Employment at Cinemark
Cinemark is one of America’s largest theater chains. Over the past century, they have built theaters in the most populated areas of every state. The company provides great employment opportunities for those who enjoy a work environment built upon the popular culture of the day. At each Cinemark location, the company hires employees of all ages for a variety of operational roles.
Completing Cinemark’s online application is the first of many steps in landing a job with the company. This article will highlight Cinemark application process, the company’s work environment and many other important details for a potential candidate.
Cinemark Application
Like many corporate websites, Cinemark’s online homepage features a “career portal” which can be accessed through a link at the bottom of the page. Following this link will bring users to a complicated page with all kinds of information for landing a job with the company. On the bottom left, users will notice an “Apply Online Now” button. Before clicking that, however, it’s important to learn about the following Cinemark departments:
Theater Services
Theater services employees are the heart and soul of the Cinemark operation. These individuals fulfill roles at the box office, concession areas and inside theaters. These are highly customer-service oriented positions, and candidates should have confidence speaking with customers and responding to large crowds.
- Box Office / Cashier
- Usher
- Concessionist
Theater Field Support
Field support technicians are the unsung heroes of the theater environment. These people have the skill and proficiency to execute specific tasks necessary for smooth theater operation. These positions are mid-level, and applicants should have professional experience before applying to jobs in this department.
- Guest Services Representative
- Digital Cinema Support Representative
- CSC Escalations Associate
Theater Restaurant
Theaters across the country are opening full-fledged restaurants inside their premises, and Cinemark is following the trend. As a result, the company needs many employees for food service responsibilities. These jobs require a strong sense of teamwork and customer service.
- Server
- Bartender
- Line Cook
Virtual Reality Gaming
For many years, theaters have featured “game rooms” that include many of the most popular arcade games. These days, however, theaters are keeping up with trends in virtual reality. Employees in this department must display strong knowledge of virtual reality headset technology. Also, these employees should feel comfortable working with groups of children.
- VR Guest Experience Associate
- VR Technician
- VR Game Room Assistant
Operations and Maintenance
Working closely with theater field support, Cinemark maintenance positions require a vast set of skills. These diverse jobs include general maintenance, janitorial responsibilities and upkeep of the location’s restaurant facilities. These employees should work well in an independent setting.
- Janitor
- Maintenance Technician
- Restaurant Maintenance Technician
These are only the most popular jobs in Cinemark locations across the country. Each department has several other positions, but these are the ones with the highest turnover rate and the greatest need for new employees. Also, Cinemark hires many seasonal employees to cover multi-departmental responsibilities. Many employees begin their Cinemark career in a seasonal position, but strong employees receive an opportunity for permanent work at the end the seasonal contract.
Navigating Cinemark’s career page is more complicated than necessary because each link you click on will open a new tab in your browser. Effectively, reaching legitimate Cinemark application will leave you with around five tabs of career-oriented filler. However, when you do reach the Cinemark application, these are the necessary steps:
- On the career page, scroll to the bottom where each department is listed in a graphical view.
- Of the departments listed above, select your desired department.
- A new window will appear with the full list of available jobs in that department. Narrow the search to your location.
- After specifying your location, relevant nearby jobs will be the only items on the list. Select your desired position. Keep a close eye on the store location of your chosen position.
- If more than one position seems appealing to you, make sure to click the “save for later” option. Your Cinemark application can only include one job at a time, but you can send out multiple applications.
- Clicking on your chosen position will open a new page with an “apply now” button on top. Clicking this button will bring you to the account creation process.
- The Cinemark application process can only be completed online.
The Cinemark account creation process is fulfilled by a third-party company known as talentReef. This process is similar to what you might expect from an account creation portal. This is a list of the seven steps required to create a talentReef account on the Cinemark website.
- Enter your first and last name, email address, and contact information.
- Tell Cinemark how you heard about their open position (Online Resources).
- Complete your public talentReef profile.
- Indicate your hours of availability. Try to make them as open as possible.
- Describe your education history.
- Describe your employment history.
- Include any pertinent references. References are not required for most entry-level positions.
At the end of the process, candidates will be given the option to upload a resume or other text files. This is a good feature to utilize for maximizing your odds of landing an interview. A well-written cover letter and resume will set you apart from other entry-level candidates, and resumes are a necessary part of the hiring process for any mid-level positions.
Minimum Age for Employment at Cinemark
Before completing the Cinemark application, candidates will notice the minimum age for employment with the company is 16 years. Unfortunately, they don’t accept work permits for anyone below the minimum age requirement.
