What its like to work for Disney

What it’s like to work for Disney by Amber Rolfe Want to work ‘where dreams come true’?Whether it’s always been your childhood dream to work for one of the best-known names in American cinema history, or you just want to see what it’s like working in the ‘happiest place on earth’ â€" for some, getting a job at Disney is like nothing else imaginable.But what’s it really like to work there, and how hard is it to get involved?To help you ‘imagineer’* it, here’s everything you need to know about working for Disney â€" wishing on a star not necessary…  The interview process The exact interview process depends on the type of position you’re applying for, but you’ll always need to show a love for the brand and everything it stands for â€" whether you want to work at Disneyworld, in a Disney store, or at one of their corporate offices.And, because Disney are never short of staff (or aspiring members of staff), you’ll have to stand out to beat the competition.Most interviews will cover the basics (e.g. why you want to work there, your relatable skills, and your knowledge of and what you can do for the company), but Disney also use a range of other techniques to test candidates on their capabilities.For example, if you’re interviewing for a position in design, you’ll usually be tested on your drawing ability â€" so brushing up on your Disney character art is a must. And, for in-store positions, prepare for communication-based quizzes, which aim to show off your upbeat personality.Aspiring Disneyworld park workers arguably have it the toughest â€" especially if you want to become a Disney princess or a ‘fur character’. In this instance, interviews may involve ‘rigorous dance competitions’, and various other roleplay tasks.So, make sure all accents and mannerisms are matched flawlessly. Essentially, you have to be Mickey Mouse (see also: every other Disney character).N.B. No matter what role you interview for â€" always send a thank-you message to follow-up.    The workplace The roles at Disney are as varied as the workplaces.Aside from 14 Disney parks, 4 Disney cruise ships, 28 hotels, and hundreds of Disney stores located all over the world (with 57 in the UK), there are also a variety of opportunities based at their many corporate offices.Designed with bright and vibrant colours, and decorated with a range of Disney memorabilia, their Hammersmith-based UK office is everything youd expect from the global leader in family entertainment. They even have an in-house cinema.So whether you want to be surrounded by themed rides and all your favourite characters at a Disneyworld resort, working in-store selling Disney products, or designing, building, and marketing the magic at a corporate office â€" theres bound to be a workplace to suit you at Disney.And you dont even need to travel abroad to find it.  The roles With 166,000 employees based in more than 40 countries, there are a range of opportunities on offer at Disney â€" many of which a re available in the UK.Disney parks and stores offer positions in: Transportation Security Entertainment Culinary Retail  Disneys offices offer positions in: Marketing, sales, PR Structural architecture, engineering, design (or imagineering*) Admin Business development planning Finance accounting Human Resources Technology  Internships and graduate schemes are also available â€" where youll be able to take on a large amount of responsibility, and get exposure to lots of exciting projects. You may even get the chance to work overseas (in a resort) as part of the process.  The employee benefits There are a range of exclusive perks on offer for Disney employees, or Cast Members.These include everything from free screenings of new film releases, and early finishes in the summer, to 40% off at Disney stores, and even 50% off cruises.Free access to Disney parks (arguably the best perk) along with free passes for friends and family for Disney resorts, are also available. In other words, you’re getting paid to go to Disneyworld.But its not just recreational benefits that Disney offer.Past and present employees also cited they got a generous pension, health, and dental scheme and a great holiday allowance â€" alongside a range of available training and development courses.  The company culture The Walt Disney Company prides itself in 90 years of outstanding storytelling â€" and working for them means you could become a part of it.And in line with the generous benefits, its no surprise that the culture at Disney is famously fun (although that’s not to say it doesn’t come with hard work)According to internal reviews, Disneys workplaces have a great atmosphere and an amazing working environment, filled with highly skilled people. If youre passionate about the product, youll fit right in. And if youre working at a resort, making children happy is all in a day’s work.Additionally, with employees citing supportive teams, an open, flat, and relaxed stru cture, and tonnes of opportunity to get involved with projects and campaigns â€" working for Disney is a great way to learn and grow within your career without sacrificing your entire life.In fact, one reviewer was so happy with their work-life balance, that they said Mickey Mouse would probably match the dictionary description.Its a bold claim, but well take it.  *At Disney, Imagineers ‘make the magic’ â€" designing and building everything from castles and mansions, to mountains and firework shows.Still searching for your perfect position?  View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. What job suits me? Where can I work?

