What it does: Disney Philippines supports the commercial operations, creative development, and management of digital and television entertainment programs.
Best known for: being part of The Walt Disney Company, one of the biggest global media conglomerates
Staff stats: around 280 employees in Southeast Asia
Financials: US$65.40 billion in global revenue for the fiscal year 2020
The good bits: Insiders said that Disney Philippines offers a lot of benefits like flexible working hours and unlimited dependents on healthcare plans.
The not-so-good bits: Disney Philippines has scarce job vacancies even for experienced professionals.
Disney Philippines started in the mid-1990s after Disney Channel’s launch in Malaysia in 1995. The company’s primary responsibilities include commercial operations, creative development, and management of entertainment content.
As part of The Walt Disney Company in Southeast Asia, Disney Philippines supports the operations of six major brands in the region:
The company promotes content from these six brands including animated films, mobile content, and television shows. Disney Philippines also licenses consumer products from apparel to stationery.
In 2015, the company signed a multi-year partnership with Globe Telecom to expand its reach in the country.
As an entertainment company, Disney Philippines expects its employees to be innovative in their given roles. It’s possible to experience a customer-centric workplace vibe, given the company’s business model.
Some roles, especially creative ones, tend to be more stressful than others. For instance, some graphic designers said that they work up to 10 hours per day.
Despite the tiring schedule, most employees learn a lot from their jobs because of Disney Philippines’ interesting projects. The scope of work hardly becomes monotonous amid constant changes in the entertainment industry.
Disney Philippines’ competitors include Apple Philippines, Amazon Prime Philippines, Netflix Philippines, and WarnerMedia Philippines.
The Walt Disney Company committed US$500,000 to support rehabilitation efforts in the Philippines. In 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the country and affected over 14 million Filipinos.
Fresh grads need to be proactive in looking out for Disney Philippines’ entry-level jobs. Once an opportunity arises, they should expect intense competition because the company seldom advertises roles for recent grads.
Fresh grads may have to go through four recruitment stages consisting of an online application, phone interview, assessment center, and individual interviews.
Applicants with LinkedIn accounts can link their profiles when they apply for jobs via Disney Philippines’ careers site. They should also submit a CV and cover letter about their background, skills, and studies.
Disney Philippines will send an e-mail to qualified candidates to inform them about a phone interview. An HR representative will then ask questions to find out if the candidate is a good fit for the role.
Those who pass the initial interview may need to attend an assessment center. Candidates should anticipate different exercises from psychometric tests to role-playing activities. Participants need to complete each exercise within a given time.
Shortlisted candidates usually attend a one-on-one interview after passing the assessment center. Most of the questions during this stage aim to determine a candidate’s competencies and motivations. Fresh grads should expect certain questions:
Not much is known about the company’s actual interview process. For this reason, fresh grads who know past or present employees will have the advantage over their peers.
Previous interns said that they earned up to Php200 per hour during the program. Full-time roles like creative designers and graphic designers earn at least Php33,000 and Php68,000 per month, respectively.
Disney Philippines provides flexible working hours, healthcare insurance, and unlimited dependents on health plans, based on insiders’ anecdotes.
Fresh grads may struggle to find an entry-level job at Disney Philippines. The company’s career opportunities are few and far between—even for experienced professionals.
As alternatives, students and fresh grads can choose to join the company through international programs or internships.
The Academic Exchange program provides qualified individuals with a chance to learn directly from industry professionals—while studying at the same time. Students must be at least 18 years old, able to leave the U.S. after the program and speak fluent English.
This 12-month program allows Filipinos to represent the country’s culture and traditions at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Florida, U.S.
Accounting or finance graduates with at least three years of experience may join Disney Philippines as accountants.
Insiders said that they worked as creative interns at Disney Philippines. These jobs involved multimedia artists and animators. An internship at the company may progress into a full-time role based on performance.