7 Ways to Rock Your Disney Phone Interview

So you may have made it through the rounds of an audition or application for Disney! So what's the next step?? PHONE INTERVIEW! Whether you are applying to the Disney College Program or through general recruitment, I hope this post can help make the phone interview process a little less stressful!

Here are 7 ways to rock that phone interview:

1) Research: Learn everything you can about the Disney position you are going after.  This includes what your responsibilities will be, whether or not you will be working outside in the heat, and how often you will be interacting with park guests.

If you can, reach out to cast members and ask them about their experience.  For instance if you wanting a role within Entertainment, reach out to any performers you or a friend may know to understand what you are working towards.  It will lead to better answers to the interview questions!

Sample questions to ask current (or former) cast members: - What skills/qualities are needed for the position? - What has been your favorite/least favorite part about the job? - How do you handle difficult situations?

2) Prepare: The more prepared you are for your interview, the more confident you will come across over the phone.

The interview is made up of two main parts - introduction and interview.

** Introduction: You really want the introduction to be strong.  You'll obviously want to be friendly and personable.

Sample introduction:

"Hi! Yes, I’m (insert your name) ! Thank you so much, (insert his/her name) for calling me! I can’t express how much I’ve been looking forward to this!!"

** Interview: This is the part where the casting director will ask you a few questions about who you are as a person, your previous work experience, how you would handle real-life Disney situations, etc.   A lot of people have asked me what kind of questions a casting director asks during a phone interview, but the questions aren't much different than a typical job interview.  A few may ask about your interest in Disney, so be prepared to share a favorite memory or what you love most about Disney in general.

WRITE DOWN: YOUR INTRODUCTION and ANSWERS TO POTENTIAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS as if it were a script. Study it. Memorize it. Rehearse it so much you could answer the questions in your sleep.  Have it in hand while you are on the phone.  So many people don't put enough work into this part, but I promise that the hard work is worth a better shot at landing your dream job!

Sample Disney interview questions:

- How did you hear about the Disney College Program/this position?

- Describe a time when you had to make a tough decision?

- Why are you interested in applying for Disney/this position?

- Describe how would you handle an upset park guest?

- What are your strengths? (Briefly describe your top 2 or 3)

- How do you stay positive and energetic while doing a boring or mundane task?

Find more basic interview questions here. 

3) Find a quiet spot: Be sure to have the phone interview somewhere quiet and free from distractions.  I told my roommates in advanced that I would be on the phone for an interview, and they were willing to give me the space I needed in order to remain focused.  I also asked my family members not to call me during the time of the interview to avoid accidentally hanging up on the casting director/recruiter.   They are busy people, and it's important not to waste their time.

4) Have your professional and theatre resume ready: This is SO important!!  Have your resume printed out or in front of you on your laptop so you can refer to it during the interview. I knew I would be nervous and forget to mention important things on my resume.  (If you are using your laptop, be sure to log out of any social media websites that may be a distraction while talking on the phone).

5) Use correct grammar  Avoid words such as “like” and “um.”  I tend to overuse the word “awesome” so to prevent that, I made a list of other words I could use, “terrific, wonderful, phenomenal, sensational…etc.”  Make a list of (more impressive) words you can use to not only describe yourself, but your past work experiences as well!

6) Smile. Smile. Smile: If you forget to do everything else on this post, AT LEAST do this! Even though the casting director can't see your face during your phone interview, it's still important to smile. It may be difficult to showcase the essence of who you are in just a 10-15 minute phone call, but a casting director can tell what type of person you are based on the inflection in your voice.  They talk to hundreds of people over the phone, and those who are friendly and energetic stand out.  Practice reciting answers ahead of time with a smile on your face.  Write a sticky note with the word, “Smile!” and slap it on your laptop in front of you to remember to smile and sound pleasant over the phone. You can never sound "too friendly" during a phone interview.

7) Ask questions and say "thank you!" I suggest asking the casting director 2-3 questions about their own experience with Disney, when you may hear back about the position, etc. Have a pen or paper ready (or your laptop) to record the responses.  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be sure to thank him/her at the end of the interview and preferably use his/her name so they know you remembered.

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"Hey, that doesn't sound so bad!"  If you reach the phone interview part of the application process, chances are you are being seriously considered for the position.  Stop stressing. You are enough. Believe in yourself.  Take a deep breath before you answer the phone, and SHINE like I know you will!

For more questions about the audition or application process, feel free to message me.  Sending pixie dust your way!