Lessons From Disney World Of What We All Need At A Job Interview

By Shea Ki

Have you ever gone on an incredible vacation and wanted that feeling to keep lasting when you got home? I just returned from over a week in Disney World and I am reignited. I was doing pretty well and enjoying my job as a holistic Career Coach before I left for the trip. But something wonderful is so different since my return home.
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The most magical place on Earth got to me, for sure.

Heads up: If dreams coming true and stories of good versus evil are not your thing, read no further. You might be one of the few who will not enjoy Disney World or the unique job interviewing tips and spirited career advice of this post. 

For everyone else, get out your magic carpet now. Our first stop? Click here to enjoy this fun journey on YouTube remembering some of Disney's top heroes and villains. Then be sure to come back here to finish this adventure so you can get to your brighter future faster.

Did that video bring back some great memories? Now, you are ready to take a ride learning some pointers that even Captain Hook and Peter Pan would agree will help you shine in the hot seat.

To begin, everywhere my family and I went at Disney World seemed to bring me more inspiration for my work my work with jobseekers, career changers, and future entrepreneurs. Walking around the worlds of Epcot reminded me of the amazing diversity and many different backgrounds of my clients. Dancing through the famous castle at Magic Kingdom with my kids confirmed how much I love helping others believe more in their dreams.

Next, the bad guys of Star Tours and other movie attractions at Disney Studios made me think of my clients conquering the obstacles, fears, and stress that being at a job interview creates. Plus, I have to give credit for feeling such positive vibes about my work to the safari ride at Animal Kingdom. Their well taken care of creatures of all sizes demonstrate the joy that expands when we are in an environment that fits with our natural strengths.

Yes, I was on vacation and thinking maybe too much about my job and online career coaching business! But not in a gotta-get-this-done or so-much-is-stressing-me-out kind of way. The opposite. I was relaxed, happy, and soaking in every minute of family time. But since I love what I do, there is often not a big boundary between my work and my personal life. I call it more of a work-life blend than any kind of balance. For me, it fulfills me greatly so I can serve others with an energized presence that is 100% authentically me.

Speaking of positive energy, you can imagine the glow of delight beaming from my six year old when she got to meet Tinker Bell. There is something about Disney characters, especially the ones that glow, that reminds us of our true potential to shine.




In that spirit, let's look at how you can fly to more career success by bringing "faith, trust, and a little pixie dust" to your next job interview. 

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Faith
Believing in yourself is not new advice for a successful job interview. But why doesn't it stick for so many when they are in the hot seat? This makes me wonder more questions. What does having faith in yourself really mean? How can we maintain it? What can keep us believing when so much in our society, social media, and often our family or friends make us focus on what is wrong? 

For me, the way to determine if we are truly believing in ourselves in to take an honest look at our mindset. This takes courage and support. It means investing the time and expense with a career professional to dig deep. Often, we do not feel good enough about ourselves and we need a caring, trained person to help us turn that around. 

Believing your value is not something you can "fake it until you make it". You have to believe it for others to see it.

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Truly believing in your own potential does not happen overnight. For this upgrade to our mindset there is no magic wand. Transforming your faith in yourself takes hard work. The good news is that there are proven, science-based methods that will boost our belief in ourselves quickly and naturally.

However, there is no single method that works for all, as every individual's life experience is not the same. The best step to take is to partner up with a skilled, certified career coach who can get to know you, your professional goals, and your areas of improvement. Then together you can choose the most effective strategies to pull you away from the inner whispers of "I'm not good enough for this job" and instead fiercely feeling "I got this and my future deserves even better".











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Trust
​At different points in our childhood and often when we are "adulting", our sense of security gets pulled out from under us. What we trusted yesterday often changes as disappointments, disasters, and traumas enter into our experience. Yet it is expected that we put on a positive, confident face when we walk into a situation that has a lot of pressure and risk, like a job interview. That is such a tall order! When most try to take it on by themselves, they experience so much disappointment and frustration.

You can avoid going through such difficulty. By practicing with a professional and receiving experienced guidance, your chances of getting a job offer will be boosted. I am so grateful for the clients who trust me to help prevent them from staying stuck or settling for work that they do not enjoy.

​And A Little Pixie Dust
Someone else can write your resume or help get you in the door, but nobody can show up as you to the job interview. Some call it a "special sauce" but to me that pixie dust that makes us each different from the rest is our potential. We each have a unique blend of special skill sets, personality traits, and life experience that create our capabilities.

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Your potential is that unique spark that only you have.
You need it to shine brightly when you are in the hot seat.

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​Perhaps you are already working in a job, but you know you want something different. And the sooner, the better! Sometimes we may think that we are fully prepared, but when we get to the big moment our potential gets blocked. One of my favorite parts of career coaching is seeing my clients increase their confidence at being their best selves at a job interview and not melting in the spotlight.
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​Here are questions you can ask yourself to brighten your own spark and attract more work that you enjoy.
Your answers will help you see what further help you may need.

• Can you clearly and confidently share (out loud!) how you have brought value to your previous or current positions? 
• What innovative ideas or new solutions have you offered that have been implemented?
• How have you helped improve the office culture, customer service process, and team?
• ​Where else in the company's bottom line do you see results of your efforts and the many hours you spend at work?
• Do you feel strongly that you know what to say about your professional worth to higher ups? For example, if you are asked by your boss's boss to come into their office to talk about a promotion today, would you be ready?

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Maybe you don't have answers to all of these questions yet. Start taking the time to write down and celebrate each big or small step you take to increase your professional value. This will increase your self-confidence and lower your stress. You will feel more ready and focused when your next career opportunity happens.

And give yourself more credit. It takes strength to keep moving forward on your goals in a world of work that desperately needs more faith, trust, and a little pixie dust. 

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Your turn: What Disney character best describes how you are working at your job or on your job search today?










​Are you whistling like Snow White or ready to use the force like Yoda? Or perhaps you are wishing to snooze like Sleepy from the dwarfs!?
​Share in the comments below.

Most of all, believe in you.

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