The Presentation

After all your waiting and preparing, the big day will finally arrive!  In this post I’ll explain about the first portion of your day – the Presentation.

After waking up early enough that you don’t need to stress and having a healthy breakfast to keep you going, you will dress in your interview clothes and make your way to the interview location.  If you followed my advice in the previous post, you should arrive with plenty of time to spare.  I recommend aiming to get to the presentation location 10-20 minutes early.  It may seem excessive but it gives you a buffer of time if something unforseen happens and if nothing else, arriving early always gives a great impression.  While you’re waiting, try introducing yourself to your fellow applicants.  They’re probably as nervous as you are and it can be a great way to make new friends.  Once again, it also makes a great impression if you’re being chatty and friendly as opposed to leaning against the wall looking timid and terrified.

Once you’re allowed in the presentation room you will probably be asked for photo ID (I took my passport but a Driver’s License would work just as well) and then you will sign in with your name and your school.  I believe that this is because under the new system you can only interview if you have been invited and have booked in online.   This helps the recruiters to make sure everyone who should be there is there and vice versa.  After you sign in you can take a seat – I recommend closer to the front and central if you can manage it but I guess that’s all about personal preference.

The presentation itself is a lot of fun.  The presenters will introduce themselves (there are usually two of them but sometimes only one) and talk a bit about their experience with the company.  Near the start they will ask you some questions about Disney and the Disney Parks.  Make sure to brush up on your Disney Trivia because they give out prizes!  At my presentation we got blue Mickey Mouse Shaped luggage tags but in the past they’ve also given out pens.  It’s such a fun prize to win and might also get you noticed by the recruiters.

From this point on the presentation will consist of a series of short videos interspersed with talking by the presenters.  A lot of the information will be things you already know if you’ve been doing your research and some of the videos are very similar to the official Disney recruiting videos on YouTube, but it’s still really interesting and super exciting.  I’m sure it goes without saying, but make sure you are attentive and focussed during the presentation.  Trust me, someone yawning or looking bored is not going to impress the recruiters!

At the end of the presentation, you will have an opportunity to ask questions.  If you do ask something, make sure it isn’t something that has just been covered in the presentation or you are going to look like you weren’t listening.  Also, try and keep any questions you ask at the presentation more broad – save the specific questions for your interview.

Once the presentation is finished you will be reminded of the location for the interviews and then you are free to leave.  Try to thank the recruiters on your way out if you can, it always looks friendly and polite.  Depending on what time your interview is schedule for, you may have time here to go and get something to eat or a coffee etc.   However, I would strongly recommend you go an locate the interview room first.  It may be right next to the presentation room or it may be on the other side of the campus.  Find it first and that way you’ll know exactly where to come back to later.

So that’s a brief overview of the presentation.  Next up I’ll talk about the Interview or you can return to the Masterlist.