Now Discover Your Strengths

Now Discover Your Strengths Marcus Buckingham is the author of several business bestsellers, including Now, Discover Your Strengths. His work is based on a survey of 1.7 million employees in 101 companies from 63 countries. When asked the question At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day? only 20 percent answered yes; the other 80 percent felt that they were not using their strengths in their roles at work. What does that mean?  For Buckingham, it means that most organizations are plodding along with a group of struggling and demoralized workers. By contrast, companies that recruit and deploy people based on strengths can realize huge gains in productivity and morale. My previous post on strengths defined them as innate talent (something you do naturally, joyfully and consistently well) combined with learning and experience to hone your abilities. Everyone has a pattern of strengths, which combined, define what you love to do and can do better than almost anyone around you. Imagine a work day where you spend your day playing to your strengths, and the people next to you are equally and joyfully engaged. How do we get there? The first step is to discover your strengths. The patented Strengthsfinder assessment   is available online for $19.95.   It’s the best way to determine what your pattern of five strengths is. You get the results of your assessment along with an explanation of what your strengths mean, an action guide and access to a library of articles and online forums. Now Discover Your Strengths offers a description of the 34 identified strengths, based on the Gallup survey. My five look like this: Achiever: I start out each day (weekends and all) with a burning desire to do something useful, to accomplish something. Nothing energizes me like a new project to sink my teeth into, and nothing feels worse at the end of the day than to bemoan the fact that “I didn’t get a thing done all day.” (This, as opposed to my dear friend Sandy, who is an Arranger. She is a genius at putting things â€" and people â€" into the order that makes the most sense. She’s the one you want in charge of a situation that’s constantly changing; she’ll make sure everyone knows where to go and what to do.) Communication: Not surprising for a writer, bringing ideas to life is what I live for. Whether it’s speaking, writing, teaching or simply telling stories, I want to interpret my inner world and the world around me for others; to make sense of it and see its beauty on a new way. Ideation:I delight in new ideas and discovering the common theme that makes sense of complex systems.   I’m always intrigued by new ideas that make me reconsider everything I’ve thought before. For me, the most powerful question to ask is “What if.” Maximizer: Average means nothing to me. Something is either excellent, or it needs to be fixed (or nurtured, or rearranged.) I care deeply about things that are wonderful, and can often see potential where others can’t. I love the idea of helping people blow on a spark and achieve the greatness they struggled to develop. Significance: I feel the need to be recognized, to be heard, to stand out. That’s why writers write; otherwise, we’d just be thinking. I have big plans and am intensely ambitious in my own way. I want to look back on life and know that I did Important Things. As I look at these strengths, I can see the value in finding a career where I use them every day. If there were such a job, I don’t think I’d ever feel tired or burned out. Imagine a workplace where you felt valued and understood, and excelled at all the tasks you were given.   Your coworkers, who might be very different temperamentally, would gladly take on the tasks that you didn’t. Paradise with a paycheck. How do we get there? Here’s a free online resource with a pretty good description of the 34 strengths.

