Question (mainly for alumni)!

Ok this is mainly for alumni - what happened when u got back from the programme - i mean were u able to go straight into a job or something! Odd question - but my family have been trying to pursuade me not to apply as they are worried that if i end up being accepted and going - i will end up coming back to nothing - no car, no job, no house, no nothing - and basicully being on my own. They would be willing to help me out but i think they are trying to make me face reality.

Also would i end up spending every penny out there and come back broke and in debt.....i know it probably depends on the person - but they have really got me thinking and i don't want to miss out becuase im worrying about what ifs.....so if u could just say about your experiences on return to ur countries - would be most greatful!!!!!

Sarah x

 

not quite the same as ive never been away for as long as a year, but ive worked in greece the past 4 summers and every year ive come home to no job...its not a massive problem just start applying as soon as u get back! or even online a couple of weeks before ur back!

obv if u have ur own house etc at the moment it might be different for u as i still live at home so i dont have any ties really.

 

My parents are pretty concerned about the same thing - they think I've put in all these years of study, and I'm putting myself at risk by taking what would effectively turn into 2 gap years after leaving uni. They think I'll be missing out on all the top jobs for graduates and I'll find it hard to get back into the 'job market' afterwards.

Well, there's probably some truth in that and the amount they've gone on about it has obviously made me think about it quite a lot.

But right now, I don't know exactly what kind of career I want, and the opportunity to go to WDW really is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, and I'd be sure to regret it if I didn't at least try for it.

This isn't really of any help to anyone else, but at least it shows that other people are going through the same thing!

Andrew

 

Mr Met thats EXACTLY the same situation im in!!!

i finished a teaching degree in december...only i failed the teaching part, and i now have a BA Education that i have no idea wot to do with!

my parents are mad ive applied for disney, as u sed, with the application process and the actual year, its 2 years before i would settle into a career.

but, at the end of the day im only 23, and to be honest i dont wanna settle into a job i might end up doing for the rest of my life, especially wen i have no idea wot i really wanna go!

my arguement to my parents is that most graduates go off travelling or whatever once they have graduated, employers will look apon this as life experience wen it comes to looking for a job on my return, AND (even tho i have no intention of this, just said it to keep mum happy) if i find a job before i go (assuming i get in of course) if i find a job i really love and want to do, then i wouldnt go to disney

 

I haven't done the program yet, but I graduated Uni in November, had a job offer already but had to turn it doen because of WDW.
But I really am not worried about finding a job when I get back, if anything I'm sure it will help, DIsney is known for such amazing training and guest service that I'm sure jobs will be very impressed with the year away from home.

Just got for it, I think it'd be worse to regret not following your dream and working for Disney then being out of work for a few weeks.

 

yeh thats exactly wot i think....

i soooooooooo want to do this, and im at the best time in my life to do it before i find career

gotta do wot makes me happy

 

I think my parents are quite similar to yours. While they're being surportive of me doing this (my dad who dosn't live with me normally actually found this forum for me) I have a feeling they're worried about what'll happen when I get back. I also will have a B Ed as of April (finishing up my last courses now). Here's hoping everything works out eh? I have a feeling however that Disney World will look good on an application especially if you're elementary like me. You may be looking at a year of subbing when you get back but I mean really wouldn't that be worth it anyway?

 

If you don't know what you want to do after Uni, the International Program is a great opportunity to take a bit of time out.  Once you've got a degree they can't take it away from you - remember that!

I know its been written on THOUSANDS of leaving entries, but..... you only regret the things you didn't do

 

Ok....

Now you can all get really depressed :'( ....

When I came back I was unemployeed for a WHOLE year!!!!

But that wasn't just because I went to work for Disney... it was my own damn fault for not net-working and not keeping in touch with what was going on back home.

I had this idea that I would easily get interviews with Disney on my resume.... not so.

I suggest that everyone who goes to work for Disney to have a coming back plan... don't burn your bridges, so to speak... keep in touch with former employers... I do know some folks who went back and worked for the same employer when they got back home.

I'm now working at a restaurant.... and I can say that the experience of working Food and Beverage at the Canada pavillion's Le Cellier Steakhouse did teach me alot about how the food industry (if not the Hospitality industry) works. I'm still using skills that I learned at Disney in my current job to this day.

