Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Screening Interview Questions and Tips

After applying, people wait for the moment they get the email for their screening interview. This is a big step, but I think people psych themselves out more than they need to. The following is what the Disney Professional Intern recruiters have to say about the first round interviews from the Official Disney Interns Blog 
"First-round interviews with the internship recruiters help weed out those who aren’t qualified. Though they may ask more general questions, you should know exactly what position you’re applying for and steer the conversation in the direction. Help them help you."

So while the screening interview is important, it is largely to help the recruiters get an idea of what positions you are most qualified for so they can pass on truly qualified applicants onto the hiring managers desk. From the experience I have gathered, it is most common to have one screening interview for all of the positions you have applied for. However, it isn't unheard of to have recruiters call back to ask additional questions or even schedule additional interviews (especially if you apply to additional positions after your interview). 

This interview is going to be more to see if your a fit with the company, if you are qualified for the positions you applied for, and is likely to last an average of 20 minutes. However don't worry if yours goes longer or shorter than that. Sometimes recruiters are short on time if they get behind. Sometimes they don't need as many questions to see to an idea of your personality/experience. Sometimes if they have time they would love to talk with you about their Disney experience, etc. 

My recommendations are to be calm, pull up your resume and job descriptions on your computer or print them out so you can refer to them during the interview, listen to a Disney song beforehand, smile, and be yourself. You worked hard to even apply for these positions so be proud of your accomplishments and the positions you've held!

This interview asks typical interview questions so if you Google "possible interview questions" those are likely to be possibilities of things you might be asked. However, I did put in some leg work and scoured some blogs and compiled a list of questions that others have said they have been asked in the past (I barely remember the questions from interview. lol) There is no way you will be asked all of these questions, but if you can answer these, you'll be golden for your interview!


Beginning Questions
-Why do you want to work for Disney?
-What are your career goals?
-What would you like to get out of a professional internship?
-List your top 3 positions that you've applied to. (especially asked for Alumni Only)
Situational Questions
-Tell me about a team project you have worked on and how you accomplished your goals.
-Tell me about a time where you were working on a project and something didn’t go right, how did you react?
-Tell about a time when you had too much to do and not enough time to do it all. How did you handle it?
-Tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with a co-worker, manager, or guest.
-How would you handle a disruptive guest?
-Talk about a time you were in a difficult situation.
-Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a guest, how did you manage the situation?

Leadership Questions (mostly for MIs)
-Tell me about any leadership positions you have held.
-How do you define leadership and what qualities are needed in a leader?
-What do you look for in a leader?
-What is the most challenging part of being a leader?
-Tell me about a project you were a leader and how you handled it?

Other Experience/Personality Questions
-What do you believe you will be doing in this role?
-Tell me about the positions you have held and how have they prepared you?
-How would a past manager describe you in 3 words?
-Who is your favorite Disney character and why?
-How do you you stay organized?
-Name an accomplishment you are most proud of.
-What do you think your biggest strengths are?
-What computer programs are you familiar with?
-Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?

Ending Questions
-Why are you more suited for the job than other applicants?
-Is there anything else you'd like us to know about you, or are there any questions you'd like to ask us?


I'd like to give a quick shout out to these blogs for having a excellent posts on the screening interview and are where I got the majority of the questions found on this list. So check them out if you want to read more about their specific experiences before your interview day! Good luck!


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