I applied online. The process took 5 days. I interviewed at Grand Circle Travel (Boston, MA) in Apr 2012
Interview
This interview was for a Program (Tour) Director for the Tour Operator, Grand Circle Travel or GCT. There were four employee's conducting this multi-day interview process which seemed more like a training camp than an interview. The interview took place in Boston at an airport hotel. The company paid for the roundtrip flight, hotel room (shared) and meals. No wages were earned since this was still part of the interview process. The first three days were spent primarily in one of the hotels' meeting rooms covering company features, core value's, expectations, ice breakers, impromptu presentations, etc. The final two days were spent on a 56 seater bus traveling throughout New England with prospective tour guides (program directors) being called up to the microphone to discuss various subjects. The Managers would call up a PD at random and once at the microphone would tell you what to talk about for five or so minutes. Also on these final two days, each PD would have to give a 10 - 20 minute historical commentary about a place/area. For this exercise, you had the night before to study. On the controversial subject talk, no time to study (see paragraph below). Not all of the places were actually visited but your skills as a presenter were tested. Actually, as I came to find out, everything was a test! Including having a roommate! They were testing everyone's team friendly spirit!
Also, this interview process can be likened to the television show 'Survivor' as there were one or two PD's that were kindly asked to leave at the end of each day (hence why we were staying at the conveniently located airport hotel rather than one of GCT's contracted Boston hotels). The days were long, alot of skills were tested (including the patience levels) and the process was very tiring. It was definitely a labor camp!
I applied through an employee referral. The process took 2 months. I interviewed at Grand Circle Travel
Interview
Long (maaaaany files to fill, but that is understandable and fine) and uncoordinated, with many Skype interviews with different managers that were not aware than another one had interviewed me already. The training was very deep even if exhausting and scary... many candidates kicked out in not very nice manners day by day.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Many reasonable questions about previous experiences and how would you react to this and that.
I applied online. I interviewed at Grand Circle Travel (Lyon) in Dec 2015
Interview
Group interview.
Wonder why the coming and going is huge with this Company?
Probably due to their recruitment/selection method.
The recruiters are judges of a group of approximate 15 people at a time, who are doing " games" " role playing" and " finger pointing" . The session is scheduled for a whole day, but the recruiters seem to know quit quickly who they want for an one to one interview later on that same day.
If you are not with the "happy few" they just ignore you, and they do not give you a chance to participate in the role play, so you can show your personality!
If you are not a person with a big mouth and a" know it all" attitude, don't waist your time going, you will not be heard.
If you are a serious, well mannered and experienced person, who is able to listen and learn you have no business going to a Company like GCCL.
Recruitment is not a game, it is a skill.
I applied online. The process took 3 days. I interviewed at Grand Circle Travel (Lyon) in Nov 2015
Interview
Entretien collectif, (15 ou 20 personnes) on vous demande de vous présenter en 1 minute, on vous passe une boîte avec des question du genre: que feriez-vous si vous gagnez à la loterie? que pensez-vous de la pornographie? Pourriez-vous vivre sur une autre planète? on vous dis que vous allez devoir construire un radeau avec des pailles ( 15 ou 12 pailles) pour protéger un oeuf d'une chute de 3 mètres. On vous dira qu'on vas vous donner 50 pailles mais au final vous n'en recevrez que 15 pour voir comment vous allez réagir, vous avez 15 minutes pour faire l'exercice en équipe ( un conseil mettez un chronomètre) on vous donnera une question avec des mises en situations du genre: si un bus tombe en passe et il pleut dehors comment allez-vous annoncer au passagers qu'ils doivent sortir du bus? Un passager n'a pas sa valise comment le rassurer? à la fin de la journée on vous dira si vous êtes pris ou pas pour le deuxième jour. Le deuxième jour on vous demandera de faire une présentation de vous devant le groupe d'une durée de 4 minutes environ ( un conseil lâchez vous totalement c'est ce qu'ils recherchent) et on vous dira de faire un tour de Lyon en 10 minutes, pas de connaissances historique mais simplement en vous aidant de ce qui vous entoure. Il y a 3 ou 4 recruteurs dans chaque session. Le salaire qui propose est de 161€ par jour pour 11 jours de croisière et vous n'avez pas de contrat vous êtes auto entrepreneurs, les tips ou pourboire sont en plus du salaire mais très aléatoire. Si vous recherché vraiment un entretien qui sort de l'ordinaire allez-y et amusez-vous mais je ne pense vraiment pas que le jeu en vaille vraiment la chandelle car en lisant très attentivement les commentaires des passagers ainsi que des employés de Grand Circle Travel on s'aperçoit qu'il y a un turn over très important et que les conditions de travail sont très précaire! Avis aux amateurs et bonne chance!