PKI Employment
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Intelligence is a God given gift: Know how to use it.
I guess people (myself included) are under the assumption that PKI (like pretty much every other park) will host a job fair sometime early in the year to attract employment. Call the park to see if they have one. I would be surprised if they didn't.
I would go ahead and apply before then (in person) though. If you don't have any luck, go to the job fair and see if you can talk to the person who is in charge of the rides or operations departments (or any relevant department). Schmooze them, telling them you really have wanted to work at the park for a while and just got the chance, etc. etc.--don't lie, but talk 'em up. You may be able to get a good shot at a rides job from meeting that person or persons when a position becomes available.
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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
*** This post was edited by General Public on 12/23/2002. ***
The park will most likely have two job fairs. One MLK weekend (I think) and then the other a few weeks later or a month later. You can always go to the park during the week and walk into Human Resources (HR) and fill out an application. There really is no need to dress any particular way, just not like a slum. They will most likely interview you right there but you would expect another interview from the actual department you want to work for. At the job fair you would only interview with the department you want to work for.
The job fair basically is that you come to the park and they have some booths set up with people from each department working there to tell you about what they do and answer your questions. You can fill out an application there and be interviewed and most likely hired and set up with a training date.
Applying this early in the year they most likely won't say "We don't have any openings", they have hundreds of openings, don't worry. No matter what person interviews you they will basically read questions right off the interview packet infront of them. (I've done the interviewing the past two years at PKI, they are easy questions) They will ask you about your school or past jobs. There is a question that says "If you were to be the manager of your own theme park, what would you look for in an employee?" and other basic questions about your work ethic and the like.
I could go on forever, feel free to email me and I can tell you more.
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Wood Rules!
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SOB crew in twenty 02
111 SOB laps, and wishing the park was still open
BeastFreak, thanks for the help. I was going to e-mail you, but I decided to ask my questions here so that other people can figure out if they want to work at PKI or not.
Is PKI at all "biased" towards anyone that isn't in college? My parents are constantly telling me not to get my hopes up, because college students have more experience, so they would be hired first over a 16 year old. I understand why they would do this, I was just wondering if they did.
Is there a certain living radius at which PKI won't hire someone? Since I live 55 miles away, is there a chance they won't hire me because of that distance?
When I go in for an interview, will they give me information on such topics as pay, number of hours worked, job description, rules and regulations for employees, etc?
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Intelligence is a God given gift: Know how to use it.
The job fairs wont be held until after all of the returners have been processed (Mid Januarary) so they can see how many more positions they have to fill.
And to answer your question CoasterKrazy about the hours. During the regular season you probably will work at least 40 hours, how ever i mostly had 60 hours a week.
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ξ μ σ
So you believe that you are studying us, then kindly explain why you are the ones trapped in your seats.
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Merch Associate WW- '01
Merch Sup WW- '02
"Yes, the lockers do cost ten dollars, it isn't a joke"
They definetly don't care if you are in college or in high school. I was hired at 15 and have been there every summer since even now that I'm in college and taking classes during the summer. They might prefer college kids cause there are no minor labor laws against them but that won't stop them from hiring high school kids as well.
No they don't care how far away you live as long as you can get there. They used to have a bonus that gave you an extra $0.10 (or more for returners) per hour you worked all season if you worked till the last day. If you left for school that was more than 200miles away than you you didn't have to stay and you automatically got it, that was the only time they cared how far away you were.
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Wood Rules!
Okay. Now for some more general questions
Where is employee parking? ( If PKI has it )
Are employees responsible for cleaning their uniforms, or does PKI have a laundry service?
What's the LEAST amount of hours a person could get working at PKI?
How flexible is PKI with your hours? For example, if you can't be at work on a certain day, or if you are sick, can you get a substitute to fill in for you?
Do employees work in shifts? For instance, one day I may come in for opening and work until 2 PM, and then the next day I work from 2 PM to closing.
What do employees do about lunch/dinner breaks? Can you bring in your own food, or leave the park and eat somewhere else?
Thanks to all of those who have helped give information. I know there are a lot of questions to answer, but I'm sure I'm not the only one on Coasterbuzz who has been wondering about working at an amusement park.
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Intelligence is a God given gift: Know how to use it.
CoasterKrazy said:
Okay. Now for some more general questions
Are employees responsible for cleaning their uniforms, or does PKI have a laundry service?
What's the LEAST amount of hours a person could get working at PKI?
How flexible is PKI with your hours? For example, if you can't be at work on a certain day, or if you are sick, can you get a substitute to fill in for you?
Do employees work in shifts? For instance, one day I may come in for opening and work until 2 PM, and then the next day I work from 2 PM to closing.
What do employees do about lunch/dinner breaks? Can you bring in your own food, or leave the park and eat somewhere else?
You are probably responsible for your uniform (at least we were). I bought a few SFOG shirts so I wouldn;t have to keep washing them all the time.
I don't think you'll have to worry about getting a minimum amount of hours. Usually you'll be able to work quite a bit more than 40 a week in the summer.
SFOG let you use substitutes; PKI probably has something similar. You find a person (usually at your ride) who can fill in for you that day. If you're sick, they may have a point system so you don't take advantage of sick days. Of course, it would be totally different.
You'll amost assuredly work one shift (work day shift, it's the best). They may have swing shift in addition to night shift. Again, this is a guess.
You might be able to bring your own food. There's probably an employee cafeteria on the premises somewhere. You almost assuredly won't be able to eat in a restaraunt in the park, and you probably won't be allowed to leave the premises until you're clocked out.
Hope it helps, and rememebr this is based off similar experience, so your results may vary.