How to decrease your spending

How to decrease your spending I just got waxed. Everything off. Heres a picture of Stephanie in action: I love Stephanie because she is fun to talk to if I feel like talking and she leaves me alone if I feel like sending emails on my iPhone while she waxes. Or taking pictures. I love the feeling of being neat and tidy after waxing. Because I feel like if my body is neat and tidy then my life is neat and tidy. Which is, of course, not true. Im not sure anyones life is neat and tidy. But I like the idea that I can buy the illusion that I have things pulled together. The problem is that waxing is expensive, and its a recurring expense. And Im working on keeping my expenses very low so that I can start another company. Because a startup is really difficult to keep funded, and if you are supporting a family on a startup salary, its very scary. But I keep feeling Ive already cut as much as spending as I can. Does everyone feel that way? But look, I moved from NYC to a farm. There are no stores here so I have to go to eBay at 2am for something to qualify as an impulse buy. There are no avenues for splurging on spoiled children beyond buying an extra dog or donkey. But still I find avenues to extravagances that I hate giving up. Its hard to be a grown up. Its hard to give up stuff I really like buying. I feel like all budgeting advice is like all career advice: Be a grown up and make hard choices. If you want to have a stable income then you cant launch your own exciting new company every five years. If you want to live in NYC then you have to do a job that earns a lot of money. I accept these tradeoffs very well for careers, and then I bitch to people who dont do as well as I do in the making-choices department. But when it comes to buying things, Im not that good. I bought my son a two-thousand-dollar violin even when I didnt really have enough money. I wanted him to have a good violin because he works so hard during practice. In my head the violin is like the waxing. I get fixated on needing it. Some of you will judge the violin as extravagant. Others of you will say the violin is fine but the $200 knife was absurd. I felt like I had to buy it, though, because I cook meat every day and we dont have a good knife for slicing. Its easy to judge other peoples spending because if you dont have an emotional connection to someone elses purchase, it looks like a lame obsession. For example, I rarely go out to dinner. Maybe once every three months. So your dinners look extravagant to me. Im a girl of action, though. And I like a list of goals. So here are five ideas that have helped me to cut down on my spending: 1. Buying luxury items makes us mean. When we are thinking about luxury items, we are less likely to be considerate of other peoples feelings, according to Roy Chua, from Harvard Business School. He says this research gives companies reason to decrease spending on Jets and high-end client entertainment. I think this research also shows why I actually make my life worse by even considering the $10,000 oven that Ive coveting. (And to make you a better person, I am not providing a link or a photo of it because it will adversely affect your empathy.) 2. Creating money problems leads to divorce. A couples therapist told me the top three causes of divorce are money, sex, and in-laws. This makes sense to me. If nothing else, entrepreneurs have a very high rate of divorce, and entrepreneurs have routine money problems, and I know you know that I am not above using a syllogism to prove a point. But there is backstory to those causes of divorce: Really, the cause of divorce, every time, is lack of self-knowledge and self-regulation. The money, sex, in-law stuff are just visible symptoms of the invisible emotional problems. What this tells me is that if I dont get a handle on the emotions that drive my spending then I will not have a handle on the emotions that keep a marriage together. 3. Catalogs are evil. When I moved from NYC to Madison, WI, I was shocked that the only billboard ads were for Budweiser. I knew that moving the farm would make me totally out of touch with advertising messages, and, therefore, with American culture. So I spent a day subscribing to all the catalogs I could find. Flash forward to me receiving five catalogs every day: I didnt know there were cute little lamb butter molds until I saw them in a catalog. Pictured on a dinner table filled with love and good cheer and people who were not fat even though they ate butter. I wanted those butter molds. And everything else in the catalogs. So I throw out catalogs immediately. When I am feeling strong. 4. Spending less is better than earning more. One reason I fail to curb my spending is that Im great at earning money. I seem to have an endless ability to dream up one more way to get $10K really fast. But I never have a lot of money. My first tip-off that this is normal is the research from Richard Easterlin that everyone feels like they need to earn 15% more in order to feel financially secure, regardless of how much money they make. But here is more research to quell my earning habits: Sonia Lyubirmisky, psychologist at University of California, writes that the more money we earn the less we are able to enjoy small pleasures of life. 5. Having a lot of stuff is not cool. The first thing about it not being cool is that we are in an economic meltdown, and even William and Kate are skimping on their honeymoon. Also, the more stuff you have, the more you reveal that you have a problem feeling loved, according to research from Margaret Clark, psychologist at Yale. (Which makes me feel emotionally superior to everyone that I have so few things in my house.) But also, we know that buying experiences is more meaningful to us than buying things. Which is why I come back to Stephanie, time and again. Because I leave with no physical object, just that feeling that I can conquer the world.

