Rooms and Related - MIs Accepted or Denied?

[DisneyJersey]

I have never worked at Disney or know anything about the PIs, but I've got a thought to share...

I just had to interview and hire my replacement here at my university; I am an administrative graduate assistant in our office of the Registrar. I interviewed 16 people in 2 days for my job (most were face-to-face, 3 where on the phone). Anyway, here's the thing, several people who applied were OVER-qualified. And as wonderful as they were and they were very very interested in the job, we didn't hire them because of that simple fact. Yes, they were more qualified; yes, they would do the job better, but they'd be bored.

So if I go back and look at those qualifications the first thing it says... CURRENTLY enrolled, Junior/Senior... That means, if you've already got a degree - you're OVER-qualified! That's it. It's not that you couldn't do the job, but it wouldn't be the best fit because they'd have to find more work for you to do to fill your time.

I have no idea if that is how Disney thinks, but that's how we think, so I'm guessing it's similar!

I feel the only way I am overqualified is if I actually had manager experience at resorts or hotels...I have absolutely no supervisory experience, so I don't see how I am "overqualified"..sure I have a degree, but I got my degree recently, I actually got it after I applied for the MI, so I don't see how I am overqualified.. plus as crimsontide said, most of the people down there, don't even meet any of the requirements, yet they are hired, so that's what I don't get... and when you say find more work to fill time, how?? being a manager at disney is tough enough work, I am sure they are busy people trying to satisfy everyone, especially when they are sold out with over 3,000 people in the hotel..

 

[crimsontide27]

I can see where you are coming from on the overqualification, but let me share with what my main issue is.

Recruiting flat out and simply lies to get many students down here.

I went to the presentation, watched the video, heard about "best place to launch a career", unlimited growth potential etc etc. It sounded absolutely wonderful.

I inquired about the professional internship and at the time Rooms and related required the CP, but many others inquired about the PIs and were told that they had a much better chance to get it, if they had prior CP experience.

Everyone that applied and wanted to come to Disney from my school was accepted to the CP and we all came here together. Spanning many different roles and jobs, we would network ourselves on up and have fun doing it.

My ex girlfriend decided she would wait and see what I thought about the program before she came down. Fast forward to the end of our program and out of every CP from my school that applied for a PI, not a one of us got contacted , even for an interview. My ex at the time decided she would just straight out apply for the PI and skip the CP. I told her that her odds were slim to none since she had no job experience, no CP experience, etc etc...yet wouldnt you believe she got offered the same PI that half the people that came down here a semester early to do the CP wanted.

You may be absolutely spot on in your observation about overqualification, but if thats the case...they should stop telling people that doing a CP is a way to get a foot in the door, when actually for the most part, its worse to do a CP, than to just come here full time if thats what you want to do.

Many people come here on the CP because of the ambition that the sky is the limit.

Do not put desired qualifications in the job description at all. It says they want people with CP experience, they want front desk experience, they want hospitality experience....yet when it comes to hiring and selection, they go against everything they have posted.

My whole issue with this process is that they con you to come down here to work for minimum wage for 6-8 months to get your foot in the door for advancement, when thats not the case at all.

For example, there is a guy from my school that has done the CP 3 times already and tried for a PI each time he was eligible, but never got picked up. His friend applied for the PI this time around and has no job experience and never done a CP, yet he got the job while his friend that has given 3 programs to Disney doesnt even get a call....

It is for this reason that I , and many others from my school, are in touch with the school administration and are currently trying to get a ban on Disney coming to recruit to our school. If they want to come down here and recruit based on facts and tell the truth about what the program is about, we have no problem...but when they come here and recruit and flat out lie to the student body, then it becomes an issue.

 

[Matty721]

2 of the people so far accepted for this PI that I am aware of....once again have no prior hotel experience and never done a CP either. So since it seems the only real qualification you need for this job is to be a junior or senior, I...and many others are left trying to understand what they dont have that others seem to have.

I think you may have misunderstood what i had said in a previous post. . . .

I completed my CP back in the Spring of 05 in a Hospitality role working at Disney's Contemporary Resort. During my time there i had the opportunity to work at the Grand Floridian for over a month. In addition to my time spent at the Grand, I was made a Front Desk/Lobby Concierge Trainer for my final two months.

Upon completion of my college program i had the opportunity to move down to Southern California (I am from the west coast) and work at Disneyland. I spent all of my time at Disneyland (over a year and a half) working in Guest Services at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. It truly was an amazing experience.

Having moved on from my time at Disneyland, I am currently a Customer Operations Manager at Microsoft's Corporate Headquarters in Redmond, WA. In addition to my current job at Microsoft, I am also a campus rep for my college.

Now i am not trying to sound arrogant but this thread has been very negative towards those of us who have accpeted this MI. With that said i felt it was time to defend us. As you you can see i have plenty of experience with the company specifically in a hospitality role and feel that i am very qualified for this position.