With many companies moving towards a minimum age of 18 years, Cinemark remains one of the country’s hallmark corporations for employing high school students. Entry-level jobs are plentiful within the Cinemark environment, and employees report a steady path for growth. Though fast progression through the company ranks may require further education, plenty of entry-level employees develop a great career with nothing greater than a high school diploma.
Cinemark Hours of Operation
The Cinemark environment is one with highly variable hours of operation. On your Cinemark application, you will learn additional information about the typical hours of the role for which you’re applying. However, major Hollywood releases and other special events are capable of expanding each location’s open hours.
Cinemark locations also employ maintenance workers for overnight shifts. It’s easier to work on theater repairs when the location is empty. Candidates under the age of 18 are not eligible for maintenance positions because of overnight labor laws.
Entry Level Cinemark Careers and Respective Income
Because of Cinemark’s status as a great employer for high schoolers, the company has a strong reputation for the quality of their entry-level positions. Compared to other theaters, Cinemark typically offers greater wages. An entry-level theater service crew member could earn around $9.50 per hour.
Advancement through the company ladder depends on several factors, but the company advertises their clear path to progression and corporate success. For many of their corporate positions, Cinemark hires the hardest working in-store candidates.
Careers in Management
It’s difficult to land a management position immediately at Cinemark, but many entry-level employees are promoted from within. It’s possible for a theater service crew member to grow into a low management position within two years.
The most important skills are time management, superior customer service proficiency and responsiveness to pressure. When lines are long, and the location is understaffed, managers must respond quickly and effectively to the challenge. When something isn’t working properly in the theater environment, blame is often pointed directly at managers.
Benefits of Working at Cinemark
While you’re completing the Cinemark application, you may notice a page that details the employee benefits for full-time and part-time associates. Frankly, even the full-time Cinemark benefits are well below average.
Full-time employees can expect limited options for health, dental and vision insurance. The company provides a 401k plan, but their maximum matched percentage is unclear. Some former employees have reported a 2% match, but others have reported only 1%.
As you might expect, the company’s hallmark benefit is free movies and discounted concessions for employees. The truth is, however, that many major film studios are placing limitations the legality of free screenings for theater employees. For example, Disney has pushed for a law that theater employees can only enjoy a free screening of one of their movies after it’s been showing publicly for two weeks.
Basic Tips for Applying at Cinemark
Former applicants have described the Cinemark application and interview process as informal, but it’s still possible to prepare for a strong application.
Display Passion for Movies
The application process will allow some room to show hiring managers your personality. Make sure to present yourself as a movie lover and someone who deeply enjoys popular culture. Should you land an interview with the company, hiring managers will ask these questions in-person.
Show Some Follow-through
When you complete your Cinemark application, plan to call the location in a few days. The company receives a lot of applications for their entry-level positions, and you may wait weeks or even months if you wait to be contacted by a hiring manager. Instead, call the company and schedule an interview on your own terms.
Apply for Many Positions
Applying for an entry-level job is sometimes a number game and applying for more than one Cinemark job is a good strategy for getting your foot in the door. You might even consider applying for jobs at various nearby locations.
Upload Your Resume
Last, upload your resume during the Cinemark application. Candidates with resumes seem a lot more lifelike to hiring managers than those who merely utilize the talentReef service. Give yourself every possible advantage. Fill your resume with examples of your love for movies.
Cinemark Interview Tips
Many former applicants have reported positive experiences interviewing with Cinemark. The interview is nothing to stress over and remaining confident while answering questions is the key to success.
However, considering these questions will give you some extra room to impress the hiring manager:
- What are your favorite movies and genres?
- What do you do outside of work and school?
- How well do you respond to pressure and what are some specific strategies for remaining calm?
- What makes Cinemark the best theater chain in America?
- Outside of movies, what o you like about popular culture?
Management and corporate positions will certainly involve a more in-depth interview process, and you should be prepared to discuss field-related information in those settings. However, interviewing for an in-store position is mainly an opportunity for hiring managers to assess your customer service abilities. Make sure to give complete answers, portray confidence, and let managers know you are confident about performing the important functions of the job. This is especially true for candidates with no prior work experience.
Working at Cinemark
Candidates who venture through the Cinemark application process report a positive experience with the company. The full-time Cinemark benefits could be stronger, and it could be easier for applicants to land management positions without Cinemark experience; but, overall, many entry-level candidates have gone on to start rewarding careers with the company.
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