chances getting hired in entertainment/ tech services

[disneygoof1]

I recently have talked to and submitted my resume with people from entertainment at the recent USITT conference in Houston. They called me to schedule a phone interview, and in the message they gave me a certain date to call back. Of course, I called them right back, and I have a phone interview scheduled for Monday. Does anyone know if this is the time of year that they hire new stage techs, thats what I was told I'm interviewing for.I have also worked for Disney in the past on college program. I have over ten years of technical experience, what are my chances?

 

[roypup]

Depending on how well your phone screen goes, you'll be invited to participate in an in person panel interview. They may have multiple rounds of interviewing, it varies based on the position.

When I interviewed for a software engineering position, they had a panel interview setup from 8 am - 4 pm with 12 different people in rotation.

Don't be intimidated, though.

 

[echoscot]

You should have NO problem depending on your experience.

Scot

 

[coilback]

If your experience is good, your record card was good during your CP, and you can answer questions in various technical fields (i.e. lighting, sound and some pyro), then you should be ok. I just went through the whole process and will be starting on 5/18 as a pyrotechnician at Magic Kingdom. They did stress the fact that ALL technicians work globally (i.e. all the parks) and in all fields (lighting, sound and pyro). Luckily, I had experience in all 3, but mainly pyro which is why my main role is pyro (will mainly be working on Wishes initially).

 

[disneygoof1]

Coilback, my interview on monday went well and Scott said I will be contacted for a second interview. I am on restricted rehire. How many interviews did you have before you got the offer?

 

[coilback]

Ah, my first interview was with Scott as well. He's a nice guy. I did two interviews and then they gave me the offer about a week after my second interview.

 

[disneygoof1]

So after your second interview they offered the job. My friend just got hired there as well, and she went through three interviews before she got her offer. I guess it varies with different people. Are they hiring alot of people for stage techs right now?

 

[mousermerf]

Well, that answers my questions about doing any tech at Disney as a day job while I work to get my design portfolio buffed up. I don't know pyro and really have no desire to.

I dunno, i'm very suprised they expect people to know pyro for sound and lighting..

 

[mousermerf]

So after your second interview they offered the job. My friend just got hired there as well, and she went through three interviews before she got her offer. I guess it varies with different people. Are they hiring alot of people for stage techs right now?

Hm, prolly not, but the fact that they found you at USITT gives you a leg up. That's why those conferences exist

 

[coilback]

Well, that answers my questions about doing any tech at Disney as a day job while I work to get my design portfolio buffed up. I don't know pyro and really have no desire to.

I dunno, i'm very suprised they expect people to know pyro for sound and lighting..

It's because the stage technicians are used for everything so they don't want to have to keep you on one thing. They told me, "one day you could be handing out props at Beauty and the Beast and the next day you could end up working on Illuminations."

If that's how you feel (not wanting to learn new things), you wouldn't like working for Disney anyway. They are all about putting you into things or making you learn things you'd aren't comfortable with. At least if you want to advance. I'm in a Leadership Exploration Series right now and we had guys that moved from being Lifeguards to managing Transportation in order to advance. Needless to say, their aspiration wasn't to manage the bus system, but they may end up back in recreation after a time. The upper levels of Disney do require a lot of flexibility.

 

[coilback]

So after your second interview they offered the job. My friend just got hired there as well, and she went through three interviews before she got her offer. I guess it varies with different people. Are they hiring alot of people for stage techs right now?

Did she get hired as a tech ? It greatly varies with jobs (not necessarily people) but when I first talked to casting (before even going in for the first interview), they told me it would be two interviews and the third would be the offer, if I made it that far.

 

[mousermerf]

It's because the stage technicians are used for everything so they don't want to have to keep you on one thing. They told me, "one day you could be handing out props at Beauty and the Beast and the next day you could end up working on Illuminations."

If that's how you feel (not wanting to learn new things), you wouldn't like working for Disney anyway. They are all about putting you into things or making you learn things you'd aren't comfortable with. At least if you want to advance. I'm in a Leadership Exploration Series right now and we had guys that moved from being Lifeguards to managing Transportation in order to advance. Needless to say, their aspiration wasn't to manage the bus system, but they may end up back in recreation after a time. The upper levels of Disney do require a lot of flexibility.

Well, that's just it, I'd literally be looking for a job to pass time until grad school. It's less of an opposition to learning new things and instead being very uncomfortable with pyrotechnics. I think it's a dangerous job and i'd rather not do it.

I dunno, to me it's like telling someone who is signing up for two other non-dangerous jobs that they suddenly have to carry a gun too. Some people wont be comfortable with that - i'm in that group.

 

[coilback]

Well, that's just it, I'd literally be looking for a job to pass time until grad school. It's less of an opposition to learning new things and instead being very uncomfortable with pyrotechnics. I think it's a dangerous job and i'd rather not do it.

I dunno, to me it's like telling someone who is signing up for two other non-dangerous jobs that they suddenly have to carry a gun too. Some people wont be comfortable with that - i'm in that group.

Understood, but one of the direct quotes from the leaders we had the panel with, "Working at Disney is all about going beyond your comfort zone."

 

[clarkstallings]

All WDW Stage Techs hired after a certain date (I believe it was in 2006) are required to become pyro certified and must be willing to do pyro. That doesn't mean it'll be your focus, but you'll more than likely handle it from time to time.

 

[coilback]

Yup, that's what they told me. Then again, wasn't a problem for me since that was what I wanted my main focus to be anyway. I came from 7 years of professional pyro coming into it.

 

[disneygoof1]

Did she get hired as a tech ? It greatly varies with jobs (not necessarily people) but when I first talked to casting (before even going in for the first interview), they told me it would be two interviews and the third would be the offer, if I made it that far.

Yes she was hired as a tech. About the two interviews though, I'm having my second one soon so, hopefully I make it to when they say we would like to schedule a third interview. I hope my rehire status is lifted.