I plan to go back to Disney for a second contract... but this time I will keep in touch with work contacts back home and try to secure a position in time for when I get back. There is this "let down" feeling when you return and the fantasy bubble of the Disney castmember lifestyle bursts.... but you'll recover and get back to a normal working life (blah! ).

Charlene Canada F&B Alumni 2001-2002

 

The good thing about working for Disney is that it gives you lots to talk about during an interview. DONT expect Disney to be a one-way ticket to success in everything -- you still need other training/experience -- but it definately helps. Alone it's not very useful but I think it gives an edge to an already strong résumé/c.v. I came home, went straight back to school and took a job at the Starbucks around the corner (Hi Tessa!) because it was convenient. It's not much for now, but Disney is an experience I will keep on my résumé for years and years to come. Unlike a summer making Blizzards at a Dairy Queen or something menial like that, I think Disney will always be relevant in some way.

Besides the career benefits you meet a lot of really interesting people from all over the world. You make a lot of really close friends in a really short amout of time. Even if it never pays off financially for me, *Cheese Alert!!*: the memories were worth it. I guarantee, no matter what you come home to in the short term, you would NOT regret the year out. I think that rather than putting you off-track it actually MOTIVATES you to keep pursuing something cool. Hey, if you've already lived one of your dreams what's to stop you from chasing another? (Sorry about the cheese again!)

 

Has a massive chat with my mum on friday night about the program and shes finally warmed to the idea of me doing it.... feel so much better now as i hated the feeling that i was doing it against my parents wishes....

now i have their go ahead, all i need to do is get through my interviews ;D

oh, and i made a deal that before i go (if i go lol), i promised my mum il go see a careers advisor so that while im away for a year i will have some things in my mind of what i would like to do wen i come back. seems fair enough to me, mum will be happy and il be happy ;D

 

That sounds like a really good idea to do Jilly...seeing a careers advisor.

Also have a chat with whoever it is that gives you your telephone interview about opportunities when you get back. Jason had a few helpful suggestions for me including management and beyond.

Also if you still wanted to do teaching how about a PGCE? Now you have your degree you can apply and try and do that - thats what a lot of the people on my course are doing...not me - I'm all for Disney, as are my parents, who at the end of the day, feel that what I have to do is make my own choice

I can understand people's parents being worried, but to be honest there are like way more graduates applying for jobs at the moment than there are jobs, so you just as well go and do something fun and worthwhile for a year and come back with that added bit of life experience and stand a better chance at beating the crowds!!

Maybe thats just my overworked brain speaking tho!!

xKx

 

A few years ago I went backpacking for a year around Asia, Australia and New Zealand. When I came home I went back to my parents house with no money or job.  :-\

I got a job in a clothes shop within the first couple of weeks just so I had some money, then after a couple of months I got the job that I'm still doing now. Most of my friends were moving up the career ladder and buying flats. But I didn't care, I'd just had the most amazing experience! The memories I have from that trip I will never forget. Plus I made friends from all over the world who I still keep in touch with.  ;D

I guess Im just different, but I really dont care about my career when I get home. If I make it to Disney, I know I will have an experience that I'll remember forever! And I dont want it to end there, I'm planning afterwards to backpack around America and  Europe, maybe work in Disneyland Paris and then teach English abroad. 

The way I look at it, you only live once so you've got to do everything you want to do!  :-*

 

thats EXACTLY how i feel..... i havent got a serious bf, any mortgage commitments etc...

its the best and only time to do it isnt it! and part time / tempin jobs are easy to come by where i live so its never gonna be a massive problem of being broke wen i get back.

just hope i get in now ;D

 

hey linda! I just noticed you said hi to me
Me and your pro are going to book our airfares in the morning! yay

 

I'm SOOO excited for you guys! It's crazy to think that he's going to meet people that I knew when I was down there!

 

oh yeah, totally crazy. He said you were working on your french so you could go work in Disneyland Paris. Thats awesome, same plan as me.
I'm hoping Disney U will have some language classes and I'll take french and german and join you in Paris!

 

If you don't want to learn French, I've recently discovered that you don't need to if you work as a character at DLP...which is my next plan!!!

 

totally true! I interviewed for a job at DLRP whilst in Florida was told that my french needed a little work (like ALOT!) but was offered a Character job on the spot! 
(Along with 5 other people from the UK who couldn't do the language test! lol!!!)

 

Oh thats awesome! If you get hired at DLP, do they set you up with housing?