The Exciting Background Check
One of the last steps before getting an offer is receiving a background check. They do not guarantee that you are going to get a job offer, but it is doubtful that you are going to get an offer without one. I have heard that some people who are currently employed by the Disney company don't always need to get one. In the past it seems like a lot fewer people received background checks and it meant that you were on the short list of consideration for at least one position. However, for the Fall 2014 cycle, A LOT more people seemed to get one on the Facebook group that received offers. In the past it seemed like people generally got them shortly before they got the email to schedule their "brief phone call." This time around a lot of people (especially those who were Alumni only or had screening interviews) got them shortly after their screening interviews.
My Background Check
When I got my background check I was on a cruise. I actually received a bunch of movement this week which was stressful. I had internet at our port in Key West since we were in the US and I got on Starbucks WiFi in Cozumel. I had set up an automatic reply just in case, but I filled out the background check email on my iPhone outside Starbucks. I didn't receive any other correspondence for a while so I was worried it didn't go through since you do not get a confirmation it was received after you submit it and if you go back to the email it opens a blank form. Don't worry!
What it Looks Like
When you get the email it asks you to fill out a form titled "Application DWS Pro Intern FL v2" and basically asks if you have applied to work for Disney before, if you have a record or any pending charges, you consent to giving Disney your fingerprints if hired, and if you give Disney consent to do a background check.
After this email, it can be a few days, weeks, or months before more movement, so the waiting game can continue!
Friday, June 6, 2014
Thursday, June 5, 2014
I don't care if I never get back...
So the last few days have been super busy. I have had 3 doctors appointments to get all squared away with my medications and have nice teeth before going away to Florida for 7 months. Yesterday I also was able to fit in one last Tigers baseball game in before I leave. I hadn't been able to get to one this season and wasn't sure the next time I would be able to go. The game also doubled as a birthday game for my Dad (June 2) and my sister (June 5). Starting a few years ago we try to go to a game for our birthdays (works since all of us were born in the summer!)
Even though they lost (like the 4 games I went to last year...) it was still a lot of fun! My mom and I filled out over 100 All Star game ballots and we got some cool prizes. I got a Torii Hunter mini bat and a winter Tigers hat. My mom won a baseball hat (she wanted a new one!) and a cool mini-duffle bag. To fill out the ballots we had to punch all these holes out and we got them all over us! My sister, her boyfriend, and my dad didn't want to fill them out, but we did it for them so we could get more prizes! They all got boring stationary sets. My mom and I definitely got the best one! I even got a picture with my future boss! I guess Mickey is a Tigers fan!
Even though they lost (like the 4 games I went to last year...) it was still a lot of fun! My mom and I filled out over 100 All Star game ballots and we got some cool prizes. I got a Torii Hunter mini bat and a winter Tigers hat. My mom won a baseball hat (she wanted a new one!) and a cool mini-duffle bag. To fill out the ballots we had to punch all these holes out and we got them all over us! My sister, her boyfriend, and my dad didn't want to fill them out, but we did it for them so we could get more prizes! They all got boring stationary sets. My mom and I definitely got the best one! I even got a picture with my future boss! I guess Mickey is a Tigers fan!
Today I worked a bit on reorganizing the things I am taking down to Florida. We also went out for my Dad's and Megan's birthday dinner. We just went to Red Robin since they both had free birthday dinners. I also got to say bye to my grandmothers since I don't know if I will have time to see them again this weekend before I leave. I also finally put my diplomas in their frames! Now I am the proud owner of two bachelors degrees!
Drop Downs
So drop downs cause a lot of excitement for everyone on the Facebook pages. The biggest thing that they are separate positions that come on the Dashboard drop down menu.
Specific Position Drop Downs
These "drop downs" usually are specific jobs that come from a general posting. Two of the biggest categories that have drop downs are the Alumni Only positions and the General Marketing positions. For example, if you apply to the Alumni Only job posting you check off from a list of about 20 internships that you want to be considered for. Then after your screening interview and your application has been moved on, if you are considered a strong final candidate you will be given a separate position under the drop down menu. This is really exciting, since it means that you have been narrowed down and are on the short list of candidates for that position. It is by no means a guarantee that you have the job, but it is definitely a good sign!
Interview Drop Downs Another drop down you might get is for a specific interview. I didn't apply to any of the general applications that normally receive a drop down, but I did end up getting 2 drop downs throughout my interview process. The first one was for my montage interview for animal programs. I don't know of a lot of other positions that got these drop downs besides Animal Program Montage Interviews.
