the time of your life.

Any experience I've heard about the custodial position has been extremely positive, believe it or not...

Try to talk to Joanna on these boards - you can find her in the college program questions thread. She did the custodial position last year in Epcot. She even has a blog about it where she wrote about her workday each day.

Don't get yourself down, you'll have a great time.

Good luck!

 

[coontzy]

I did not "check it off" the recruiter mentioned it during the phone interview as "an often overlooked position" so I did not have the description in front of me when I said "that may be ok" It seems they were just trying to fill the least desired spots and because I didn't say, "absolutely not", I got it. My fault for trying to be flexible but thinking they would still utilize me in a role that would actually make sense. You have to admit it would not be the most sought after role!

 

[tinyt396]

I did not "check it off" the recruiter mentioned it during the phone interview as "an often overlooked position" so I did not have the description in front of me when I said "that may be ok" It seems they were just trying to fill the least desired spots and because I didn't say, "absolutely not", I got it. My fault for trying to be flexible but thinking they would still utilize me in a role that would actually make sense. You have to admit it would not be the most sought after role!

If you really are this upset with the role I recommend not taking the position. If you are going to only look at the negatives then when you get down there you will not be happy and upbeat in your role therefore you will not live up to Disney standards. You do not want to end up leaving early cause then you will not be able to get a job with Disney again (and Disney owns A LOT of companies). Turn it down and try again next year.

By the way, they were not trying to give away the least desirable roles considering most people would kill for ANY role at Disney, just ask some of the people who got rejected.

 

[dynamitedwayne]

hey, does anybody know if there is a deadline to send in your applications??

 

[csaribay]

hey, does anybody know if there is a deadline to send in your applications??

Sooner is better in almost all cases. They cap application acceptance when no positions are left available. For CS, if you don't have your recommendation yet, you may still submit all other paperwork and do the recommendation at a later point (but again, you want to do this as soon as possible).

 

[dynamitedwayne]

Sooner is better in almost all cases. They cap application acceptance when no positions are left available. For CS, if you don't have your recommendation yet, you may still submit all other paperwork and do the recommendation at a later point (but again, you want to do this as soon as possible).

alright thanks alot!

 

[ahoy kristen]

i know i'm being completely annoying, but my interview was april third, do you think i got like QSFB or custodial? is that a pretty late interview to get attractions or merch? i'm just really worried.

 

[csaribay]

i know i'm being completely annoying, but my interview was april third, do you think i got like QSFB or custodial? is that a pretty late interview to get attractions or merch? i'm just really worried.

Well, if you had those down on your role checklist or said that you were receptive to either during your interview, I certainly wouldn't exclude receiving them.

Otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much about it at this point. During your interview, you may have noticed your interviewer asking specifically about the roles you marked on your role checklist- if the interviewer was focusing on one or more of the roles you're very interested in, I'd think that you're probably in good shape.

 

[ahoy kristen]

Well, if you had those down on your role checklist or said that you were receptive to either during your interview, I certainly wouldn't exclude receiving them.

Otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much about it at this point. During your interview, you may have noticed your interviewer asking specifically about the roles you marked on your role checklist- if the interviewer was focusing on one or more of the roles you're very interested in, I'd think that you're probably in good shape.

ok,she asked a lot about attractions, i was excited.

youare so helpful csaribay,you know everything.