 

[tinyt396]

I can see where you are coming from on the overqualification, but let me share with what my main issue is.

Recruiting flat out and simply lies to get many students down here.

I went to the presentation, watched the video, heard about "best place to launch a career", unlimited growth potential etc etc. It sounded absolutely wonderful.

I inquired about the professional internship and at the time Rooms and related required the CP, but many others inquired about the PIs and were told that they had a much better chance to get it, if they had prior CP experience.

Everyone that applied and wanted to come to Disney from my school was accepted to the CP and we all came here together. Spanning many different roles and jobs, we would network ourselves on up and have fun doing it.

My ex girlfriend decided she would wait and see what I thought about the program before she came down. Fast forward to the end of our program and out of every CP from my school that applied for a PI, not a one of us got contacted , even for an interview. My ex at the time decided she would just straight out apply for the PI and skip the CP. I told her that her odds were slim to none since she had no job experience, no CP experience, etc etc...yet wouldnt you believe she got offered the same PI that half the people that came down here a semester early to do the CP wanted.

You may be absolutely spot on in your observation about overqualification, but if thats the case...they should stop telling people that doing a CP is a way to get a foot in the door, when actually for the most part, its worse to do a CP, than to just come here full time if thats what you want to do.

Many people come here on the CP because of the ambition that the sky is the limit.

Do not put desired qualifications in the job description at all. It says they want people with CP experience, they want front desk experience, they want hospitality experience....yet when it comes to hiring and selection, they go against everything they have posted.

My whole issue with this process is that they con you to come down here to work for minimum wage for 6-8 months to get your foot in the door for advancement, when thats not the case at all.

For example, there is a guy from my school that has done the CP 3 times already and tried for a PI each time he was eligible, but never got picked up. His friend applied for the PI this time around and has no job experience and never done a CP, yet he got the job while his friend that has given 3 programs to Disney doesnt even get a call....

It is for this reason that I , and many others from my school, are in touch with the school administration and are currently trying to get a ban on Disney coming to recruit to our school. If they want to come down here and recruit based on facts and tell the truth about what the program is about, we have no problem...but when they come here and recruit and flat out lie to the student body, then it becomes an issue.

Well they don't flat out lie. I did a CP, came back home and got more experience, applied for a PI, and got it. I also applied for the rooms and related internship and didn't get it but when 6,000 people apply for these every year, its probably extremely difficult to interview every person.

 

[mickeyfan85]

I think you may have misunderstood what i had said in a previous post. . . .

I completed my CP back in the Spring of 05 in a Hospitality role working at Disney's Contemporary Resort. During my time there i had the opportunity to work at the Grand Floridian for over a month. In addition to my time spent at the Grand, I was made a Front Desk/Lobby Concierge Trainer for my final two months.

Upon completion of my college program i had the opportunity to move down to Southern California (I am from the west coast) and work at Disneyland. I spent all of my time at Disneyland (over a year and a half) working in Guest Services at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. It truly was an amazing experience.

Having moved on from my time at Disneyland, I am currently a Customer Operations Manager at Microsoft's Corporate Headquarters in Redmond, WA. In addition to my current job at Microsoft, I am also a campus rep for my college.

Now i am not trying to sound arrogant but this thread has been very negative towards those of us who have accpeted this MI. With that said i felt it was time to defend us. As you you can see i have plenty of experience with the company specifically in a hospitality role and feel that i am very qualified for this position.

Wow, Matty, you are way qualified! Maybe you can give me a few tips? I'm starting a hospitality CP and hoping to do a MGT PI there after.

And I think Disney is doing a great job of hiring. Let's face it, we don't get every job we apply for in our lives. Just suck it up and move on. Because tomorrow is another day!

 

[crimsontide27]

No one is mad at anyone that has accepted any PI. For goodness sakes stop putting words in someones mouth.

Ive stated plenty of times what the issues were, and the one you bring up has nothing , whatsoever, to do with it.

Earlier in the thread it was brought up that maybe some people were overqualifed and that was probably why they didnt get a chance at interviewing, but looking at your credentials we now know thats not the case.

When I bring up words like "majority" etc, its exactly that. There are always very rare exceptions to the rule.

 

[crimsontide27]

I think you may have misunderstood what i had said in a previous post. . . .


Now i am not trying to sound arrogant but this thread has been very negative towards those of us who have accpeted this MI. With that said i felt it was time to defend us. As you you can see i have plenty of experience with the company specifically in a hospitality role and feel that i am very qualified for this position.

People such as yourself that have CP experience and job related experience is not what bothers me. You are more than qualified for this postion and I dont think anyone would have a problem with you accepting a role.

What does bother me is that 5 of the last 6 PIs that have been at my work location have no credentials, no college program, no job skills, not a damn thing to make them any more qualified than the 1000s of CP people that come down here trying to get their foot in the door for that specfic role. I only use hospitality and the rooms and related PI because it is what I have first hand experiences with and can speak from fact, not from what Ive heard or read.

