PI Timeline Part 2

This timeline is a bit more confusing than the first since I am making it so much later. Additionally, I never got official emails/notifications about not being in consideration any longer about a few of the internships. I also applied to A LOT more internships than the first time around. I applied to internships and got NLICs at across a wide timeline so that makes it confusing. Ultimately, it is just a big mess, but I eventually got an offer and that's what counts, right?

Spring 2015 Professional Internships

5 Sept 14- Applied for Management Internship-Animal, Science, Environment Operation

12 Sept 14- Email request to schedule a phone screening interview

18 Sept 14- Applied for Consumer Insight Market Research, Workforce Management Science, Learning Analytics & Evaluation, Forecasting and Planning, Travel Ops Planning, Analysis, & Optimization 

1 Oct 14-  "Thank you for your Interest" NLIC for Workforce Management Science 

6 Oct 14- Applied for 3 Animal Programs positions (Conservation Education Instructor, Behavioral Husbandry, Education Project Specialist)

13 Oct 14- Applied for Pricing Strategy and Analytics 

16 Oct 14-"Application Complete" email from Animal Programs team

20 Oct 14- Email to set up Montage video interview for Conservation Education Instructor

29 Oct 14- Email to set up Montage video interview for Education Project Specialist

30 Oct 14- Montage video interview for Education Project Specialist

               - Montage video interview for Conservation Education Instructor

3 Nov 14- Applied for Strategic Initiative & Integration and Consumer Insight

7 Nov 14- "Thank you for your Interest" NLIC for Learning Analytics & Evaluation 

12 Nov 14- "Thank you for your Interest" NLIC for Management Internship-Animal, Science, Environment Operation

17 Nov 14- "Thank you for your Interest" NLIC for Education Project Specialist, Behavioral Husbandry, and Conservation Education Instructor

24 Nov 14- Applied for CMR Tech Solutions, Marketing Campaign/Analytics

26 Nov 14- Animal, Science, and Environment email about NLIC/feedback

28 Nov 14- "Thank you for your Interest" NLIC for Travel Ops Planning, Analysis, & Optimization 

3 Dec 14- "Thank you for your Interest" NLIC for Forecasting and Planning 

4 Dec 14- "Thank you for your Interest" NLIC for Management and Analytics

6 Dec 14- Applied for Travel Operations Reporting Analytics

8 Dec 14- "Thank you for your Interest" NLIC for Consumer Insight Market Research

11 Dec 14- "Thank you for your Interest" NLIC for CMR Tech Solutions, Marketing Campaign/Analytics

2 Jan 15- Applied for Merchandise Planning Internships

14 Jan 15- Phone call to schedule a phone interview for Merchandise Planning Internships

15 Jan 15- Phone interview for Merchandise Planning Internships

               -Email from recruiter to set up follow phone call

16 Jan 15- Merchandise Planning Offer Phone Call!!! 

               -Accepted offer

               -Welcome to the Team Email

               -Emailed about being added to Housing Waitlist

19 Jan 15 -Got email about being added to Housing Waitlist

19 Jan 15 -Got email about a spot in Company Sponsored Housing

22 Jan 15- Email about Arrival/Transfer Information 

25 Jan 15- Transfer Date between internships

27 Jan 15- Start date

2 Feb 15- "Thank you for your Interest" NLIC for Travel Operations Reporting Analytics

Second Interview

Other News First
Went to Hope College (my alma mater!) today to meet up with one of my professors about the work I have been doing for the Chem Department from home. I thought I would be done, but I still have a few more hours of work I'll have to do on Thursday. It was really hard to say goodbye to a bunch of my professors. This is the first time in 4 years that I don't know the next time I will be in Holland. While there were times that I really didn't want to be there, I had a lot of good times on campus. I will really miss it. I am really sad I didn't get to see the professor I did research for since he is moving to Spokane, WA in 2-3 weeks. It is really hard since it is one of the first times that I feel like I possibly won't ever see someone again. I keep telling myself my family used to live in Spokane and since that is were I was born there is a chance that I could be back there someday. I am still glad I got to back, but for the first time in forever (cue Frozen music) I am I looking forward to the next time I can go back.


Onto the Purpose of this Post...Second Interviews!
So I already mentioned the screening interview that most of the Professional Internships have to do with one of the Disney Recruiters. After your screening interview (or right after you have submitted your application) the recruiters will pass on applications that they think could be a good fit to the managers in the Line of Business for your position. This is often where the waiting comes into play. These managers are often have a full time job to complete before they can even look at intern applications. 

Possible Next Steps After Screening Interview After the managers look at your application, there are a few different things that can happen: you can get a supplemental application, you can get a second interview, or you could potentially not hear anything. Don't fret! Not hearing anything isn't necessarily bad. Some positions, especially Alumni Only ones, don't even have a second interview. However, positions like MIs (Management Internships), pretty much have a set number of interviews from year to year. MIs often have two or three interviews (including the screening one) so if you don't hear about a second interview and other people are getting thirds, it might be a sign that you not get the position. However, until your position goes NLIC you don't have to lose all hope. 

Types of Second Interviews A lot of positions have phone interviews for second interviews and some do an internet video interview. Very, very few will even give you the option to interview in person, but MIs are the only ones that I know of that typically do have the option to do an in person second interview (but you don't have to!). Second interviews vary a ton between positions; a lot last about 20-40min, but it isn't unheard of for some people to have ones that are HOURS long. If you ask me, if you get an interview a couple of hours long, I think there is generally a pretty good change you will get the position because I don't foresee many people having a lot of time to do more than a handful of interviews of that length.

If you want to know about a specific position, feel free to ask, but a good place to go is to join past Professional Internships group pages on Facebook and search to see if there is anything about it. Since I did a Montage Interview, I can post about my experience with that next.

The Waiting Game: No news is good news

One thing that you will quickly figure out when applying to Professional Internships is that the process involves A LOT of waiting. Some people talk about not liking to wait for College Program acceptances to come out, but PIs are MUCH WORSE. CPs are supposed to hear something back within 3 weeks of their phone interview. Many times they hear back sooner than that, and they are told if they are accepted, no longer in consideration (NLIC), or if they are pended. Those that are pended have to endure waiting, but PIs really trust your ability to be patient. 

There is a common saying on the past few cycles PI Facebook groups: No news is good news. 

This is generally pretty true. Since there are so many different Professional/Management Internships, it is really hard to predict timelines compared to the College Program Application Process. However, I am going to put this as a warning: if you have other opportunities and other people have gotten responses long ago for your position, don't hold your breath. It isn't uncommon for people to never go NLIC for some positions. I think that generally they are good about changing people over on the dashboard, but since applications go between so many departments, I think some positions get looked over. On that note, it isn't uncommon for people to be accepted after the date they say everyone will hear by, and it isn't unheard of for people to get accepted after others have for the same position or even after already going NLIC. This isn't very common, so once again, don't hold your breath, but it does happen. I think people aren't always NLIC right away after others are accepted or after going NLIC is that some people drop out after accepting the position and so they will contact people who where the other top choices.

The PI process involves a TON of waiting, so it can be helpful to join the Facebook groups to connect with others (misery loves company, right?) and to see how the positions you applied to are progressing. Just remember, no news is good news!