I've recently received an email asking if I can go over some tips for the Web Based Interview, and what the timeline was like for the last time I was accepted. The Web Based Interview (WBI), from what I remember, took me about a half an hour. The email you receive inviting you to take the WBI suggests that you be somewhere with a strong internet connection, and somewhere quiet where you can concentrate. I chose to take my interview on my laptop in my school's dining hall. I guess my dorm room would have been the prime location to do this sort of thing, but I was worried about the connection in there, so I opted for the dining hall. I found a quiet table near the back corner so that no one would bother me, and I sat there by myself to take my interview.
The questions, in my opinion, were not that difficult. I know that lots of people who applied for this coming Spring program were denied after the WBI, and I would guess that this is just because the program has likely become more competitive. If you could get in with 5 answers they didn't like before, maybe they've made it 3 recently to counteract the increased number of applications, just a guess here. Anyways, some of the questions are multiple choice, and some are situation-based. I remember them being very customer service oriented, things about putting the guests before your own tasks, and what-not. I don't really remember much about the multiple choice section, so I imagine that it was not too difficult. I remember the situation ones, because they kind of try to trick you. They ask the same questions, but worded in different ways. If it says "I consider myself to be a team player," and "I enjoy working together with others," you need to make sure that you put the same answers for both. Everyone you talk to about this says not to lie to fit what they're looking for, but if you'd be a good employee you wouldn't be lying anyways.
The interview is timed, which was the only stressful part for me. I do not do well in timed tests. I'm not someone who will run out of time without answering questions, but rather I usually rush through and give wrong answers because I get so worked up about the time limit. Thankfully, I got through this interview okay, and I really tried to pace myself. I do not remember if there was a countdown on the screen, or if I just kept glancing at the clock, but however it happened, I was really on top of how much time was left, and I really worked hard to pace myself during the interview. I also didn't second guess myself on the answers. I'm notorious for changing my mind on multiple choice tests, only to later find out that the first answer was correct, but on this interview I really went with my instincts.
That's basically all I've got. I'm not sure how helpful this was, I think that everyone kind of has their own way of doing things like this and you need to really find what works for you. For instance, I could have taken my WBI in the library, but for some reason I felt that the overbearing amount of silence there would have nerved me or something, and I kind of wanted the slight background noise of the dining hall. I mean, I wasn't sitting with a group of people at my table, but I think the background noise kind of calmed me down in an odd way if that makes sense. Oh, and some of the questions you have to answer with things like "Disagree," "Agree," "Strongly Agree," etc... Don't use the ones in the middle. It looks better when you pick an extreme, and keep the answers consistent.
Luckily for this blog, I have all of my email communication that has ever occurred between Disney Recruiting and myself saved. So here is the timeline of how it went last time I was accepted:
9/10/11: I received the email from Disney Recruiting saying that applications were up for the Spring 2012 program.
9/13/11:
Approximately 6:00 AM: I submitted my application. I know, not smart. I should have been more awake, and more in an alert state of mind filling out the application. But I couldn't sleep. I knew the email saying that I could apply was in my inbox, and I wanted to participate in the program so bad. I was up all night thinking about the next morning so I could apply, and after sleeping for only a couple of hours, I just went with it and filled out the application.
7:49 AM: I received another email from Disney Recruiting thanking me for my application.
8:07 AM: I received the email with the invitation to take the WBI. I took the WBI at around 1:00 PM, during what would have been my lunch/break from classes that day.
3:31 PM: I received the email to schedule the phone interview.
5:34 PM: I received the email confirming that I had scheduled my phone interview for September 20, at 10:15 AM (exactly 1 week from submitting my application.)
9/20/11:
10:15 AM: I had my phone interview. (I believe I made a post all about it in the past, but if you'd like to know more details about how it went let me know!)
9/21/11:
3:21 AM: I received the email thanking me for taking the time to interview with Disney, and that I would be updated on the status of my application within 2 weeks.
9/22/11:
1:43 PM: I received my acceptance email for Merchandise, (which resulted in screaming and crying).
9/26/11:
I do not remember what time, but this was when I met with my adviser about participating in the program. He (understandably) said that I wouldn't receive any credit or anything for my major (History), but I may be able to receive Business credits if I go through Career Services. He warned me that I may need to take a Leave of Absence if the school does not approve of the program. Later that I day, I went to Career Services, where I learned that my school does not acknowledge the program as an internship, and that I would need to take a Leave of Absence if I were to participate. A Leave of Absence would mean that I would lose my scholarship, as the terms of the scholarship were that I go to school for four consecutive years. After some more crying, I logged on to my dashboard and declined my offer.
I printed out everything I possibly could about housing, and the role and anything else you can only see after being accepted, and I've had it hanging in my room ever since that day. I was pretty miserable about it after to say the least, and of course, now that I'm graduating my school acknowledges the program. Hopefully everything happens for a reason, and it just wasn't meant to be back in 2012. Looking back on this whole scenario, I should have met with my adviser before even applying, but I didn't think I would be accepted within one week. I thought that if the inevitable happened and I couldn't go, I would be able to stop the application process before it got too far.
Now I'm happy that I know the whole process firsthand, but I just can't wait to finally go. When everyone is worked up over waiting for one semester, I feel like I've been waiting for 3 years for my chance to go on the program! So I just can't wait! If anyone has anymore questions about this process let me know! :D
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