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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
*** This post was edited by General Public on 12/24/2002. ***
General Public is right, its about the same in any park.
The employee parking lot is pretty much right at the front gate, just off to the side in a fenced off area. You come in from the side of the park (over by the waterpark) and drive across. Its pretty stupid for it all to be there but hey its Paramount.
You are responsible for you own laundry. I'm not sure how they are doing wardrobe this year. Last year you ordered your 2 shirts, hat, coat and rain coat from Cintas (which the park pays for) and if you want more you buy them and you have to provide your own pants. Before the park actually gave you everything and you had to return it, now you don't.
Most likely you will be scheduled around 40 hours but you can always come in early or stay later if your supervisor ok's it and work more hours. The only way you might work less than 40 is if HR hires too many foreign exchange students like they do every year and then we have to cut everyone's hours back because we have too many people.
Yup we let people subsitute as well, just have to have it approved by your supervisor. They may even say forget about it and jsut give you the day off. Absences, yes you get a point system and after so many points you can be fired.
That is one question in the interviews, can you work rotating shifts (i.e. open, swing, close, or combination). There had been many days where I would come in at 8am and wouldn't leave until 1am. (That was all on my own will, no one will force you to work that if you don't want to)
We have Oscars the employee cafeteria with refridgerators so you can put your food in. We also serve lunch and dinner there. You are welcome to leave the park and get food since there are many fast food places down the street, though you usually only have a half an hour break and its not enough time to walk out of the park to your car and then there and back.
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Wood Rules!
Also, if you work in food service you get a meal ticket (an entree 2 sides and a drink for free) they have pizza hamburgers fries chicken every day and a daily specialty like buffalo wings or lasagna or something.
You can work rotating shifts, and sicne your 16 you can work any hours pretty much.
CoasterKrazy said:
Okay. Now for some more general questions
Where is employee parking? ( If PKI has it ) Very clsoe about a fwe hundred feet from the employee entrance
Are employees responsible for cleaning their uniforms, or does PKI have a laundry service? The park supplies shirts, but you are responsible for maintaing.
What's the LEAST amount of hours a person could get working at PKI? Proabbly about 5 days a week. (about 8 hour shifts.
How flexible is PKI with your hours? For example, if you can't be at work on a certain day, or if you are sick, can you get a substitute to fill in for you?
Very much felexible, if you are sick or you know in advance you need a scheduled day off you will probably be able to find someone to cover it.
Do employees work in shifts? For instance, one day I may come in for opening and work until 2 PM, and then the next day I work from 2 PM to closing. Lets say you work in rides you may work 9 till 4 one day than 3:45 till after close the next or maybe open to close.
What do employees do about lunch/dinner breaks? Can you bring in your own food, or leave the park and eat somewhere else? YOu can bring your own food or buy it at the employees cafeteria, the park ask you dont leave while on lunhc break.
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ξ μ σ
So you believe that you are studying us, then kindly explain why you are the ones trapped in your seats.
Thanks for the compliment, rollergator. I'm really interested in wokring at PKI, and I'm doing my best to find all the information I need.
As of now, wokring hours seems to be my major problem. My parents don't really want me to work 40 hours a week, considering how far away I live from Paramount's Kings Island. Since I'll only have about 10 months of driving, my mom is worried about driving 100 miles a day. Plus, this will be my first full-time job.
It's kind of frustrating really. My parents tell me that I need to find a job to help pay for car insurance, and because I'm repsonsible enough to handle it. I find out that I can work at PKI, and they practically say no right off the bat. I would NEVER find a job as good as at Paramount's Kings Island where I live. I understand why my parents are worried about driving and be over-worked, and I'm glad I have parents who care about me so much, but it seems a little hypocritical to me. They want me to get a job, but I'm limited to where I can work. I'm sure you parents on here understand what's going on...
Anyway, back on topic. All this information is great! PKI is certainly looking better and better. Here's a few more questions:
Are employees limited to one job? For instance, if I became a ride-op, would I be cleaning bathrooms or sweeping the park when not operating my ride? Not that this matters, just curious.
Once hired, will there be training sessions and orientations before the season starts explaining all the aspects of working at PKI?
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Intelligence is a God given gift: Know how to use it.
Are employees limited to one job? For instance, if I became a ride-op, would I be cleaning bathrooms or sweeping the park when not operating my ride? Not that this matters, just curious.
No you will be on your ride everyday or another rid eif they need help and your ride has extras, but you are responsble for cleaning your ride area each day.
Once hired, will there be training sessions and orientations before the season starts explaining all the aspects of working at PKI?
There are oriantations held at PKIU (Kings Island Univerity) located within the park which just goes over rules and precedures, than there will be actual on ride( or whatever department) trianing which is usually held 2 weeks before opening days and is 2 weekends.
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So you believe that you are studying us, then kindly explain why you are the ones trapped in your seats.
Hmm...that 40 hours a week could be a problem...
Well, now that I've got the facts straight, what are your OPINIONS on working at Paramount's Kings Island?
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Intelligence is a God given gift: Know how to use it.
My opinions about working at PKI:
I really enjoyed working at PKI, i got to meet various people over my three years that i've worked there so far, its really a good job, its one of the few jobs that you can have "fun" at. If you have any further questions feel free to email me (address in profile)
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So you believe that you are studying us, then kindly explain why you are the ones trapped in your seats.
The least you can work in rides is actually about 2 shifts a week. This is called a "Rides Pool" position, and you don't exactly work for a crew, you come in and they assign you to a ride that needs help that day. And it's not a big deal when the exchange students come in, because there are always about 10-15 slackers per ride that would be happy to let you work for them. All you have to do is ask.
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