Disney plans hiring freeze, some jobs cut......

[Comped]

As someone who may or may not be checking the Disney job board daily I find three basic categories of jobs posted:

Software Engineers/Data Analysts
Parks jobs (esp. F&B and custodial)
Internships

There have been an explosion of intern positions added over the past month. Other paid (non-park or non-computer) jobs, not so much.

Also seeing jobs closed without notification.

As a recent master's graduate... I have effectively given up on Disney and have transitioned over to looking at Universal's job board on a daily basis. As you've noted, it's either senior IT positions or primarily hourly parks/resorts roles, with the occasional management position sprinkled in but seemingly removed without warning 99% of the time before they're supposed to close.

I may be misremembering, but wasn't Josh D'Amaro hired just by asking for a job application at the front gate of Animal Kingdom?

You'd be surprised at how many Disney executives/Legends have been hired over the years through similar measures, but I don't think Josh was one of them.

 

[mkt]

But they have dna training for the Tropic of Cancer climate

*glares in latino*

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

In fairness... this is what EVERY Company does, for a quick fix to the stock price. And it always works....
CUTCUTCUTCUTCUT! Good for a few dollars during the next reporting period. And a sure sign of impending failure.

 

[GhostHost1000]

In fairness... this is what EVERY Company does, for a quick fix to the stock price. And it always works....
CUTCUTCUTCUTCUT! Good for a few dollars during the next reporting period. And a sure sign of impending failure.

And usually it’s save a penny now, cost a lot more long term

 

[Lilofan]

In fairness... this is what EVERY Company does, for a quick fix to the stock price. And it always works....
CUTCUTCUTCUTCUT! Good for a few dollars during the next reporting period. And a sure sign of impending failure.

Meet and exceed exec performance goals set by Board or direct boss = achieve bonus , rinse and repeat
The Mouse isn't the only player in this game.

 

[Piebald]

As a recent master's graduate... I have effectively given up on Disney and have transitioned over to looking at Universal's job board on a daily basis. As you've noted, it's either senior IT positions or primarily hourly parks/resorts roles, with the occasional management position sprinkled in but seemingly removed without warning 99% of the time before they're supposed to close.

You'd be surprised at how many Disney executives/Legends have been hired over the years through similar measures, but I don't think Josh was one of them.

Universal seems to promote from within and grow internal candidates from my experience. I have a friend who graduated from UCF and literally began working in the gift shops only to now be a manager in finance. Several of their coworkers did the same. Their salaries are quite low though. Said friend was almost going to look for another job until they gave them a significant raise of like 25% (but they're still a bit underpaid)

At Disney that is way more difficult. Some people can move up but few can start at the gift shop and move up to professional roles. Disney recruited me last summer but their return to office plan was so ambiguous I bailed. My friend took a big contract job there right before the hiring freeze and he does extremely well (especially for Disney and Florida standards but it's still a contractor role) but says their dept is like stuck in the 80s.

 

[Lilofan]

Universal seems to promote from within and grow internal candidates from my experience. I have a friend who graduated from UCF and literally began working in the gift shops only to now be a manager in finance. Several of their coworkers did the same. Their salaries are quite low though. Said friend was almost going to look for another job until they gave them a significant raise of like 25% (but they're still a bit underpaid)

At Disney that is way more difficult. Some people can move up but few can start at the gift shop and move up to professional roles. Disney recruited me last summer but their return to office plan was so ambiguous I bailed. My friend took a big contract job there right before the hiring freeze and he does extremely well (especially for Disney and Florida standards but it's still a contractor role) but says their dept is like stuck in the 80s.

Its a special person to work for tourism companies. Its certainly not for the pay. Lawyers , finance execs, engineers , doctors, nurses , etc can make more money in the private sector outside of Disney .

 

[Disone]

Universal seems to promote from within and grow internal candidates from my experience. I have a friend who graduated from UCF and literally began working in the gift shops only to now be a manager in finance. Several of their coworkers did the same. Their salaries are quite low though. Said friend was almost going to look for another job until they gave them a significant raise of like 25% (but they're still a bit underpaid)

At Disney that is way more difficult. Some people can move up but few can start at the gift shop and move up to professional roles. Disney recruited me last summer but their return to office plan was so ambiguous I bailed. My friend took a big contract job there right before the hiring freeze and he does extremely well (especially for Disney and Florida standards but it's still a contractor role) but says their dept is like stuck in the 80s.

There are lots of examples of Disney executives that started as hourly. Both past and present. On the general manager level and lower majority are former hourly cast members.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

…I’m gonna go ahead and take a completely wild guess and say they are ramping up college program and international program recruiting too?

