CRP Pre-screen interview.

Fancy working here?  You could!

You got through the written application process, so what's next?  Successful candidates will be invited to a pre-screen interview with the British agents for Disney Yummy Jobs.  My pre-screen interview was in London, conveniently on a Sunday, and I know there were also interviews in Northern Ireland but I think that's pretty much it for the UK (even Scottish candidates were asked to attend the London interviews.

I imagine the finer details change from year to year but to give you a general overview: there are two interview times on the day of the pre-screen, 9am and 2pm.  It's just luck of the draw which time they allot you to in your email, so you may want to consider staying overnight if you live a way away from London.  The dress code was business attire but you could wear anything you consider appropriate for an interview; some people wore suits others worse smart skirts or dresses.  I would advise making sure you feel comfortable in what you are wearing, if you hate wearing heels, don't wear them!  You'll feel on edge and it's far better to wear a smart pair of flats and feel confident than nervously tottering along in high heels.  

When you arrive at the interview location (again, this could change but we went to Brasserie Blanc on the Southbank) you find yourself amongst loads of people who you've never met and they all want the same job as you.  It's an odd situation; normally if you go for a job, you don't meet the other candidates!  I think it's important that you chat to the other candidates (no matter how nervous you feel) because you will feel a lot better in the group interview and to be honest, you never know who is watching you from Yummy Jobs!

After you've signed in with Yummy, you get taken into a conference room to watch a short presentation conducted by the staff from Yummy.  To get you 'warmed up', they do a little pop quiz on Disney trivia where you can win a little prize and show you a presentation about the program, what you'll do, what it'll be like, tell you about the pay, generally get you very excited about the program.  The staff from Yummy have always done a program with Disney so they are very knowledgable and happy to share their experiences.  Once you have watched the presentation, you're given your group interview time.  If you have a wait for your interview, most people tended to go grab a coffee or drink to kill the time.

When your interview slot arrives, your group will be taken into a room, chairs in a semi-circle with the interviewers sat at a table.  Perhaps the most unnerving thing about the whole group interview is the fact your interview will be taking notes!  You'll have given them your Yummy passport with your photo on so I assume they are making notes on what you say/do etc.  Try to relax and be yourself; they want to see your personality and how you interact with the other interviewees so try not to be too pushy or talk over other people.  Listen, be engaged and supportive.   Don't worry about getting your answer in, everyone gets their turn and will be asked the question.  Don't be afraid to fill any awkward silences either though!

I've compiled a little list of the questions that were asked at mine and my best friend's interview - it's by no means exhaustive though and there are loads of blogs out there with massive lists.

• Introduce the person sat next to you (name, age, job, interesting fact)
• Why do you want to do the program? 
• What's your motivation for doing the program?
• Which object have you brought to represent your culture/country and why?
• The UK Pavilion doesn't have any attractions; what would you add to it?
• How would you deal with a difficult guest?
• How would you cope with living with lots of people from all over the world?
• What will you do after the program?
• What skills/qualities can you  bring? 
• What brand/company do you admire?  

I would suggest preparing the questions the interviewers could potential ask you as some of the questions require quite a lot of thought!  My group interview also had to give a one minute 'sales pitch' on why we were the best candidate.  This was quite nerve-wracking as I'd never read about this happening in a pre-screen before.  Prepare but try not to over prepare, as a new question could throw you completely! 

The group interview lasts around 45 minutes and it really does fly by.  It's easy to say but try not to stew on what other have said or you haven't said once the interview is over.  You will be with excellent candidates but you wouldn't be in the interview if you weren't good enough! It's often hard to tell how you have 'performed' and you don't know exactly what they are looking for!  Be proud of yourself for doing your best!

After this, you have the wait.  You can be waiting a while but if you get through to the next stage, it'll all be worth it!

  

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