So you may be reading this as your application for Disney World’s Cultural Exchange Programme was successful and you’ve been invited to pre-screen interviews; congratulations!!! I’m going to delve into my story of my invite to pre-screens and detail how it all happened.
Monday, August 19th was three days since applications for the CEP closed. The facebook chat was going OFF, loads of people were invited to pre screen interviews and I constantly refreshed my yummy jobs profile and my emails to be met with nothing. It was insanely disheartening, I told myself that I hadn’t been invited and I was a rubbish candidate. It was just so sad to watch people converse about their interview times, how they were going to get there, where to stay, all the while I didn’t even know if I had been invited to a pre screen. Later, I discovered on the Facebook group that there were many others who had not heard back yet (and perhaps coincidentally, all of their last names started with S or later in the alphabet…). It was so reassuring to realise that I wasn’t alone and that others were waiting to hear back too!
I submitted my application about an hour after they opened on the 8th of July, so Yummy Jobs definitely don’t send out invitations based on when you submitted your application.
I definitely think that it is randomised to an extent, with perhaps a little help from the alphabet this year.
The important thing to remember is that they do send the emails in waves. Just because others have heard and you haven’t, don’t be disheartened! You will hear something either way, whether your application is being taken further and you’ve been invited to pre screens or not.
Additionally, if you’re as impatient as I am, I would recommend refreshing your yummy jobs profile as well, as many people said that their application status changed from “Application Completed.” To “pre screen interview scheduled.” Before they received an email with their interview slot.
On Tuesday, August 20th I received my pre screen invite. I was one of the ones that didn’t get their email, but my status changed on my yummy jobs profile, I didn’t actually get the email until about three hours later.
Now comes my difficult decision.
Interviews for new candidates were being held from the 24-27th of September, 2019. However, I was booked to go on a Disney transatlantic cruise for my mums 40th Birthday and then celebrate her birthday and my grandmothers 60th in New York once we docked on the 25th.
I explained this to Natalie from Yummy Jobs and she told me if there were any days that worked better than my original slot (9am on the 25th, when I would still be in the ocean!) she would look for a space, which just shows how accommodating and friendly the team are!
So I was then faced with a really difficult decision, I could ask for a Friday the 27th afternoon slot, which would mean leaving my family and flying myself to London on the 26th and losing two days in NYC, or miss pre screens this year and apply for the CEP next year.
Anyone who knows me personally will know the CEP is all I have thought and spoken about since May this year when I started getting my application ready, so I knew I would hate myself if I didn’t do all I could to be accepted onto the programme for 2020.
But I couldn’t help but tell myself that only 30% of pre screen candidates make it to final interviews, so what if I made all this sacrifice to not even get another interview? Well, I could look at it as good practice for pre screens next year.
I knew that New York would always be there, I only get three opportunities to apply for the CEP, I had to grasp the opportunity with both hands. So I emailed Natalie confirming I would take a Friday the 27th of September slot at 2:15pm.
I took a flight from JFK to Heathrow on the evening of the 26th and arrived in London at around 6am on the 27th; sleep deprived, nervous and excited. I had booked a Travelodge near the airport so I headed there once I had collected my luggage and after a few delays I eventually got to the hotel, got some food and freshened up. I headed to Oxford Circus to meet Holly before going to Epping in Essex for our interview!
In typical pre-screen fashion everyone met up in the Starbucks across from the yummy jobs office (the coffee shops in Epping must have rocket sales during pre-screen week).
We all herded over to the office and were given our time slots and stickers with a team name, this session was Marvel themed and I was part of team Captain Marvel, which I had actually just seen for the first time a few days prior while I was onboard the Disney Magic!
The way that these sessions work is in two halves; so the slot begins at 2:15pm but the actual interviews don’t start until 3:30pm, with the second slot starting at 4:30pm. So the first part of the slot is a presentation from the yummy jobs team (just to make you want it more, yes it is possible!!) They detail the roles, show some videos and have a few trivia questions, I won a yummy jobs pen!
I was the 4:30pm slot so I found some others that were part of team Captain Marvel and got chatting with others, this definitely took the edge off before our actual interview as it didn’t feel as much like I was with total strangers.
Our group was made up of eight candidates who were interviewed by Aaron from Yummy Jobs.
I know everyone says this and they are totally right, the interview process is so relaxed and you will actually have a lot of fun! For the last few years Yummy have hosted a bake sale for Macmillan the cancer charity, and people bake and buy some amazing cakes, it’s a great way to calm your nerves!!
It’s important to note that each interviewer has a different style, for example some groups were asked an icebreaker question while some just went straight into CEP mode.
Aaron asked us all to talk to the person next to us and find out their name, where they study and their favourite snack as a child as he finds it easy to remember people when he can associate them with food (relate), then introduce them to the group.
The whole interview took about an hour but in all honesty it went by so fast I can’t remember exactly what we were actually asked!
I think it’s important to mention that Aaron allowed each person to answer the questions, rather than in some group interview situations where the question is open to all and you end up panicking about if you’ll get a chance to speak, and he always started with a different person which was nice!
There was one open to all questions which was about our experiences of having a roommate (since not everyone has experience of this) but everyone in my group did actually answer.
We were also asked why we wanted to do the programme, I know there was more but like I said it all blurred!
I know I had spent so much time worrying and planning out potential answers but I really don’t feel it was necessary. The best bit of advice which everyone will give you is just be yourself.
instagram @c_tawse / @caitlinswanderland 