The international program still has a Federal Government-sized turd in the punch bowl.

 

[mkt]

Universal seems to promote from within and grow internal candidates from my experience. I have a friend who graduated from UCF and literally began working in the gift shops only to now be a manager in finance. Several of their coworkers did the same. Their salaries are quite low though. Said friend was almost going to look for another job until they gave them a significant raise of like 25% (but they're still a bit underpaid)

That's why my wife passed on a legal job at Universal. Their attorneys do not earn well.

At Disney that is way more difficult. Some people can move up but few can start at the gift shop and move up to professional roles. Disney recruited me last summer but their return to office plan was so ambiguous I bailed. My friend took a big contract job there right before the hiring freeze and he does extremely well (especially for Disney and Florida standards but it's still a contractor role) but says their dept is like stuck in the 80s.

I remember reading somewhere that the odds of you getting a professional role at Disney are comparable to admission rates at elite universities. But I'm sure it depends on the role/function, since I've gotten cold calls from TWDC recruiters... which go to hell when I tell them about my rehire situation.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The international program still has a Federal Government-sized turd in the punch bowl.

I imagine that will “smooth out” over the next few months…
The real question is: will people want to do it? It kinda sucked and “American supremacy” took a big hit in the lockdown and response

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I remember reading somewhere that the odds of you getting a professional role at Disney are comparable to admission rates at elite universities. But I'm sure it depends on the role/function, since I've gotten cold calls from TWDC recruiters... which go to hell when I tell them about my rehire situation.

God a I HOPE it’s different now…but it used to be a patronage system with exhorbinants waits…unless you had real benefactors.

I really do hope they moved out of the 16th century by now

 

[Piebald]

Its a special person to work for tourism companies. Its certainly not for the pay. Lawyers , finance execs, engineers , doctors, nurses , etc can make more money in the private sector outside of Disney .

Yes this friend in particular loves theme parks so they're not entirely money driven although the last couple of years have definitely amplified the underpaid/everything is expensive now mentality.

My friend at Disney makes over 200k in their contractor role which is pretty good and from my talks with recruiters they weren't so cheap with the field we are in but then someone like a financial analyst makes peanuts.

 

[Lilofan]

Yes this friend in particular loves theme parks so they're not entirely money driven although the last couple of years have definitely amplified the underpaid/everything is expensive now mentality.

My friend at Disney makes over 200k in their contractor role which is pretty good and from my talks with recruiters they weren't so cheap with the field we are in but then someone like a financial analyst makes peanuts.

That’s good money but when Disney doesn’t need your friends services anymore the person will be needing to look for another company to find work. Companies at times use contractors pay them well don’t need to provide them health insurance , then when job is finished get rid of them without actually having to lay them off like they do staff.

 

[lightningtap347]

That’s good money but when Disney doesn’t need your friends services anymore the person will be needing to look for another company to find work. Companies at times use contractors pay them well don’t need to provide them health insurance , then when job is finished get rid of them without actually having to lay them off like they do staff.

Yes, you did describe a contractor.

 

[Lilofan]

Yes, you did describe a contractor.

And if a contractor gets hurt on the job, the company doesn’t have to be responsible for injuries and workers compensation.

 

[eliza61nyc]

And if a contractor gets hurt on the job, the company doesn’t have to be responsible for injuries and workers compensation.

Hopefully the company hires contracting firms that do have workers comp insurance. I know my old company did, any contracting firm we brought in had to have liability & workers comp but nowadays?? Who knows

 

[Lilofan]

Hopefully the company hires contracting firms that do have workers comp insurance. I know my old company did, any contracting firm we brought in had to have liability & workers comp but nowadays?? Who knows

When IT guys from overseas lived in a hotel ( they worked onsite approx 80 hr a week 6 days a week ) and did a year long project for our company I got to know some of them. Company only provided them a salary and no benefits. Prior to the project ending the IT guys had another job lined up in NC and another hotel to live in.

 

[Piebald]

When IT guys from overseas lived in a hotel ( they worked onsite approx 80 hr a week 6 days a week ) and did a year long project for our company I got to know some of them. Company only provided them a salary and no benefits. Prior to the project ending the IT guys had another job lined up in NC and another hotel to live in.

Friend gets full benefits, just no theme park perks but he doesn't care. He wouldn't get hurt on the job unless he tripped walking from his bed to his couch.

 

[mikejs78]

with the occasional management position sprinkled in but seemingly removed without warning 99% of the time before they're supposed to close.

I mean that's pretty much how all management level job postings go- as soon as the role is filled, they take it down. Doesn't matter what company.