Hi everyone! Quick introduction- my name is Emma, I’m from Birmingham, England And my dream is to work for Walt Disney World Orlando, where I have just applied to work as a cast member under the Cultural Representative Programme!
Basically the programme is one where people from any country in the world showcase in EPCOT (including the UK) can live and work in Orlando for a year, working in the pavilion of their home country. The idea is then that guests can come to our restaurants and shops and ask staff questions about what life in our home country is like.
So I have decided to make a blog about this whole experience for three reasons. One is to act as a diary for myself in the future, one is so friends and family back can keep up with what I’m doing, and the last one is to give as much information as possible so anyone who is interested in the Disney CRP can understand what it is, what it’s like and if they want to apply (these obviously depending on if I get the job!)
I found blogs invaluable when I was wondering whether to apply to this programme or not- I was very unsure before but after reading just one I found that there was nothing I wanted more!
I found out about the programme in July 2012. I was on a ten week working holiday teaching English in Vietnam, having a great time and wondering what my next adventure would be once I’d finished University. I study English Literature- I love the subject but am well aware that I won’t necessarily be having tonnes of job offers when I leave! While browsing facebook, I saw a friend posting pictures and writing about how much she was enjoying working in Disney. I had been to Disney on four fantastic holidays with my family when I was younger and have nothing but fond memories of the place. I emailed her for information, and she kindly emailed me back telling me how she got on the programme and what it was like. Her programme was, I believe, the ICP, where you go to Orlando for about three months. I was checking out the Disney International Programmes thinking about applying for next year when I saw the Cultural Representative Programme, which was for a whole year. Now, I’m a typical university student with no plans whatsoever about what my life and career plan was going to be after Uni, and the prospect of a year out working in another country intrigues me. Plus, after my great summer last year, I don’t quite feel ready fr a 9-5 boring job in an office just yet!
I had put it out of my mind for a few months while I enjoyed my time in Vietnam, then back to England to complete my last year of my English Literature degree. But after being abroad my mind was less focused than usual on my studies, and I started daydreaming, especially about Disney. So I researched it more online, found some amazing blogs…. and decided when applications opened, I would apply!
I saw on the Yummy Jobs (The recruitment Agency that recruits for staff for Disney in the United Kingdom and a few other countries) that applications for the next CRP places would open Spring 2013. I’d decided near the end of 2012 I wanted to apply, and even though I wasn’t expecting anything until March I checked the website obsessively for new information. This carried on until 22nd January, when I discovered applications were now open! I was so excited I wanted to apply straight away, but they didn’t close until 8th February and I had lots of essays due and an exam within the next week. So, with a lot of restraint, I waited until I’d finished my assessment period to apply, so I could dedicate time to my application. I was worried about this stage-how on earth do you judge someone from a piece of paper??- and spent a few days trying to make sure every detail was perfect.
I would say to everyone applying for this to try as hard as you can to get a bit of personality to shine through. Disney want ‘people’ people working for them not overly professional and boring ones. I made my CV a little colourful with pretty borders, but not too much. I also attached a smiling picture of myself- it was taken on a night out, but I cropped out the drink I was holding so you couldn’t notice! Then on the CV itself I bigged up any jobs or experiences I’d had when I had to relate to people on individual and group levels. So stuff like any teaching, or work with children. Also any experience in food or merchandise industries seem useful, though don’t appear to be necessary.
Then I clicked Apply.
And so, my journey begins….
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Emma's Disney Blog 