Interview question

[DarthSkellington]

So I am most certainly not in the college program, but thought this may be an appropriate place to ask. I'm a civil engineer, I applied for a position, management type role. Disney is flying me down next week for an interview onsite. My itinerary is pretty extensive and runs from 9am to 4pm. Couple questions.

1. Does it really last until 4? I mean epcot is right there and calling haha
2. They have been very reluctant to talk dollars and explained the rating system they would use for my role. How long might that take?

Thanks!

 

[Narcoossee11]

My thoughts,
1.... It will be alot of hurry and wait. So count on 4:00, maybe 3:45.
2...... Disney is not going to pay you what you want . They have all the power. Look at question 1, you can't wait to go to a park. They will play that up BIG time.

 

[DarthSkellington]

My thoughts,
1.... It will be alot of hurry and wait. So count on 4:00, maybe 3:45.
2...... Disney is not going to pay you what you want . They have all the power. Look at question 1, you can't wait to go to a park. They will play that up BIG time.

Thanks! Yeah I'm more doing this for the experience of it all. My wife is coming down with me. I've asked some pointed question about the Reedy Creek District changes and let's say it's been very enlightening about how Disney is handling it.

 

[FreeTime]

I’m sure you thought of this, but after decades of business travel it is typically a struggle when the spouse comes along. If she will be be anxious for you to wrap up so you can get to Epcot I would make sure that she has plenty of stuff planned for herself so as not to be hoping that you get done early.

 

[DarthSkellington]

I’m sure you thought of this, but after decades of business travel it is typically a struggle when the spouse comes along. If she will be be anxious for you to wrap up so you can get to Epcot I would make sure that she has plenty of stuff planned for herself so as not to be hoping that you get done early.

Yup good call. I offered her a spa day or epcot. She will get up with me and take the bus from saratoga to epcot and spend as long as she wants there. We are staying at beach club the next night so she can head over there whenever she would like. Disney gave me a rental so I will just drive directly there. Obviously I'm on Disney's dime so I'm at their disposal but this is interview # 3 or 4. 7 hours is certainly a long time.

 

[MICKIMINI]

I was a featured artist at EPCOT in 1993. Disney is just what you would expect and you need to be 100% on the ball with no distractions (Parks LOL!). Being backstage can be a bit distracting. Focus on the job, not Disney. Plan to be there until 4 pm - more time to strut your stuff.

When Disney approached me in person at a trade show, I didn't even realize what company the rep was from. I had all I could do not to fall on the floor when she invited me to WDW, explained what they would offer and we made a deal. Honestly, even though I was used to working with top companies, this was the holy grail and I think I might have started to sweat had I known who she was LOL.

So, anticipate any questions they may ask you. Practice your responses. Don't ask about pay. Plan on a full day. Don't have the coffee or whatever they may offer you (another distraction). Be all business, but with a smile. Good luck!

 

[_19disnA]

I would treat it as you would any job interview. It is partly to see if you are a good fit for what they are looking for and partly to see if Disney and the job are a good fit for your skills/abilities/interests. If you are currently employed, will a change in location to take a job @ Disney be something you/your wife are interested in doing? Do you currently have your resume out for other job opportunities? It is polite in any job interview for them to offer water/juice/soda/coffee and also polite to accept it. I doubt it will be 7 hrs of interviewing. but likely they might show you areas where you would work, the kinds of things you would be doing etc. In some interviews, you might talk to several people who will later compare notes on the various candidates being interviewed. If they are flying you down for the interview, you can assume they have already screened out individuals who they don't think would be a fit for the job they are offering. You have no idea how many others are being interviewed and it isn't appropriate to ask.

As with any interview it is good planning to think about how you might answer any obvious questions they may ask. I would avoid trying to memorize a response since that never goes well and makes the candidate seem overly coached. Be yourself and don't try to pretend to be the person you think they are looking for. You can never tell how an interview goes and just have to wait to hear back from after it is all done.

Although this is the 'college board', your profile says you are 38 but perhaps you couldn't find anywhere else to post your questions.

 

[Mle8308]

Congratulations on being invited for an onsite interview with Disney for a management role! While I don't have specific details about your interview schedule, I can offer some general insights that may help answer your questions.

Interview Duration: Onsite interviews for management positions at large companies like Disney can be quite comprehensive and involve multiple rounds of interviews with different individuals or teams. It's not uncommon for these interviews to take several hours, especially if they include meetings with various stakeholders and potential team members. While it's possible that the interviews could conclude earlier than scheduled, it's best to plan for the full duration as mentioned in your itinerary.

Compensation Discussion: It's not unusual for companies to be cautious about discussing compensation details early in the interview process. Often, they prefer to evaluate a candidate's qualifications and fit for the role before entering into salary negotiations. The rating system you mentioned might be an internal evaluation to determine the appropriate salary range based on your skills, experience, and the position's requirements. Compensation discussions can vary in length depending on the company's hiring practices. It might take place during the final stages of the interview process or follow-up discussions after the onsite interview.

Keep in mind that each company, including Disney, has its own specific procedures for hiring and conducting interviews. It's a good idea to be patient and let the interview process unfold naturally. If you have any specific concerns or questions about the interview or itinerary, don't hesitate to reach out to the company's HR representative or the person who arranged your interview to seek clarification.

The posts you are responding to are all nearly a year old.

 

[HooperSnag]

I'm dying to know what happened! Update, DarthSkellington?

 

[FriggnOdie]

So I am most certainly not in the college program, but thought this may be an appropriate place to ask. I'm a civil engineer, I applied for a position, management type role. Disney is flying me down next week for an interview onsite. My itinerary is pretty extensive and runs from 9am to 4pm. Couple questions.

1. Does it really last until 4? I mean epcot is right there and calling haha
2. They have been very reluctant to talk dollars and explained the rating system they would use for my role. How long might that take?

Thanks!

Congratulations on getting a call-back, good luck at the interview!

 

[Mle8308]

Congratulations on getting a call-back, good luck at the interview!

The OP was from October 2022.

 

[DarthSkellington]

I can respond on how it went.

1. The interview was about 8-9 hours total onsite.
2. I did get to access many backstage and underground areas
3. Everyone was extremely nice to me and clearly has a passion for Disney.
4. The hiring process and organization is a disaster. They "forgot" to send me the offer for 3 months after the interview with no follow up correspondence.
5. The salary offer was extremely low, they bank on people's love of the brand.
6. The technology and office space was akin to something I worked in 15 years ago. But it's an entertainment company running an engineering department. Learned some very interesting things I would of never known but it's not the place for me for full time employment.

 

[Mle8308]

I can respond on how it went.

1. The interview was about 8-9 hours total onsite.
2. I did get to access many backstage and underground areas
3. Everyone was extremely nice to me and clearly has a passion for Disney.
4. The hiring process and organization is a disaster. They "forgot" to send me the offer for 3 months after the interview with no follow up correspondence.
5. The salary offer was extremely low, they bank on people's love of the brand.
6. The technology and office space was akin to something I worked in 15 years ago. But it's an entertainment company running an engineering department. Learned some very interesting things I would of never known but it's not the place for me for full time employment.

Yep. As a former manager there, I can confirm! I left after 15 years and doubled my salary with my first job outside the company (that was over 12 years ago and now it's almost quadrupled as I have left the hospitality sector). I did learn a lot, but did get caught up in the love of the brand. Now I can afford to go as often as I like and stay where I choose.