Trust Yourself; Youre Not Just Lucky - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Trust Yourself; Youre Not Just Lucky - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Yes, timing and luck contribute to your success. But you also contributed to your success. One of my early mentors, a long time member of Young Presidents Organization told me that he and his fellow YPOers had to learn to trust their competence just like everyone else does. He taught me that the first time you experience a great success you think, “Whew, was I lucky. The second time you make it big you think, Wow, I guess lightening struck twice for me. Its only when you make big things happen a third time that you trust your ability and therefore yourself. Trust yourself; youre not just lucky. Youre good.  Give other people, and the Gods due credit but give yourself whats due too.

5 Tactics to Land a Green Industry Executive Job - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

5 Tactics to Land a Green Industry Executive Job These days, the green industry is a tantalizing carrot dangling in front of people who are stagnating in jobs in anemic industries or finding diminishing opportunities while actively job-hunting within their niche. Over this decade green jobs will open wide, as companies, organizations and all of us as individuals scramble to go green. Do you have the goods to compete for top-level jobs in this emerging, sought-after industry? You can count on your leadership and management skills to serve you well, no matter what industry, but that may not be enough. As with any shift in career focus, your green career transition will require special preparation to position yourself as a good fit to recruiters and hiring decision makers assessing you. A great starting point is Job-Hunt.org, one of my favorite resources for all things job search, for any industry and any professional level. Ive included just a few Job-Hunt green resources among these get-started-now suggestions: 1. Identify need and opportunities. Google relevant keywords to find resources, read relevant blogs, articles and white papers, and set up Google Alerts for relevant keywords. See my Brand-yourself.com post, Use Google Alerts to Amplify Your Executive Brand Visibility and Job Search. 2. Research companies to target and compile a list of 20-30 to work on penetrating. Your research helps you with market intelligence and due diligence, and prepares you to intelligently communicate with decision makers at each company. See Job-Hunts list of 50+ Green Industry Employers. Go to each companys website to find a wealth of information, such as Boards of Directors, C-suite company leadership, and news and press releases. These resources will arm you with market intelligence, help with due diligence, and position you as a well-informed candidate in interviews. Research and make a list of key decision makers at your companies of interest. Youll then work on positioning yourself in front of them. 3. Determine what positions to target. Job descriptions can provide a wealth of information about the industry, skills/qualifications, companies and their culture, challenges they face, and can help you decide what green jobs may be a good fit for you. Check out: LinkUp, a job aggregator that also includes employer websites Job-Hunts list of Green Job Boards. Use job information to decide whether your existing skill sets are up to snuff and transferrable. You may need to sharpen your value proposition by learning relevant new skills. 4. Learn the lingo. See Job-Hunts Green Industry Glossary and Guide to Green Terminology. Leverage your newly-gained skills and knowledge to market your credibility and viability online. Blog and tweet about relevant topics so youll be found by hiring professionals who search online to source candidates. 5. Expand your network. Do keyword searches on , Twitter, and other social networks to identify thought leaders and subject matter experts. Find out what theyre talking about and involved with, and which resources they rely on. Look for your target list of key decision makers at your companies of interest and see what theyre up to on these sites. Join the Groups they belong to and begin contributing. Follow them on Twitter and re-tweet them. See Job-Hunts list of over 100 Green Industry Professional Associations and Societies, broken down by categories such as Biofuels, Building Construction, Engineers Engineering, Health Medicine, Recycling, Solar Energy, and Wind Power. How to use this extensive list of professional organizations: Connect with and help people in the know in this thriving industry. Get a feel for whether you may be a good fit, too. Identify key decision makers whose radar you want to get on. Check out the membership directories to source key decision makers and potential employers. When you join a professional association, be sure to add it to your online career marketing communications (VisualCV, profile, web portfolio, etc.). Recruiters and hiring decision makers searching those key words when vetting candidates will likely be led to your online materials. Your takeaway: Scope out the lay of the land and get your ducks in a row before diving into the green arena. Related posts: Free Green Careers Personal Branding Advice Guide 2010 Top 10 Executive Personal Branding and Job Search Trends Executive Job Search and Blogging: Perfect Together Resume Lingerie and 10 Other Guerrilla Job Search Strategies 00 0

