How LaJoy is leading the next generation at Disney
Meet LaJoy! After almost 20 years with The Walt Disney Company, she has had quite the journey.
Continue reading to learn more about LaJoy’s robust career!
What is your current role at Disney? How long have you been in this role?
I am a Technical Recruiter, and I have been in this role for almost five years, and I have been with Disney for nineteen years.
Tell us about your Disney career journey! What inspired you to work at the Walt Disney Company!
When I attended Florida A&M University (FAMU), I pursued internships in the hospitality industry that would provide me with leadership experience. I completed a couple of management internships with other companies before my internship with Disney Institute. Attending FAMU and being in the same state as Disney made the possibility of working here feel “real” to me.
After my internship with Disney Institute, I was a leader for Park Operations working with inspirational teams at some of our most iconic attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. Additionally, I loved being a part of the opening leadership team for the New Fantasyland expansion where I learned everything Fantasyland attraction from the former “Snow White’s Scary Adventures” to “Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.”
Then I transitioned to the Consumer Insight team as a Research leader where I was able to collaborate on many different exciting projects throughout the Walt Disney World Resort.
For the past few years as a Technical Recruiter, I have been “making dreams come true” hiring interns and early career tech professionals for various teams including Enterprise Technology, Disney Decision Science and Integration, Human Resources Information Solutions, Disneyland Engineering, and Direct-to-Consumer.
Tell us about your day to day!
Recruitment is a mixture of project management and people management. Our recruitment life cycle is extensive and requires strong multi-tasking & organizational skills. On any given day, I could be meeting with a hiring leader about their role, screening candidates, reviewing resumes, sourcing talent, or making an offer for a role which is my favorite part! There is a fun cadence to recruitment that I enjoy.
My favorite part of this role is making job offers to candidates because you literally get to change someone’s life through offering them an opportunity to work at the Walt Disney Company. I have loved every role I have had with the company, but nothing beats the feeling of calling someone and telling them they landed their “dream role!”
What has been your favorite memory from your role so far?
One of my favorite recent memories is attending the AfroTech Conference which is an inspirational experience where you meet brilliant Black technologists & professionals.
Tell us more about your involvement with AfroTech!
I have led the AfroTech Scholars Program for the past two years. Disney sponsors students to attend the AfroTech Conference and provides them with mentorship, networking opportunities and we pipeline this talent for internship opportunities.
I met incredible internship talent when I attended the conference last fall, then I had the opportunity to hire some of those students this past summer for internships. I witnessed them thriving in their tech roles and when I heard their intern presentations it reminded me of why I love this role and the impact that I can have on the next generation of leaders and technologists.
Why is Disney's commitment to HBCUs important to you?
I was born at a HBCU, Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. My parents attended Tennessee State University. I also have family members who attended Lane College in Jackson, TN. My sister attended Hampton. I was raised with HBCU traditions. I was blessed to receive a Presidential Scholarship to FAMU which was my dream school/HBCU. I can remember being on my Disney internship and having to explain what an HBCU is, but now because of Disney on the Yard, more people are starting to become educated on the significance of HBCUs in our communities. They are such impactful institutions. Disney's commitment to HBCUs is important to me because it demonstrates that Disney knows what I know as a recruiter, "Amazing talent can come from anywhere." It takes intentionality to engage our HBCU communities, and over the past 5 years, Disney has put in the work. I always say, FAMU is what brought me to Florida, and Mickey is what has kept me here!
How did your HBCU experience prepare you for your current role?
Attending an HBCU makes you intellectually curious. The School of Business and Industry at FAMU is structured like corporate America so we were taught about how to navigate corporate systems throughout our matriculation. Our business school hosted multiple CEOs, business leaders and Fortune 500 companies. We were required to wear suits, attend corporate events and ask questions. Additionally, we were required to complete multiple internships. By the time I started my internship with Disney Institute, I had already completed two other management internships.
What advice do you have for HBCU students interested in a career with Disney?
Disney has a place for you. It is a vast company, and we need you and your skills to continue to innovate and tell inclusive stories. We offer every discipline that you can imagine from Accounting to Zoology. Make sure your skills align with the role when submitting an application. If you want to be a part of the Disney story, apply and have confidence. The size of the Walt Disney Company can be intimidating, but your HBCU experience has prepared you for a career here and when you find the right opportunity, you will thrive.
I always tell students where they start their career is not where they are going to end so it’s okay if their first internship or first full-time job is not exactly what they want to do in the long-term. Consider what you can learn from that experience and use that to build upon what you want to do. I encourage them to consider the skills and experience they want to gain in the first 2-5 years of their career because over time their interests, skills, passion, and goals will evolve.
When transitioning from an intern to a full-time role, it is important to balance a willingness to learn new skills and receive mentorship while still asserting your knowledge and being confident in the contributions that you bring to the team.
Click here to learn more about Disney on the Yard!
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