The second drop down is a REALLY good one! Everyone who gets an offer gets this one! This drop down was for my callback offer! If you get one of these there is a pretty good chance you are getting an offer. It isn't guaranteed, but ALMOST everyone who gets this drop down gets an offer.
Specific Position Drop Downs
These "drop downs" usually are specific jobs that come from a general posting. Two of the biggest categories that have drop downs are the Alumni Only positions and the General Marketing positions. For example, if you apply to the Alumni Only job posting you check off from a list of about 20 internships that you want to be considered for. Then after your screening interview and your application has been moved on, if you are considered a strong final candidate you will be given a separate position under the drop down menu. This is really exciting, since it means that you have been narrowed down and are on the short list of candidates for that position. It is by no means a guarantee that you have the job, but it is definitely a good sign!
Interview Drop Downs Another drop down you might get is for a specific interview. I didn't apply to any of the general applications that normally receive a drop down, but I did end up getting 2 drop downs throughout my interview process. The first one was for my montage interview for animal programs. I don't know of a lot of other positions that got these drop downs besides Animal Program Montage Interviews.
The second drop down is a REALLY good one! Everyone who gets an offer gets this one! This drop down was for my callback offer! If you get one of these there is a pretty good chance you are getting an offer. It isn't guaranteed, but ALMOST everyone who gets this drop down gets an offer.
Montage Interview
Montage Video Interview
This cycle it seems like a lot more Professional Internships started using this video interview software called Montage. I had heard of past cycles a small handful of internships having to do a video interview, but it seems like a lot more positions have started to use this software. It is a lot like Skype, but for businesses.
Interview Offer Originally when I got the email to schedule the interview, it said that I was having a phone interview. I then got a separate drop down saying Animal Programs Callback. This drop down was really only used for this interview. However, because of this I wasn't sure what position I was being interviewed for. Luckily, since I had been talking to people through Facebook I guessed it was for the Conservation Education Presenter position. If interested, there are other blogs that pretty much give the questions, but I don't feel comfortable sharing them here. However, two days before my interview I got an email describing the video interview process with Montage. It seemed a little confusing, but it really does walk you right through it. I recommend going to the room and getting familiar with it before your interview.
The Actual Interview My interview was with two of the managers of the Animal Programs team and was specifically for my Conservation Education Presenter Role. They asked questions that I felt prepared for. Unfortunately, I had some bad things happen for my interview. I was at home for spring break and our internet isn't the best. Since my connection was slow and the video was lagging, they called my cell phone for the audio. THEN, my phone dropped the call. I was like, SERIOUSLY! My phone never drops calls! Luckily they used the messaging system and called me right back. The one interviewer (who was also from Michigan and knew someone who was a full-timer in my department at the zoo) said she had her call dropped during her interview when she had first applied for her internship.
The complications really threw me off and I thought I spoke too fast and did awful. Luckily, I must have done better than I thought I did since I got the offer!!!
This cycle it seems like a lot more Professional Internships started using this video interview software called Montage. I had heard of past cycles a small handful of internships having to do a video interview, but it seems like a lot more positions have started to use this software. It is a lot like Skype, but for businesses.
Interview Offer Originally when I got the email to schedule the interview, it said that I was having a phone interview. I then got a separate drop down saying Animal Programs Callback. This drop down was really only used for this interview. However, because of this I wasn't sure what position I was being interviewed for. Luckily, since I had been talking to people through Facebook I guessed it was for the Conservation Education Presenter position. If interested, there are other blogs that pretty much give the questions, but I don't feel comfortable sharing them here. However, two days before my interview I got an email describing the video interview process with Montage. It seemed a little confusing, but it really does walk you right through it. I recommend going to the room and getting familiar with it before your interview.
The Actual Interview My interview was with two of the managers of the Animal Programs team and was specifically for my Conservation Education Presenter Role. They asked questions that I felt prepared for. Unfortunately, I had some bad things happen for my interview. I was at home for spring break and our internet isn't the best. Since my connection was slow and the video was lagging, they called my cell phone for the audio. THEN, my phone dropped the call. I was like, SERIOUSLY! My phone never drops calls! Luckily they used the messaging system and called me right back. The one interviewer (who was also from Michigan and knew someone who was a full-timer in my department at the zoo) said she had her call dropped during her interview when she had first applied for her internship.
The complications really threw me off and I thought I spoke too fast and did awful. Luckily, I must have done better than I thought I did since I got the offer!!!
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
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.