When Should You Hire a Professional Resume Writer

When Should You Hire a Professional Resume Writer Your resume is an important marketing tool and often your first introduction to an employer. The employer’s evaluation of your skills as presented on your resume is the key to getting an interview. You may be the ideal candidate for a job, but if you can’t convey that via the words on your resume, then you are sunk. There are tons of resources available to help you create or update your own resume. Plus, developing your resume writing skills can help quite a bit if you change jobs regularly. However, there are situations when it may be better to hire a professional resume writer. Lack of Time Consider how long it will take you to research current resume writing techniques and actually create this document. Do you need minor updates to your current resume or a major overhaul? How quickly do you need to start using your resume to apply for positions? If you are starting from scratch or have not updated your resume in several years, then the process can be quite time consuming. Not Your Skill Set It’s valuable to recognize your personal strengths and limitations. Not everyone is a wordsmith and resume writing is much different than other forms of writing, such as creative writing. In addition, the various software programs and options for formatting your resume can be frustrating for people who are not tech savvy. It also makes sense to consult with a professional to write or edit your resume if you have trouble with spelling and grammar. Desire Better Results If you have submitted your resume for multiple opportunities and are not getting called for interviews, then it’s time to get a fresh perspective. A professional resume writer will give you the unbiased feedback that a friend or relative probably cannot. They are also much more familiar with applicant tracking systems and the use of keywords for certain industries or positions. Change Careers Perhaps you want to pursue a career that is not directly related to your past experiences. In this case, a professional resume writer can help you identify and highlight your transferable skills. Not only does this help you develop a stronger resume, it also gives you talking points for upcoming interviews. Even though resume writing services may seem expensive, the immediate benefits you receive may easily be worth it. Working with a professional resume writer will likely alleviate some of the stress associated with the job search process. The best part is that a professional resume writer can set you on the path to your new career that much sooner. By Melissa Martinez Frausto|2017-04-21T18:18:13+00:00May 7th, 2015|Resume|0 Comments

Why It Is Important To Use a Firm That Offers Resume Writing Services

Why It Is Important To Use a Firm That Offers Resume Writing ServicesIf you are seeking the services of a resume writing service in Pearland, TX, you have probably done all the right things. You have taken the time to research the different firms that offer resume writing services and have chosen a service provider that will do the work for you.Once you choose a firm, you may feel secure in the knowledge that you are choosing an experienced and professional company with years of experience working in the Texas market. If you take the time to research them, you will likely find out that they offer many of the services that you might be looking for. But, if you cannot afford their services, you can always call around to see what companies have the same offerings and have them contact you.A large number of resume writing services to provide training. There is no substitute for a background check and an evaluation from a trained professional who has many years of experience with resumes. This helps with the decision making process because if the service you are looking at does not use trained professionals, the person who conducts the evaluation will likely be more inclined to use common sense to figure out if you will even be able to meet the demands of your job. As long as you can meet the expectations and requirements of the service, it may be worth the extra investment. Even if you do not meet the expectations, you will not be in danger of a lawsuit.If you want to see a resume writer's background, you can inquire about it. Some may want to show you their previous assignments so that you can make an informed decision. A good resume writer should have no problem providing you with this information because they understand the importance of professionalism in resumes.They also understand the needs of their company and the needs of their clients. Some of these companies require their writers to meet certain requirements before they begin work on a resume. If you meet the requirements, you will save yourself some money by having a resume created for you by someone who can really help you meet your goals.There are also several other benefits to hiring a resume writer. In the past, if you were not satisfied with the services of a service, it was usually very difficult to get the job. But now, you can find just about any kind of resume writing service in the state and, if you need a resume to start your new career, you should consider using one.Hiring a firm in Pearland, TX, that offers resume writing services is a smart decision. Your resume will be completed with style and professionalism and your job search will be completed in a timely manner.