Edit: Just saw you will be at the CBR....our pathes will cross pretty soon and then you will be able to see for yourself what I am talking about. And yoru credentials dont sound like you are bragging, there are 3 other CPs here that have similar credentials to yours and mine blows yours away.

 

[graygables]

And yoru credentials dont sound like you are bragging, there are 3 other CPs here that have similar credentials to yours and mine blows yours away.

 

[DisneyFanaticMatt]

This is exactly what I dont understand. You have done the CP, have front desk experience, and have a degree in hotel management, yet you are not selected. If you were going against someone with better qualifications, then I could understand, but at this moment, the 2 PIs we have at my work locations have none of those qualities.

You can clearly see they state they desire those with CP experience and some for front desk / hotel enviroment experience, yet why are there PIs at my work that have neither?

Friend of mine at work is finishing up his 2nd CP in hospitality and has been deployed to almost every one of Disneys Resorts and even gets calls from other front desk managers to see if he wants to pick up the shift if they have one open. He has a degree in hospitality, he is very well recieved by his management and other hotels management as well, yet he didnt even get a reply back or even so much as an interview for this position. On the same token, at least 3 people that have accepted this position for this term have no prior college program experience and have no prior resort experience either.

Thats why Im calling shenanigans on their hiring practices. They shouldnt even post required / desired qualities if its obvious it doesnt matter.

In the 2 years that I have been here, I have learned that the less experience you have, the better off you are for a management internship.

Has it ever behooved you to call casting and maybe get to the bottom of why you didn't get picked?

 

[CelebrationNM]

Has it ever behooved you to call casting and maybe get to the bottom of why you didn't get picked?

I second this idea as far as the internship goes

I would also consider what another poster said awhile back: maybe you shouldn't be interested in an internship, but rather an actual management promotion, since you apparently feel your qualifications are superior to those around you. (Ego is fine, I've been told, but be sure to check it at the door.) I heard a few years ago that WDW has 500-600 management promotions available every year, and more than 3/4 of those are filled internally. So if you're not getting promoted...you should find out why.

 

[NJatHeart]

For those that have gotten interviewed and selected for the MI for Rooms and Related, I ask what were your qualifications that got you in the door.

I ask because today they sent out a ton of rejections emails to people waiting on this management PI. There were a total of 5 CPs that applied from my work location and they were never called for an interview or anything either.

All 5 of them had good record cards, done very well while they had been here, 2 have their college degrees in Hospitality already, etc etc.

I am trying to put together what it is that the people in charge of this specfic PI are looking for.

Here is the specfic requirements listed for this PI.


REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: (These are the minimum qualifications you need to be considered for the job.)

Currently earning a college/university degree

Current College Junior or Senior

Demonstrated strong computer proficiency within a Windows environment

Demonstrated strong problem solving skills

Demonstrated strong verbal, written communication and presentation skills

Proven organization and planning skills

Demonstrated strong attention to detail

Demonstrated strong leadership ability and follow-through skills

Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks

Demonstrated ability to motivate, recognize and direct Cast toward a common goal

Demonstrated strong desire to coach, mentor and develop front-line Cast Members


DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Prior participation in the Disney Theme Parks & Resorts College Program
in a Front Desk or Housekeeping position

Minimum 6 months Resort experience

Minimum 6 months demonstrated leadership in Hospitality or related industry

Demonstrated experience in Front Office or Housekeeping environment

Demonstrated bilingual skills


Now, the only 2 required qualifications that can actually be verified, is the college requirements. Everything else cant be judged from a resume and no tests are given to see if you are really proficent at computers or have any leadership qualities.

When it comes to the desired you can see that they supposedly looking for people with a CP background and a background in hotels. These are pretty much the exact same specifications that has been listed for 2 years, with the exception of the CP no longer being required for this internship.

For the past 2 years I have been working at Disney and seen PIs come and go, and the fact is many have NO background experience in hospitality and have NO college program participation either.

*** are these people looking for? If you have been accepted for this intership, it would be helpful for those that didnt even get a shot at an interview to understand what they are lacking.

2 of the people so far accepted for this PI that I am aware of....once again have no prior hotel experience and never done a CP either. So since it seems the only real qualification you need for this job is to be a junior or senior, I...and many others are left trying to understand what they dont have that others seem to have.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Hey there -

I think what helped me the most was trying to apply any and all work experience that I had into the interview questions. Just think of ANYTHING that can possibly be related to that answer and use it in your response so it seems as though your previous work experience has really prepared you for this upcoming position.

My case is a bit different - I do have a lot of work experience as well as a master's degree in hospitality and have not participated in the CP. I'm sure this had a bit to do with getting the position; however, I think that my responses in the interview relating to my previous job experience is what boosted their confidence in my ability to perform the job tasks. I used to work in HR (not at Disney) but those are the types of responses that I was always looking for. Qualifications written on your resume certainly help but can only take you so far. Previous experience proving competency is more of a reassurance that a candidate can excel.