How many roles should you check off?

[mgriffi6]

I know the more roles you check off the better your chances of getting into the program, but I am afraid if I check off too many I will be stuck with a job I wouldn't enjoy as much as a role in my top three. I was thinking of applying for BBB, merchandise, and attractions, so would that be enough roles since merch and attractions have so many jobs available? I'm afraid if I add QSFB or custodial (which I'm sure wouldn't be that bad anyway, I'd take any role over not going) I would get those roles where if I didn't add them on my list I could have gotten merch or attractions.
I'm not sure if this has been asked yet, but for former CPs, how many roles did you check off and what did you end up getting? Was it in your top three? Do you have a better chance of getting a role in your top three if you apply as soon as the applications open?
Thank you for your help!

 

[illini4princess]

It's really up to you. If you check a lot of roles, then yes there is a chance that you could be placed in a role that isn't in your top 3 if your interview isn't stellar. Now, merchandise and attractions do have a lot of jobs available, so you'd be better off than someone that only checked say BBB, character performer, and photopass. And the sooner you apply/interview, the better chance you have of getting a role since there are more spots left.

But you do have to consider what would happen if the interviewer didn't find you suitable for either of those three. Would you rather just not get accepted? Or would you be willing to do a role that may not be your favorite, but will still allow you to do the program? You said you'd take those roles over not going... then you should probably check off those roles.

Another thing to think about is that you can always decline an invitation without penalty. So you could always check off more roles and then just not go if you don't get the one you wanted.

I understand your line of thinking... that if you only pick a few roles and don't interview well your interviewer will just give you one of those roles instead of rejecting you (or picking a random other role if you had picked a bunch). Which really would depend on the interviewer and how sympathetic they are. Some interviewers would feel bad and just give you the role, others would see it as a lack of openness about the program and still reject you if your interview was bad.

So again, it's up to you... but the CP campus reps do recommend checking off as many roles as possible that you could see yourself doing, even if they're not dream jobs.

 

[WishAndDream]

I understand not wanting to check QSFB and Custodial, because I agree with you in that if you say you'll work those, you probably will end up with one of them. Would you consider Character Attendant, PhotoPass, or Hospitality? Especially those last two are smaller roles, so fewer people get them, so it might be worth putting so you seem more flexible... but at the same time, there's still a chance you'll get them, so you'd need to be prepared. When you interview, if you decide to check off a few more that you're not as sold on, I would emphasize that you would really prefer one of your top three (they ask you what your top three roles are; you could list them and say that while there are other roles you would accept, you feel you are most suited for and would have the best experience with those three).

Now, just to contradict all that... I applied/interviewed late for Fall 2010. My top three were Attractions, Merchandise, and Character Attendant (I had others listed - FSFB, Hospitality). When I interviewed, I was asked two questions about Attractions and like five about Character Attendant - none about Merchandise. I had no experience with retail/merchandise either. Yet when I was accepted, it ended up being for Merchandise, lol. I think, especially if you apply early, that having Attractions, Merchandise, and BBB (since Attractions and Merchandise are bigger) you would be fine.

Also, if you're concerned about the interview... you could always read up on what they usually ask about. I think there's a thread here somewhere about interview questions, and there's certainly blog posts about it. Best of luck!

 

[ZeroToHero]

To reiterate what WishAndDream said, they do ask you your top 3 roles you either want, or think you are most suited for (I've been asked both ways). And then really only ask you questions about those ones.

So if you check off a lot of things, but say you're really interested in ____, ____, and _____, then they usually only ask you a few questions about each of those (and then the "Would you be willing to do QSFB?")

 

[ZeroToHero]

I understand your line of thinking... that if you only pick a few roles and don't interview well your interviewer will just give you one of those roles instead of rejecting you (or picking a random other role if you had picked a bunch). Which really would depend on the interviewer and how sympathetic they are. Some interviewers would feel bad and just give you the role, others would see it as a lack of openness about the program and still reject you if your interview was bad.

I think if you interview poorly, they don't give you the job at all - they might feel bad about it, but I don't think that will affect their decision enough say "She must just have had a bad interview." They don't know if that's how you always are.

For instance, my first interview was really, really bad. I didn't know it at the time, but looking back on it now, I did not do a good job of displaying my people skills, my skills in general, and I focused too much on what I didn't know. I was really nervous, but how are they supposed to know? Sooo.... I didn't get in.

They want the best people they can get for this. And yes, sometimes they make mistakes, but a large part of Disney is interacting with guests, so they want confident, well-spoken representatives of the Disney name.

Which really, really stinks when you get nervous right when the phone starts ringing for your interview.

 

[mgriffi6]

Thanks for all the help everybody! I definitely might consider adding hospitality or something like that now, I need to go back and research the roles again for the millionth time haha. And yea the phone interview does seem really nerve-racking but I've done a few of them for college and scholarships before so I'm hoping I'll be ok on this one! I just want it to be application time already and get it over with! lol

 

[SportsChick]

I think I checked off 12 or so roles, and custodial and QSFB were not among them.

I had stuff like Hospitality, Vacation Planner, Main Entrance Operations, Attractions, BBB, Photopass etc.

I didn't put anything I didn't think I'd enjoy doing, but instead picking stuff I thought I could get a lot out of (I'm a hospitality management major). I got MEO which will have a lot of guest interaction which for me is perfect, my concentration is in guest relations.

 

[Joanna71985]

I agree with others who have said to only pick roles you are comfortable with (trust me, you don't want to be in a role for 5-7 months that you are unhappy in). When I was a campus rep, I always suggested picking at least 4-5 roles, if possible

 

[DisneyFirefly]

I love how everyone always seems to be like "I don't want to do custodial, last resort". It's actually not that bad. I really enjoyed it, because you had most of the day on your own, you weren't tied to one position (but you did have a "zone" until you got bumped to another), and there's a TON of guest interaction. Yes, it's messy and sometimes it sucks, but I actually really had a good time doing it and, as far as I know, so did the other CPs I worked with. I just think custodial gets a pretty bad rap sometimes, when I thought we were having more fun than some of my friends in attractions.