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.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Supplemental Applications
At some point after you submit your application you might be contacted to submit additional materials or fill out a supplemental application. Some positions that do this are graphic design, journalist, etc internships that ask to submit a portfolio. Obviously if you have read my other posts you know that I didn't apply to those internships, so I will briefly talk about the Animal Programs and Agriculture Sciences Supplemental Applications. I got both of these shortly after I submitted my application.
Animal Programs The Animal Programs limits that a person can only apply to 3, so people on the Facebook page that applied to more had to say which 3 they wanted to stay in consideration for through this email. I already knew this, so I had only applied to 3 (Education Conservation Presenter, Chemistry, and Reproductive Biology). The Animal Programs application had a set of standardized questions for each of the positions that I applied for through their department. The questionnaires for each position pretty much wanted to know that I did in fact have the qualifications list, list experiences and such. I then had to email those back and a cover letter that covered all 3 positions. They also ended up asking me for another copy of my transcript since they had had difficulty opening the one I had uploaded on my dashboard.
Agricultural Sciences The Agricultural Sciences one (for the Biotechnology position I applied for) asked for a cover letter, transcript, and letter of recommendation. They didn't have any extra questions. I, however, decided to withdraw my application for this position at this point in time.
OTHER UPDATES: 1 week until I leave for Florida! Oh, and how can I forget?!?! One week from today I will be leaving for Florida (well hopefully by this time we will be in Georgia for the night). I can't believe it is getting so close! I felt like I was doing well on packing, but now I feel like I have so much to do and no time to do it in! Tomorrow I am heading over to my college to finish up my work there and then Wednesday I have 2 doctors appointments and my family is going to the Tigers game for my dad's/sister's birthdays, so I will pretty much have zero time to get stuff organized. Also, with my OCDness I pretty much planned my sister's college class list today so she will be ready to register tomorrow. Well, off to make sure I have everything ready for my day trip tomorrow!
Animal Programs The Animal Programs limits that a person can only apply to 3, so people on the Facebook page that applied to more had to say which 3 they wanted to stay in consideration for through this email. I already knew this, so I had only applied to 3 (Education Conservation Presenter, Chemistry, and Reproductive Biology). The Animal Programs application had a set of standardized questions for each of the positions that I applied for through their department. The questionnaires for each position pretty much wanted to know that I did in fact have the qualifications list, list experiences and such. I then had to email those back and a cover letter that covered all 3 positions. They also ended up asking me for another copy of my transcript since they had had difficulty opening the one I had uploaded on my dashboard.
Agricultural Sciences The Agricultural Sciences one (for the Biotechnology position I applied for) asked for a cover letter, transcript, and letter of recommendation. They didn't have any extra questions. I, however, decided to withdraw my application for this position at this point in time.
OTHER UPDATES: 1 week until I leave for Florida! Oh, and how can I forget?!?! One week from today I will be leaving for Florida (well hopefully by this time we will be in Georgia for the night). I can't believe it is getting so close! I felt like I was doing well on packing, but now I feel like I have so much to do and no time to do it in! Tomorrow I am heading over to my college to finish up my work there and then Wednesday I have 2 doctors appointments and my family is going to the Tigers game for my dad's/sister's birthdays, so I will pretty much have zero time to get stuff organized. Also, with my OCDness I pretty much planned my sister's college class list today so she will be ready to register tomorrow. Well, off to make sure I have everything ready for my day trip tomorrow!
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Screening Interview
One thing that is pretty common across Professional Internships is a screening interview. However, since I only applied to Science Positions (Animals, Science and Environment and EPCOT Agricultural Science) I did not have to undergo a screening interview. As far as I know, pretty much everyone besides people only applying to Animal Programs or Agriculture internships undergo the screening interview. I think that pretty much everyone that isn't automatically NLIC gets a screening interview.
From my understanding it is a lot like the College Program Interviews. They ask things like why are you applying to do a Professional Internship, make sure you are eligible, which are your top choices, your experience, and various other situational and position specific questions. If you are applying to Management Internships they will ask you leadership type questions, as well. Like I said, since I didn't do one of these interviews, I am not the direct source of this information, but this is what I have come across on other blogs and Facebook. I might apply for some other non-Animal Programs internships for next spring and if I do I will have to have a screening interview for that.
From my understanding it is a lot like the College Program Interviews. They ask things like why are you applying to do a Professional Internship, make sure you are eligible, which are your top choices, your experience, and various other situational and position specific questions. If you are applying to Management Internships they will ask you leadership type questions, as well. Like I said, since I didn't do one of these interviews, I am not the direct source of this information, but this is what I have come across on other blogs and Facebook. I might apply for some other non-Animal Programs internships for next spring and if I do I will have to have a screening interview for that.
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